Ihavehithertoavoidedpublicnewsinmyletterstoyou，becauseyoursituationinsuredyouacommunicationofmyletterstoMr。Jay。Thiscircumstancebeingchanged，Ishallinfutureindulgemyselfinthesedetailstoyou。TherehadbeensomeslighthopesthatanaccommodationmightbeaffectedbetweentheTurks&twoempiresbutthesehopesdonotstrengthen，andtheseasonisapproachingwhichwillputanendtothemforanothercampaignatleast。TheaccidenttotheKingofEnglandhashadgreatinfluenceontheaffairsofEurope。HismediationjoinedwiththatofPrussia，wouldcertainlyhavekeptDenmarkquiet，andsohaveleftthetwoempiresinthehandsoftheTurks&Swedes。ButtheinactivitytowhichEnglandisreduced，leavesDenmarkmorefree，andshewillprobablygooninoppositiontoSweden。TheK。ofPrussiatoohadadvancedsofarthathecanscarcelyretire。ThisisrenderedthemoredifficultbythetroubleshehasexcitedinPoland。Hecannotwellabandonthepartyhehadbroughtforwardtheresothatitisverypossiblehemaybeengagedintheensuingcampaign。Francewillbequietthisyear，becausethisyearatleastisnecessaryforsettlingherfutureconstitution。TheStateswillmeetthe27thofApril：andthepublicmindwillIthinkbythattimeberipeforajustdecisionoftheQuestionwhethertheyshallvotebyordersorpersons。Ithinkthereisamajorityofthenoblesalreadyforthelatter。Ifso，theiraffairscannotbutgoonwell。Besidessettlingforthemselvesatolerablyfreeconstitution，perhapsasfreeaoneasthenationisyetpreparedtobear，theywillfundtheirpublicdebts。Thiswillgivethemsuchacreditaswillenablethemtoborrowanymoneytheymaywant，&ofcoursetotakethefieldagainwhentheythinkproper。AndIbelievetheymeantotakethefieldassoonastheycan。TheprideofeveryindividualinthenationsuffersundertheignominiestheyhavelatelybeenexposedtoandIthinkthestatesgeneralwillgivemoneyforawartowipeoffthereproach。Therehavearisennewbickeringsbetweenthiscourt&
theHague，andthepaperswhichhavepassedshewthemostbitteracrimonyranklingattheheartofthisministry。TheyhaverecalledtheirambassadorfromtheHaguewithoutappointingasuccessor。TheyhavegivenanotetotheDietofPolandwhichshewsadisapprobationoftheirmeasures。TheinsanityoftheKingofEnglandhasbeenfortunateforthemasitgivesthemtimetoputtheirhouseinorder。
TheEnglishpaperstellyoutheKingiswell：andeventheEnglishministrysayso。Theywillnaturallysetthebestfootforemost：andtheyguardhispersonsowellthatitisdifficultforthepublictocontradictthem。TheKingisprobablybetter，butnotwellbyagreatdeal。1。Hehasbeenbled，andjudiciousphysicianssaythatinhisexhaustedstatenothingcouldhaveinducedarecurrencetobleedingbutsymptomsofrelapse。2。ThePrinceofWalestellstheIrishdeputationhewillgivethemadefinitiveanswerinsomedays；
butifthekinghadbeenwellhecouldhavegivenitatonce。3。
Theytalkofpassingastandinglawforprovidingaregencyinsimilarcases。Theyapprehendthentheyarenotyetclearofthedangerofwantingaregency。4。Theyhavecarriedthekingtochurch；butitwashisprivatechapel。Ifhebewellwhydonottheyshewhimpubliclytothenation，&raisethemfromthatconsternationintowhichtheyhavebeenthrownbytheprospectofbeingdeliveredovertotheprofligatehandsoftheprinceofWales。Inshort，judgingfromlittlefactswhichareknowninspiteoftheirteeththeKingisbetter，butnotwell。Possiblyheisgettingwell，butstill，timewillbewantingtosatisfyeventheministrythatitisnotmerelyalucidinterval。ConsequentlytheycannotinterruptFrancethisyearinthesettlementofheraffairs，&afterthisyearitwillbetoolate。
AsyouwillbeinasituationtoknowwhentheleaveofabsencewillbegrantedmewhichIhaveasked，willyoubesogoodastocommunicateitbyalinetoMr。Lewis&Mr。Eppes?Ihopetoseeyouinthesummer，andthatifyouarenototherwiseengaged，youwillencampwithmeatMonticelloforawhile。
SCIENCEANDLIBERTY
_ToJosephWillard_
_Paris，March24，1789_
SIR，——IhavebeenlatelyhonoredwithyourletterofSeptemberthe24th，1788，accompaniedbyadiplomaforaDoctorateofLaws，whichtheUniversityofHarvardhasbeenpleasedtoconferonme。ConscioushowlittleImeritit，Iamthemoresensibleoftheirgoodnessandindulgencetoastranger，whohashadnomeansofservingormakinghimselfknowntothem。Ibegyoutoreturnthemmygratefulthanks，andtoassurethemthatthisnoticefromsoeminentaseatofscience，isveryprecioustome。
