3808. HOUDON (Jean Antoine), Life insurance.—
Monsieur Houdon has agreed to go to America to take the figure of General
Washington. In case of his death, between his
departure from Paris and his return to it, we
may lose twenty thousand livres. I ask the
favor of you to enquire what it will cost to
insure that sum on his life, in London, and
to give me as early an answer as possible, that
I may order the insurance if I think the terms
easy enough. He is, I believe, between thirty
and thirty-five years of age, healthy enough,
and will be absent about six months.—
To John Adams. Washington ed. i, 361.
(P.
1785)