and which will only serve to convince you, that I have brought with me all the prejudices of country, habit, and age.  But whatever I may allow to be charged to me as prejudice, in every other instance, I have one sentiment at least founded on reality:  it is that of the perfect esteem which your merit and that of Mrs. Bellini have produced, and which will for ever enable me to assure you of the sincere regard with which I am, Dear Sir,

your friend and servant,

Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER CXVIII.—­JAMES MADISON, October 2, 1785

JAMES MADISON, of William and Mary College.

Paris, October 2, 1785.

Dear Sir,

I have duly received your favor of April the 10th, by Mr. Mazzei.  You therein speak of a new method of raising water by steam, which you suppose will come into general use.  I know of no new method of that kind, and suppose (as you say that the account you have received of it is very imperfect) that some person has represented to you, as new, a fire-engine erected at Paris, and which supplies the greater part of the town with water.  But this is nothing more than the fire-engine you have seen described in the books of hydraulics, and particularly in the Dictionary of Arts and Sciences, published in 8vo, by Owen, the idea of which was first taken from Papin’s Digester.  It would have been better called the steam-engine.  The force of the steam of water, you know, is immense.  In this-engine it is made to exert itself towards the working of pumps.  That of Paris is, I believe, the largest known, raising four hundred thousand cubic feet (French) of water, in twenty-four hours; or rather I should have said, those of Paris, for there are two under one roof, each raising that quantity.

The Abbe Rochon not living at Paris, I have not had an opportunity of seeing him, and of asking him the questions you desire, relative to the crystal of which I wrote you.  I shall avail myself of the earliest opportunity I can, of doing it.  I shall cheerfully execute your commands as to the Encyclopedie, when I receive them.  The price will be only thirty guineas.  About half the work is out.  The volumes of your Buffon, which are spoiled, can be replaced here.

I expect that this letter will be carried by the Mr. Fitzhughs, in a ship from Havre to Portsmouth.  I have therefore sent to Havre some books, which I expected would be acceptable to you.  These are the Bibliotheque Physico-oeconomique, which will give you most of the late improvements in the arts; the Connoissance des Terns for 1786 and 1787, which is as late as they are published; and some pieces on air and fire, wherein you will find all the discoveries hitherto made on these subjects.  These books are made into a packet, with your address on them, and are put into a trunk wherein is a small packet for Mr. Wythe, another for Mr. Page, and a parcel of books, without direction, for Peter Carr.  I have taken the liberty of directing the trunk to you, as the surest means of its getting safe.  I pay the freight of it here, so that there will be no new demands, but for the transportation from the ship’s side to Williamsburg, which I will pray you to pay; and as much the greatest part is for my nephew, I will take care to repay it to you.