New York Nov^r 8^th 1786 Sir, I take the liberty of sending to you some proposals, which I int[reat?] Tha[t] you to circulate among the [undecipherable] of your acquaintance. It is pre[undecipherable] many Gentlemen in Philadel[phia] avail themselves of this, the only opportunity of procuring the most extensive & valuable collections of original Papers, ever made in America — Such is the magnitude of the object that the expense can be defrayed in no way, but by publishing the papers in numbers, in order to make the payments small [undecipherable] — & the papers will not probably bear another impression in a Century. — Several Gentlemen are engaged as proprietors — It is their determination to give an [underline: elegant] edition of official papers & genuine history. It is requested that communications may be addressed to the Printer, M^r Francis Childs, & the sooner Subscription papers are returned, the more convenient. — With great respect & pray wish for the happiness of your self family — I am Sir your most obedient humble Servant Noah Webster [Address: Samuel Hodgdon / Philadelphia] [Received from State Dept Nov 24 180_ R.P.O 401310] [Endorsement: with proposals]