ThemostremarkablepublicationswehavehadinFrance，forayearortwopast，arethefollowing。`Lesvoyagesd’Anacharsisparl’AbbeBarthelemi，’sevenvolumes，octavo。ThisisaveryelegantdigestofwhateverisknownoftheGreeks；useless，indeed，tohimwhohasreadtheoriginalauthors，butveryproperforonewhoreadsmodernlanguagesonly。TheworksoftheKingofPrussia。TheBerlineditionisinsixteenvolumes，octavo。ItissaidtohavebeenguttedatBerlin；andhereithasbeenstillmoremangled。Thereareoneortwoothereditionspublishedabroad，whichpretendtohaverectifiedthemaltreatmentbothofBerlinandParis。Sometimewillbenecessarytosettlethepublicmind，astothebestedition。
MontignothasgivenustheoriginalGreek，andaFrenchtranslationoftheseventhbookofPotolemy’sgreatwork，underthetitleof`Etatdesetoilesfixesausecondsiecle，’inquarto。HehasgiventhedesignationofthesamestarsbyFlamsteadandBeyer，andtheirpositionintheyear1786。Averyremarkableworkisthe`MechaniqueAnalytique，’ofLeGrange，inquarto。Heisallowedtobethegreatestmathematiciannowliving，andhispersonalworthisequaltohisscience。Theobjectofhisworkistoreducealltheprinciplesofmechanicstothesingleoneoftheequilibrium，andtogiveasimpleformulaapplicabletothemall。Thesubjectistreatedinthealgebraicmethod，withoutdiagramstoassisttheconception。
Mypresentoccupationsnotpermittingmetoreadanythingwhichrequiresalongandundisturbedattention，Iamnotabletogiveyouthecharacterofthisworkfrommyownexamination。IthasbeenreceivedwithgreatapprobationinEurope。InItaly，theworksofSpallanzaniondigestionandgeneration，arevaluable。Though，perhaps，toominute，andthereforetedious，hehasdevelopedsomeusefultruths，andhisbookiswellworthattention；itisinfourvolumes，octavo。Clavigaro，anItalianalso，whohasresidedthirty-sixyearsinMexico，hasgivenusahistoryofthatcountry，whichcertainlymeritsmorerespectthananyotherworkonthesamesubject。HecorrectsmanyerrorsofDr。Robertson；andthoughsoundphilosophywilldisapprovemanyofhisideas，wemuststillconsideritasanusefulwork，andassuredlythebestwepossessonthesamesubject。Itisinfourthinvolumes，smallquarto。DelaLandhasnotyetpublishedafifthvolume。
Thechemicaldisputeabouttheconversionandreconversionofairandwater，continuesstillundecided。Argumentsandauthoritiesaresobalanced，thatwemaystillsafelybelieve，asourfathersdidbeforeus，thattheseprinciplesaredistinct。Aschismofanotherkind，hastakenplaceamongthechemists。Aparticularsetofthemhere，haveundertakentoremodelallthetermsofthescience，andtogivetoeverysubstanceanewname，thecomposition，andespeciallytheterminationofwhich，shalldefinetherelationinwhichitstandstoothersubstancesofthesamefamily。Butthescienceseemstoomuchinitsinfancyasyet，forthisreformation；because，infact，thereformationofthisyearmustbereformedagainthenextyear，andsoon，changingthenamesofsubstancesasoftenasnewexperimentsdevelopepropertiesinthemundiscoveredbefore。Thenewnomenclaturehas，accordingly，beenalreadyprovedtoneednumerousandimportantreformations。Probablyitwillnotprevail。Itisespousedbytheminorityonlyhere，andbyveryfew，indeed，oftheforeignchemists。ItisparticularlyrejectedinEngland。
Inthearts，Ithinktwoofourcountrymenhavepresentedthemostimportantinventions。Mr。Paine，theauthorofCommonSense，hasinventedanironbridge，whichpromisestobecheaperbyagreatdealthanstone，andtoadmitofamuchgreaterarch。Hesupposesitmaybeventuredforanarchoffivehundredfeet。HehasobtainedapatentforitinEngland，andisnowexecutingthefirstexperimentwithanarchofbetweenninetyandonehundredfeet。Mr。Rumseyhasalsoobtainedapatentforhisnavigationbytheforceofsteam，inEngland，andissolicitingasimilaronehere。Hisprincipalmeritisintheimprovementoftheboiler，and，insteadofthecomplicatedmachineryofoarsandpaddles，proposedbyothers，thesubstitutionofsosimpleathingasthereactionofastreamofwateronhisvessel。HeisbuildingaseavesselatthistimeinEngland，andshewillbereadyforanexperimentinMay。Hehassuggestedagreatnumberofmechanicalimprovementsinavarietyofbranches；anduponthewhole，isthemostoriginalandthegreatestmechanicalgeniusI
