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world may; some day; be gratified and instructed?  Your son George we

shall be very happy indeed to see; and to renew in him the

recollections of your very dear family; and the revolutionary merit

of M。 le Vasseur has that passport to the esteem of every American;

and; to me; the additional one of having been your friend and

co…operator; and he will; I hope; join you in making head…quarters

with us at Monticello。  But all these things _a revoir_  ; in the

meantime we are impatient that your ceremonies at York should be

over; and give you to the embraces of friendship。




        P。 S。 Will you come by Mr。 Madison's; or let him or me know on

what day he may meet you here; and join us in our greetings?







        COUNSEL TO A NAMESAKE




        _To Thomas Jefferson Smith_

        _Monticello; February 21; 1825_




        This letter will; to you; be as one from the dead。  The writer

will be in the grave before you can weigh its counsels。  Your

affectionate and excellent father has requested that I would address

to you something which might possibly have a favorable influence on

the course of life you have to run; and I too; as a namesake; feel an

interest in that course。  Few words will be necessary; with good

dispositions on your part。  Adore God。  Reverence and cherish your

parents。  Love your neighbor as yourself; and your country more than

yourself。  Be just。  Be true。  Murmur not at the ways of Providence。

So shall the life into which you have entered; be the portal to one

of eternal and ineffable bliss。  And if to the dead it is permitted

to care for the things of this world; every action of your life will

be under my regard。  Farewell。




        _The portrait of a good man by the most sublime of poets; for

your imitation_

        Lord; who's the happy man that may to thy blest courts repair;

        Not stranger…like to visit them but to inhabit there?

        'Tis he whose every thought and deed by rules of virtue moves;

        Whose generous tongue disdains to speak the thing his heart

disproves。

        Who never did a slander forge; his neighbor's fame to wound;

        Nor hearken to a false report; by malice whispered round。

        Who vice in all its pomp and power; can treat with just

neglect;

        And piety; though clothed in rages; religiously respect。

        Who to his plighted vows and trust has ever firmly stood;

        And though he promise to his loss; he makes his promise good。

        Whose soul in usury disdains his treasure to employ;

        Whom no rewards can ever bribe the guiltless to destroy。

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        The man; who; by his steady course; has happiness insur'd。

        When earth's foundations shake; shall stand; by Providence

secur'd。




        _A Decalogue of Canons for observation in practical life_。

        1。 Never put off till to…morrow what you can do to…day。

        2。 Never trouble another for what you can do yourself。

        3。 Never spend your money before you have it。

        4。 Never buy what you do not want; because it is cheap; it will

be dear to you。

        5。 Pride costs us more than hunger; thirst and cold。

        6。 We never repent of having eaten too little。

        7。 Nothing is troublesome that we do willingly。

        8。 How much pain have cost us the evils which have never

happened。

        9。 Take things always by their smooth handle。

        10。 When angry; count ten; before you speak; if very angry; an

hundred。







        THE OBJECT OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE




        _To Henry Lee_

        _Monticello; May 8; 1825_




        DEAR SIR;  Your favor of Apr。 29 has been duly recieved; and

the offer of mineralogical specimens from Mr。 Myer has been

communicated to Dr。 Emmet our Professor of Natural history。  The last

donation of the legislature to the University was appropriated

specifically to a library and apparatus of every kind。  But we apply

it first to the more important articles of a library; of an

astronomical; physical; & chemical apparatus。  And we think it safest

to see what these will cost; before we venture on collections of

mineral & other subjects; the last we must proportion to what sum we

shall have left only。  The Professor possesses already what he thinks

will be sufficient for mineralogical and geological explanations to

his school。  I do not know how far he might be tempted to enlarge his

possession by a catalogue of articles and prices; if both should be

satisfactory。  If Mr。 Myer chuses to send such a catalogue; it shall

be returned to you immediately; if the purchase be not approved。




        That George Mason was the author of the bill of rights; and the

constitution founded on it; the evidence of the day established fully

in my mind。  Of the paper you mention; purporting to be instructions

to the Virginia delegation in Congress; I have no recollection。  If

it were anything more than a project of some private hand; that is to

say; had any such instructions been ever given by the convention;

they would appear in the journals; which we possess entire。  But with

respect to our rights; and the acts of the British government

contravening those rights; there was but one opinion on this side of

the water。  All American whigs thought alike on these subjects。  When

forced; therefore; to resort to arms for redress; an appeal to the

tribunal of the world was deemed proper for our justification。  This

was the object of the Declaration of Independence。  Not to find out

new principles; or new arguments; never before thought of; not merely

to say things which had never been said before; but to place before

mankind the common sense of the subject; in terms so plain and firm

as to command their assent; and to justify ourselves in the

independent stand we are compelled to take。  Neither aiming at

originality of principle or sentiment; nor yet copied from any

particular and previous writing; it was intended to be an expression

of the American mind; and to give to that expression the proper tone

and spirit called for by the occasion。  All its authority rests then

on the harmonizing sentiments of the day; whether expressed in

conversation; in letters; printed essays; or in the elementary books

of public right; as Aristotle; Cicero; Locke; Sidney; &c。  The

historical documents which you mention as in your possession; ought

all to be found; and I am persuaded you will find; to be

corroborative of the facts and principles advanced in that

Declaration。  Be pleased to accept assurances of my great esteem and

respect。







        THE ANGLO…SAXON LANGUAGE




        _To the Honorable J。 Evelyn Denison; M。P。_

        _Monticello; November 9; 1825_




        DEAR SIR;  Your favor of July 30th was duly received; and we

have now at hand the books you have been so kind as to send to our

University。  They are truly acceptable in themselves; for we might

have been years not knowing of their existence; but give the greater

pleasure as evidence of the interest you have taken in our infant

institution。  It is going on as successfully as we could have

expected; and I have no reason to regret the measure taken of

procuring Professors from abroad where science is so much ahead of

us。  You witnessed some of the puny squibs of which I was the butt on

that account。  They were probably from disappointed candidates; whose

unworthiness had occasioned their applications to be passed over。

The measure has been generally approved in the South and West; and by

all liberal minds in the North。  It has been peculiarly fortunate;

too; that the Professors brought from abroad were as happy selections

as could have been hoped; as well for their qualifications in science

as correctness and amiableness of character。  I think the example

will be followed; and that it cannot fail to be one of the

efficacious means of promoting that cordial good wil

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