The accommodation likely to take place between the Dutch and the Emperor, leaves us without that unfortunate resource for news, which wars give us.  The Emperor has certainly had in view the Bavarian exchange of which you have heard; but so formidable an opposition presented itself, that he has thought proper to disavow it.  The Turks show a disposition to go to war with him; but if this country can prevail on them to remain in peace, they will do so.  It has been thought that the two Imperial courts have a plan of expelling the Turks from Europe.  It is really a pity, so charming a country should remain in the hands of a people, whose religion forbids the admission of science and the arts among them.  We should wish success to the object of the two empires, if they meant to leave the country in possession of the Greek inhabitants.  We might then expect, once more, to see the language of Homer and Demosthenes a living language.  For I am persuaded the modern Greek would easily get back to its classical models.  But this is not intended.  They only propose to put the Greeks under other masters; to substitute one set of barbarians for another.

Colonel Humphreys having satisfied you that all attempts would be fruitless here, to obtain money or other advantages for your college, I need add nothing on that head.  It is a method of supporting colleges of which they have no idea, though they practise it for the support of their lazy monkish institutions.

I have the honor to be, with the highest respect and esteem, Sir,

your most obedient

and most humble servant,

Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER LXXIX.—­TO JOHN ADAMS, July 28, 1785

TO JOHN ADAMS.

Paris, July 28, 1785.

Dear Sir,

Your favors of Jury the 16th and 18th came to hand the same day on which I had received Baron Thulemeyer’s, enclosing the ultimate draught for the treaty.  As this draught, which was in French, was to be copied into the two instruments which Dr. Franklin had signed, it is finished this day only.  Mr. Short sets out immediately.  I have put into his hands a letter of instructions how to conduct himself, which I have signed, leaving a space above for your signature.  The two treaties I have signed at the left hand, Dr. Franklin having informed me that the signatures are read backwards.  Besides the instructions to Mr. Short, I signed also a letter to.  Mr. Dumas, associating him with Mr. Short.  These two letters I made out as nearly conformably as I could, to your ideas expressed in your letter of the 18th.  If any thing more be necessary, be so good as to make a separate instruction for them, signed by yourself, to which I will accede.  I have not directed Mr. Dumas’s letter.  I have heretofore directed to him as ’Agent for the United States at the Hague,’ that being the description under which the journals of Congress speak of him.  In his