"Aristotle wrote the History and description of Eighteen hundred Republicks, which existed before his time.  Cicero wrote two Volumes of discour[s]es on Government, which, perhaps were worth all the rest of his Works.  The Works of Livy and Tacitus etc that are lost, would be more interesting than all that remain.  Fifty Gospells have been destroyed, and where are St. Lukes World of Books that have been written?  If you ask my Opinion, who has committed all the havoc?  I will answer you candidly; Ecclesiastical and Imperial Despotism has done it, to conceal their Frauds.

Why are all the Histories of all Nations, more ancient than the Chr[is]tian Era lost?  Who destroyed the Alexandrian Library?  I believe that Christian Priests, Jewish Rabbies Grecian Sages and Roman Emperors had as great a hand in it as Turks and Mahomitans.

Democrats, Rebells and Jacobins, when they possessed a momentary Power, have shewn a disposition, both to destroy and to forge Records, as vandalical, as Priests and Despots.  Such has been and such is the World We live in."

                                                                                                                            John Adams to Thomas Jefferson
                                                                                                                                                             July 9, 1813