the human species.  In the whole animal kingdom I recollect no family but man, steadily and systematically employed in the destruction of itself.  Nor does what is called civilization produce any other effect than to teach him to pursue the principle of the bellum omnium in omnia on a greater scale, and instead of the little contests between tribe and tribe, to comprehend all the quarters of the earth in the same work of destruction.  If to this we add, that, as to other animals, the lions and tigers are mere lambs compared with man as a destroyer, we must conclude that nature has been able to find in man alone a sufficient barrier against the too great multiplication of other animals and of man himself, an equilibrating power against the fecundity of generation.  While, in making these observations, my situation points my attention to the warfare of man in the physical world, yours may perhaps present him as equally warring in the moral one.

Adieu.  Yours affectionately.

Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER CCIV.—­TO MR. VOLNEY, January 8, 1797

TO MR. VOLNEY.

Monticello, January 8, 1797.

Dear Sir,

I received yesterday your two favors of December the 26th and 29th.  Your impatience to receive your valise and its key was natural:  and it is we who have been to blame; Mr. Randolph, for not taking information of the vessel and address to which your valise was committed, and myself, for having waited till I heard of your being again immerged into the land of newspapers before forwarded your key.  However, as you have at length got them safe, I claim absolution under the proverb, that ’all is well which ends well.’

About the end of 1793, I received from Mr. Dombey (then at Lyons) a letter announcing his intention to come here.  And in May, 1794, I received one from a M. L’Epine, dated from New York, and stating himself to be master of the brig De Boon, Captain Brown, which had sailed from Havre with Mr. Dombey on board, who had sealed up his baggage and wrote my address on them, to save them in case of capture; and that when they were taken, the address did in fact protect them.  He mentioned then the death of Mr. Dombey, and that he had delivered his baggage to the Custom-House at New York.  I immediately wrote to M. L’Epine, disclaiming any right or interest in the packages under my address, and authorizing, as far as depended on me, the Consul at New York, or any person the representative of Mr. Dombey to open the packages and dispose of them according to right.  I enclosed this letter open to Mr. Randolph, then Secretary of State, to get his interference for the liberation of the effects.  It may have happened that he failed to forward the letter, or that M. L’Epine may have gone before it reached New York.  In any event, I can do no more than repeat my disclaimer of any right to Mr. Dombey’s effects, and add all the authority which I can give to yourself, or to the Consul of France at New York, to do with those effects whatever I might do.  Certainly it would be a great gratification to me to receive the Metre and Grave committed to Mr. Dombey for me, and that you would be so good as to be the channel of my acknowledgments to Bishop Gregoire, or any one else to whom I should owe this favor.