ce and comity towards ours, bring both into a state of temperate
and useful friendship, it is possible we might thus attain the place we
ought to occupy between these two nations, without being degraded to the
condition of mere partisans of either.

A little time will now inform us, whether France, within its proper
limits, is big enough for its ruler, on the one hand, and whether, on
the other, the allied powers are either wicked or foolish enough to
attempt the forcing on the French, a ruler and government which they
refuse; whether they will risk their own thrones to re-establish that
of the Bourbons. If this is attempted, and the European world again
committed to war, will the jealousy of England at the commerce which
neutrality will give us, induce her again to add us to the number of
her enemies, rather than see us prosper in the pursuit of peace and
industry? And have our commercial citizens merited from their country
its encountering another war to protect their gambling enterprises?
That the persons of our citizens shall be safe in freely traversing the
ocean, that the transportation of our own produce, in our own vessels,
to the markets of our choice, and the return to us of the articles we
want for our own use, shall be unmolested, I hold to be fundamental, and
that the gauntlet must be for ever hurled at him who questions it. But
whether we shall engage in every war of Europe, to protect the mere
agency of our merchants and shipowners in carrying on the commerce of
other nations, even were those merchants and ship-owners to take the
side of their country in the contest, instead of that of the enemy, is a
question of deep and serious consideration, with which, however, you and
I shall have nothing to do; so we will leave it to those whom it will
concern.

I thank you for making known to me Mr. Ticknor and Mr. Gray. They are
fine young men, indeed, and if Massachusetts can raise a few more such,
it is probable she would be better counselled as to social rights and
social duties. Mr. Ticknor is, particularly, the best bibliograph I
have met with, and very kindly and opportunely offered me the means of
reprocuring some part of the literary treasures which I have ceded
to Congress, to replace the devastations of British Vandalism at
Washington. I cannot live without books. But fewer will suffice, where
amusement, and not use, is the only future object. I am about sending
him a catalogue, to which less than his c