A very considerable portion of this country has been desolated by a hail.  I considered the newspaper accounts of hailstones of ten pounds weight as exaggerations.  But in a conversation with the Duke de la Rochefoucault the other day, he assured me, that though he could not say he had seen such himself, yet he considered the fact as perfectly established.  Great contributions, public and private, are making for the sufferers.  But they will be like the drop of water from the finger of Lazarus.  There is no remedy for the present evil, nor way to prevent future ones, but to bring the people to such a state of ease, as not to be ruined by the loss of a single crop.  This hail may be considered as the coup de grace to an expiring victim.  In the arts there is nothing new discovered since you left us, which is worth communicating.  Mr. Paine’s iron bridge was exhibited here with great approbation.  An idea has been encouraged of executing it in three arches at the King’s garden.  But it will probably not be done.

I am, with sentiments of perfect esteem and attachment, Dear Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER CLII.—­TO JOHN JAY, August 10, 1788

TO JOHN JAY.

Paris, August 10, 1788.

Sir,

I have waited till the last moment of Mrs. Barclay’s departure, to write you the occurrences since my letter of the 3rd instant.  We have received the Swedish account of an engagement between their fleet and the Russian, on the Baltic, wherein they say they took one, and burned another Russian vessel, with the loss of one on their side, and that the victory remained with them.  They say, at the same time, that their fleet returned into port, and the Russians kept the sea; we must, therefore, suspend our opinion till we get the Russian version of this engagement.  The Swedish manifesto was handed about to-day at Versailles, by the Swedish ambassador, in manuscript.  The King complains that Russia has been ever endeavoring to sow divisions in his kingdom, in order to re-establish the ancient constitution; that he has long borne it, through a love of peace, but finds it no longer bearable:  that still, however, he will make peace on these conditions; 1.  That the Empress punishes her minister for the note he gave in to the court of Stockholm; 2. that she restore Crimea to the Turks; and 3. that she repay to him all the expenses of his armament.  The Russian force, in vessels of war on the Black Sea, are five frigates, and three ships of the line; but those of the line are shut up in port, and cannot come out till Oczakow shall be taken.  This fleet is commanded by Paul Jones, with the rank of rear-admiral.  The Prince of Nassau commands the galleys and gun-boats.  It is now ascertained, that the States General will assemble the next year, and probably in the month of May.  Tippoo Saib’s ambassadors had their