Books

JEFFERSON, Thomas. Notes on the State of Virginia. Philadelphia: Printed for Mathew Carey., 1794. [4],336pp., plus folding table and folding frontispiece map (21" x 15" inches). Modern three-quarter morocco and marbled boards, spine gilt with raised bands, gilt morocco label. Small bookplate of Belvoir House on front pastedown; faded contemporary ink stamps of the Royal Institution of Great Britain on verso of title page and in lower margin of p.336. Light scattered foxing, toning to edge of text block. A bit of foxing to the map, with some offsetting and toning and starts to the folds near the edges. Very good. HOWES J78. SABIN 35898. CLARK I:262. SOWERBY, JEFFERSON'S LIBRARY 4167. ADAMS, THE EYE OF THOMAS JEFFERSON 57. EVANS 27162. REESE, FEDERAL HUNDRED 6 (ref). The second American edition of Jefferson's famous account of the natural, economic, and political conditions of Virginia, and the first American edition to contain a map. This is the only book-length work by Jefferson to be published in his lifetime and has been called "one of America's first permanent literary and intellectual landmarks." Written in response to questions posed by Francois Barbe-Marbois, secretary to the French legation in Philadelphia, Notes on the State of Virginia contains detailed information about Virginia, including its natural history, society, politics, education, religion, slavery, liberty, and law. As J.M. Edelstein notes: "Jefferson wrote about things which interested him deeply and about which he knew a great deal; the Notes, therefore, throws a fascinating light on his tastes, curiosities, and political and social opinions." Jefferson even addresses the issue of slavery in response to the query regarding "the particular customs and manners that may happen to be received in that state." In his response, Jefferson states that "The whole commerce between master and slave is a perpetual exercise of the most boisterous passions, the most unremitting despotism on the one part, and degrading submission on the other." Jefferson concludes his discussion of the issue with a question and its likely answer: "And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the gift of God? That they are not to be vin.