But some unlucky incidents have delayed their effect.  His dispositions continue good.  As a proof of this, he has lately released freely, and clothed well, the crew of an American brig he took last winter; the only vessel ever taken from us by any of the States of Barbary.  But what is the English of these good dispositions?  Plainly this; he is ready to receive us into the number of his tributaries.  What will be the amount of tribute, remains yet to be known, but it probably will not be as small as you may have conjectured.  It will surely be more than a free people ought to pay to a power owning only four or five frigates, under twenty-two guns:  he has not a port into which a larger vessel can enter.  The Algerines possess fifteen or twenty frigates, from that size up to fifty guns.  Disinclination on their part has lately broken off a treaty between Spain and them, whereon they were to have received a million of dollars, besides great presents in naval stores.  What sum they intend we shall pay, I cannot say.  Then follow Tunis and Tripoli.  You will probably find the tribute to all these powers make such a proportion of the federal taxes, as that every man will feel them sensibly, when he pays those taxes.  The question is whether their peace or war will be cheapest.  But it is a question which should be addressed to our honor, as well as our avarice.  Nor does it respect us as to these pirates only, but as to the nations of Europe.  If we wish our commerce to be free and uninsuked, we must let these nations see that we have an energy which at present they disbelieve.  The low opinion they entertain of our powers, cannot fail to involve us soon in a naval war.

I shall send you with this, if I can., and if not, then by the first good conveyance, the Connoissance des Tems for the years 1786 and 1787, being all as yet published.  You will find in these the tables for the planet Herschel, as far as the observations, hitherto made, admit them to be calculated.  You will see, also, that Herschel was only the first astronomer who discovered it to be a planet, and not the first who saw it.  Mayer saw it in the year 1756, and placed it in the catalogue of his zodiacal stars, supposing it to be such.  A Prussian astronomer, in the year 1781, observed that the 964th star of Mayer’s catalogue was missing:  and the calculations now prove that at the time Mayer saw his 964th star, the planet Herschel should have been precisely in the place where he noted that star.  I shall send you also a little publication here, called the Bibliotheque Physico-oeconomique.  It will communicate all the improvements and new discoveries in the arts and sciences, made in Europe for some years past.  I shall be happy to hear from you often.  Details, political and literary, and even of the small history of our country, are the most pleasing communications possible.  Present me affectionately to Mrs. Page, and to your family, in the members of which, though unknown to me, I feel an interest on account of their parents.  Believe me to be with warm esteem, dear Page, your sincere friend and servant,