Jefferson writes to his colleague John Vaughan, the wine merchant and long-tenured treasurer and librarian of the American Philosophical Society, regarding payment to both Vaughan and the US Consul to France, Thomas Appleton. Vaughan and Jefferson corresponded with one another for over 30 years, mostly regarding business transactions. 

Noted wine connoisseur Jefferson remits payment for some wine he seems eager to acquire: "I have done it without waiting an answer to my enquiry, because the remittance is for some Florence wine, which if not sent off by the 1st of April will hardly incur the passage." 

He also reflects: "The papers tell us that Chapsal + LaCepede are to take refuge with us from the persecutions of their new old masters. Oh! for a National University to avail ourselves of such talents." It would be another three years before Jefferson founded the University of Virginia.