Paris, but presented on the dark side, and a little darkened moreover.  But there is so much truth in its groundwork, that it will be well worth your reading.  You will then know Paris (and probably the other large cities of Europe) as well as if you had been there for years. L’Espion Anglois is no caricature.  It will give you a just idea of the wheels by which the machine of government is worked here.  There are in it, also, many interesting details of the last war, which, in general, may be relied on.  It may be considered as the small history of great events.  I am in hopes, when you shall have read them, you will not think I have misspent your money for them.  My method for making out this assortment was, to revise the list of my own purchases since the invoice of 1785, and to select such as I had found worth your having.  Besides this, I have casually met with, and purchased, some few curious and cheap things.

I must trouble you on behalf of a Mr. Thomas Burke, at Loughburke near Loughrea in Ireland, whose brother, James Burke, is supposed to have died, in 1785, on his passage from Jamaica, or St. Eustatius, to New York.  His property on board the vessel is understood to have come to the hands of Alderman Groom at New York.  The enclosed copy of a letter to him will more fully explain it.  A particular friend of mine here, applies to me for information, which I must ask the favor of you to procure, and forward to me.

Writing news to others, much pressed in time, and making this letter one of private business, I did not intend to have said any thing to you on political subjects.  But I must press one subject.  Mr. Adams informs me he has borrowed money in Holland, which, if confirmed by Congress, will enable them to pay, not only the interest due here to the foreign officers, but the principal.  Let me beseech you to reflect on the expediency of transferring this debt to Holland.  All our other debts in Europe do not injure our reputation so much as this.  These gentlemen have connections both in and out of office, and these again their connections, so that our default on this article is further known, more blamed, and excites worse dispositions against us, than you can conceive.  If you think as I do, pray try to procure an order for paying off their capital.  Mr. Adams adds, that if any certain tax is provided for the payment of interest, Congress may borrow enough in Holland to pay off their whole debts in France, both public and private, to the crown, to the Farmers, and to Beaumarchais.  Surely it will be better to transfer these debts to Holland.  So critical is the state of that country, that I imagine the monied men of it, would be glad to place their money in foreign countries, and that Mr. Adams could borrow there for us, without a certain tax for the interest, and saving our faith too, by previous explanations on that subject.  This country is really supposed on the eve of a * * * *.  Such a spirit has risen within a few weeks, as could not have been believed.  They see the great deficit in their revenues, and the hopes of economy lessen daily.  The parliament refuse to register any act for a new tax, and require an Assembly of the States.  The object of this Assembly is evidently to give law to the King, to fix a constitution, to limit expenses.  These views are said to gain upon the nation.*