The Sun.
London, England, 1814-12-13 00:00:00

P 0 E 'l' It Y.

AMERICA;

JEFFERSON'S OFFErt TO CONGRESS, OF HIS

•
LIBRARY.
Dear Sir, I atti just, by the Newspapers, told,,
That the Britons, our foes, like jhe Vandals of old,
into Washington pour'd, a most terrible float,
And carried destruction from pillar to post.; • .
Not contented to pierce poor American hearts,
Thit extending their triumph o'er Science aild Arts; .
Nap, e'en onr fine Library pull'd to the ground,• -
And burnt all the books, it in-sheets, or if bound ;w
The World of this action can form but one view,
And think that the foe the same measures pursue
As they-did when before Copenhagen-they came, '
And -et; without seraph!, the town in a flame,
For no earthly reason that they could advance, —
But to keel) Danish Ships from-the harbours'of France.
It appears that since Britain has gain'd a release -
Front war nearer home, she can tic'er be at. peace,
But at us aims her vengeance, full-artu'd Inn! full-banded,
And with savage designs on our country has lauded •
Thus taking advantage, they cruellyjlar'd,
Of an innocent people unarm'e, unprrimi!d.
,And wheat was the cause—why to Frauel we were friends,
As if ev'ry State should not serve its own ends.
These Britons forget in their insolence, rat 'em,
Il'hen VAN GIIC.NT once destroy'd all l& shipping at
Chatham,'
When Di ituyrzit triumphantly rode up the Thames,
And *night have set Met, and all London in flames;
Yet London was then near a thousand years old,
While '.Washington had not its teens fully told.

But alas ! the thing's stone—'twas a horrible sight
And now let me tell you the cause why I write.
I presume as The Congress consist of a breed,
Among whom there are some whit can write, and some read,
They would fain recommence their Collection of Books,
Because in the eyes of the world it well looks ;
'Tis a grace to a nation, if only fur skew,
And with us they're of little more use, as you know;
But now a collection to form would be hard,
Since from dealings with Enrope, by War we're deharq..
What Books I possess, I to you need not tell, •
You know their condition, extent—l would sell.
I was full fifty years in collecting the whole, •
And I never spar'd pains or expence—'pon My soul. .• -
While residing at Paris, I rose very soon;-
Devoting, midst politics, each afternoon
'For nearly two summers, on this speculatiow,
ror,works that coneern'il our American nation :
-Besides, I gave orders to search Europe round,
For volnines that could not in Paris be found ;
At Amsterdam, Frankfort, lit London, Madrid,
-My-Scouts-1 directed most freely to bid,
2nd hence I was able such works to o'dtain
As nc'er will, perhaps, be collected again.
In number they're nine or ten thousand, at least,
For Philosophers, Statesman, an exquisite feast.
For American Statesmen they're really unique—
Parliamentarr branches, and dip/omatiyue,
So fullrthey treat, he must be very dull •
Whom they cannot instruct other countries to gull.
In short they can teach each political trick,
And make an American rival OLD NICK..

In London I did nut for Heraldry run,
As that is a subject ,our countrymen shun—
Yet I thought, to discourage all family pride,
''l'w•uuld be right a lei' legal records tv prov4te,
Just to let some folks know, if they purse-proud appear,
Who their Ancestors were, and why first tilty came here.

'Tis long since I thought %were a national ill,
That my books should remain privrcrte property still ;
And hence I ftsolvid, when I'm csll'd to the worms,
That Congress should purchase them on their own terms.
But the loss we sustain'd, though above sordid pelf,
Now tempts me to manage the matter myself.
My time is but short, and I can't hope, indeed,
Much more will be left me, at my age, to.read
Besides, if I suffer'd the moment to pass,
I well might be deent'd an improvident ass.
1 therefore apply, Sir, to you as my friend,
The offer to make—l'll.a Catalogue send—
They are chiefly well-bound, in the neatest condition,
Souse are elegant quite, of the choicest Edition.
I l'hi'ihsophq, Polities,. most had in view,
But as to Religion, I _know there. are few. •
Tu value theist Congress may chnse whom they please,
They may pay by instalments, and quite at their ease,
Or, by ❑o means to give our finances a shock,
By a portion of late loan, or in stock.—

I should wistrtill /ny death„ *few books they would spare,
Shoutil a reading mood come, but I'll take proper care,
That then *hat the Catalogue states, great and small,
Shall be render'd, without .ally gafbliteg• at all.
"l'would be rather more gen'rous to give them, I know,
But Habit'has furtn'd thi, to take, out bestow; • .
Resides Lining so would appear like parade,
Unfit for a people whose bias is :mfr.

I must add that 'ti; long since my books Ilook'd o'er—
A few•may be ini;sing, perchance, but nut inure.
There are noue that the Congress to take tan demur,
I.3ut many to which they might aptly refer.
Whether Congress shall buy them or Hilt, my desire
Ic always to keep the Collection,entive.
I'm engag'd now in making an Index of tames,
That at of the Authors may have their due claims.
And Bence-the first honours those works shoUld obtain
That America owes to tier tam'd Tisom
To drive a good bargain I now leave to you, -• '
So IigALTH and FRATERNITY, dear Sir, adieu.
• (Signed)- T. JEFFERSON.
it This was the first time most of theM were I,tot-pies:red.

WESTMINSTER PLAY.---Last night the Phormio
of Terence was acted by the Scholars of %Vest/
minste: School, before a numerous and brilliant
andience, among whom we observed his -ROyal
Highness the Duke of YORK, Lord LIVERPOOL,
-Ste.

Died, on Sunday last, in Berkeley-square, in
her Oth year, SosaN, Countess Dowager of
WESTMORLAND, eldest daughter of the late Cosmo
Geoaoß, Duke of GORDON married, secondly, to
the late Lieutenant-Colonel Jour Woormao, of
the Foot Guards.

On Sunday evening died, at his house in Glou-
cester-place,. Lord COLERAINE. By his Lord-
ship's decease, Colonel HANGER succeeds to the
title and the family estates.
An elegant service of plate, value 2500 guineas,
is just ready-to be presented to General Sir G.
BECKW/TII, K. B. being an offering of esteem
from the island of Barhadoes to hith as their late
Governor.

The Anniversary of St. Patrick appears, by the
papers from India, to have been celebrated with
great magnificence at Calcutta.

A sale of Books is announced in Edinburgh
which are to be disposed of by weight. If they
should relate to heavy matters thy may raise a
good sum according to this modt• of valuation,
and also prove a good bargain it they should hap-
pen to be light rewliog.
New Printing Machine.—Withont aiming to de-
tract, in the slightest degree, from the merit of
those who have lately brought forward this ad-
mirable invention in London and at Norwich, it
being very possible that two or more persons may
unconsciously devise a similar plan, we feel it due
to the town of Plymouth, to state, that one of
its
n
, a Gentleman of considerable-scientific
attainments,
discovered a machine of are same
a es
kind about ten years since, which has been, and
still is, used by a tradesman in the town for print-
ing his bills. Fifteen hundred of these are worked
oif with case in au hour ; and the machine re-
quires clothing more than the application of greater
powers, to elifect all performed by the invention
before alluded to.-,-(Plymouth.)