haveeverseen。ThereturnoflaPeyrousewheneverthatshallhappenwillprobablyaddtoourknowledgeinGeography，BotanyandNaturalHistory。Whatafieldhaveweatourdoorstosignaliseourselvesin！TheBotanyofAmericaisfarfrombeingexhausted，itsMineralogyisuntouched，anditsNaturalHistoryorZoology，totallymistakenandmisrepresented。AsfarasIhaveseen，thereisnotonesinglespeciesofterrestrialbirdscommontoEuropeandAmerica，andIquestioniftherebeasinglespeciesofquadrupeds。Domesticanimalsaretobeexcepted。Itisforsuchinstitutionsasthatoverwhichyoupresidesoworthily，Sir，todojusticetoourcountry，itsproductionsanditsgenius。Itistheworktowhichtheyoungmen，whomyouareforming，shouldlaytheirhands。Wehavespenttheprimeofourlivesinprocuringthemthepreciousblessingofliberty。Letthemspendtheirsinshewingthatitisthegreatparentof_science_andofvirtue；andthatanationwillbegreatinboth，alwaysinproportionasitisfree。Nobodywishesmorewarmlyforthesuccessofyourgoodexhortationsonthissubject，thanhewhohasthehonortobe，withsentimentsofgreatesteemandrespect，Sir，yourmostobedienthumbleservant，AREPORTFROMVERSAILLES
_ToJohnJay_
_Paris，May9，1789_
SIR，——SincemyletterofMarchthe1st，bythewayofHavre，andthoseofMarchthe12thand15th，bythewayofLondon，noopportunityofwritinghasoccurred，tillthepresenttoLondon。
TherearenosymptomsofaccommodationbetweentheTurksandtwoempires，norbetweenRussiaandSweden。TheEmperorwas，onthe16thofthelastmonth，expectedtodie，certainly；hewas，however，alittlebetterwhenthelastnewscameaway，sothathopeswereentertainedofhim；butitisagreedthathecannotgetthebetterofhiscomplaintsultimately，sothathislifeisnotatallcountedon。
TheDanesprofess，asyet，todonomoreagainstSwedenthanfurnishtheirstipulatedaid。TheagitationofPolandisstillviolent，thoughsomewhatmoderatedbythelatechangeinthedemeanoroftheKingofPrussia。Heismuchlessthrasonicthanhewas。ThisisimputedtotheturnwhichtheEnglishpoliticsmayberationallyexpectedtotake。ItisverydifficulttogetatthetruestateoftheBritishKing；butfromthebestinformationwecanget，hismadnesshasgoneoff，butheisleftinastateofimbecilityandmelancholy。TheyaregoingtocarryhimtoHanover，toseewhethersuchajourneymayrelievehim。TheQueenaccompanieshim。IfEnglandshould，bythisaccident，bereducedtoinactivity，thesoutherncountriesofEuropemayescapethepresentwar。Uponthewhole，theprospectforthepresentyear，ifnounforeseenaccidenthappens，is，certainpeaceforthepowersnotalreadyengaged，aprobabilitythatDenmarkwillnotbecomeaprincipal，andamerepossibilitythatSwedenandRussiamaybeaccommodated。TheinteriordisputesofSwedenaresoexactlydetailedintheLeydengazette，thatIhavenothingtoaddonthatsubject。
Therevolutionofthiscountryhasadvancedthusfar，withoutencounteringanythingwhichdeservestobecalledadifficulty。
Therehavebeenriotsinafewinstances，inthreeorfourdifferentplaces，inwhichtheremayhavebeenadozenortwentyliveslost。
Theexacttruthisnottobegotat。Afewdaysago，amuchmoreseriousriottookplaceinthiscity，inwhichitbecamenecessaryforthetroopstoengageinregularactionwiththemob，andprobablyaboutonehundredofthelatterwerekilled。Accountsvaryfromtwentytotwohundred。TheywerethemostabandonedbandittiofParis，andneverwasariotmoreunprovokedandunpitied。Theybegan，underapretencethatapapermanufacturerhadproposedinanassembly，toreducetheirwagestofifteensousaday。Theyrifledhishouse，destroyedeverythinginhismagazinesandshops，andwereonlystoppedintheircareerofmischief，bythecarnageabovementioned。Neitherthisnoranyotheroftheriots，havehadaprofessedconnectionwiththegreatnationalreformationgoingon。
TheyaresuchashavehappenedeveryyearsinceIhavebeenhere，andaswillcontinuetobeproducedbycommonincidents。TheStatesGeneralwereopenedonthe4thinstant，byaspeechfromthethrone，onebytheGardedesSceaux，andonefromMr。Neckar。Ihopetheywillbeprintedintimetosendyouherewith：lesttheyshouldnot，I