Charles Dilly to John Adams, February 3, 1790

Lond o; 3 d Feby 1790.

D r Sir,

I sh d. not have troubled you with a
Letter—but upon the peculiar instance of having received a Letter from Mess rs; Wilhem of Amsterdam, a few Months ago; in which he states
in consequence of the receipt of a Letter from you—he has made Enquiry about your
Volumes of the Defence of the American states &c—but cannot find any of the Second Volume— 1 I immediatly returned for answer—Fifty Copies of that Volume were Shippd the 8 th; Sep r; 1787—on board the Maraggratha, Cap t; Doorn 2 —and on the 27 March following 50 Volume
3 d — It is strange if the Parcels containing the 1 st. & 3 d Volumes had been
opened—That the omission of the second Volume Sh d not have
been found out for the space of two Years. I directed upon the receipt of a second
Letter last Nov r; M r; Ingram, my
Shopman and—who has the conduct of all orders—and Parcels going into the Country—or
Shipped for Exportation—To state the Day—and date of Sending the Parcels. Supposing M r. Wilhem may have written to you on the Subject—I thought it
expedient in me to explain that no imputation of neglect sh d. be placed to my charge of omitting to forward an Equal Number of the 2 d Volume as I did of the First & Third. As a greater
Number of the second Volumes were sent to Amer a; than the
Third—I have not a Copy of the second to make up a set—and—on this acc t. I have requested a friend to Enquire of M r; M c. Kean whether his Books r; 3 has any of
that Volume left, above the Number of the Third—and sh d. it
be so, to return—Ten or a dozen Copies of that Volume only—as I have First—and
Thirds.

The Copies of D r: Gordons Hist: of the
American Revolution After the Subscribers were supplied—amounted to about Two hundred
and they are now all sold—which is a fortunate circumstance to the Worthy Doctor—who is
now fixed with a small congregation at S t. Neotes about
Fifty miles North of Lond o; — He is a Worthy honest
Man—contented with a trifle—and lives happy and chearful with his Little Flock. 4 I hope your Lady and Family Enjoy the
blessing of health—and with my sincere wish for the continuation of all other temporal
comforts—I rest D r sir, Your faithful & Humb l Serv t;

Ch s; Dilly