Beschreibung:

Patterson, Robert. A Treatise of Practical Arithmetic, Intended for the Use of Schools; in Two Parts. Pittsburgh: by the author, and by M. Carey and Son, Philadelphia, and others, 1818. 12mo, full leather, black leather label with gilt lettering on spine, boards had gilt border, now nearly worn off; marbled endpapers, 156pp. From the Retirement Library of Thomas Jefferson purchased at the sale of his library in Washington, February 29, 1829, held by Nathaniel P. Poor. This volume number 387 in the sale (on p. 8 of the catalogue). Jefferson indicated ownership with a manuscript “T” before the “I(=J)” on the signature page of the 9th gathering (page 97). (Last signature in volume is “O”, thus no opportunity to add his “J” to the “T” signature, which he did in larger volumes.) Jefferson never had a bookplate, and occasionally, but seldom, wrote his name on an endpaper. Most often he created his initials discretely at the foot of these pages by inserting a small T before the I and a J after a T if the volume was large enough. There are just a few annotations and corrections in the volume, none of which can be directly attributed to Jefferson (see condition). On free endpaper just before half-title, is ownership information written in three inscribed “blocks.” J.K. Kane / got at Washington. 2 March 1829, from / Mr. Jefferson’s Library. Second block: Robert Patterson V. / from his uncle / above named / 3 June 1836. And the third: William H. Patterson / from his father / above named. There is also a separate note on 3 x 4.5 in. slip of paper in 19th century hand further illuminating the relationships: Written by / Robert Patterson / Prof. of Mathematics & Vice Provost of U. of Pa. Presented by him to his friend Thomas Jefferson Purchased from the Jefferson Library by Judge John K. Kane. Presented by the latter to his nephew Robert Patterson, grandson of the author and by him to his son the present owner / William H. Patterson / Morison, Pa. Acquired by the consignor from the estate of Robert Patterson, VIII, who died in 2010 in Citrus Co., FL. Accompanying the volume are two letters and two early Photostat copies of a letter from Jefferson to Patterson dated March 14, 1819. One letter is from Julian P. Boyd, Librarian of the Princeton University Library dated May 14, 1948. Addressed to Robert T.L. Patterson, Mr. Boyd expresses Princeton’s interest in both the book and a Jefferson letter that Mr. Patterson owned (not with this lot). On July 12, 1948, Boyd wrote Patterson again, this one on the papers of “The Papers of Thomas Jefferson” letterhead. Boyd expresses to Patterson that he had delayed answering his earlier letter while waiting for the Photostats of the March 14 letter and notes that the original is at Yale University. He also expresses his thanks for copies of Patterson’s letter and the arithmetic book. In his letter to Patterson, Jefferson thanks him for the book of arithmetic and then goes on to note: [I]t happens, by the division [of the book] into two parts to coincide with two branches of the triple grade of education I am endeavoring to inculcate with the legislators of our state. I propose 1. that there shall be a primary school in every ward of every county, having a sufficient number of children to make up a school. 2. a college in every district of about 80 miles square, which would place every father within a day’s ride of his son at college. 3. an University. [I]n the 1st every citizen to be taught reading, writing, & elementary arithmetic; in the 2d, Greek, Latin, French and the higher branches of numerical arithmetic. In the 3d the higher branches of science. The division of your book is adapted to the 1st & 2d grades, except that it may be proper to go further in the 2d part, into the rationale of the subjects, as this grade of education is as much as the great body of our midling class of citizens would wish to acquire. The book will therefore be generally useful to others, & particularly so to us. I cordia