dred. 9. Take things always by their smooth handle. 10. When angry, count ten before you speak; if very angry, an hun II. 12. Nothing is troublesome that we do willingly. Conscience is our only guide from doubts and inconsistencies. 13. Differences of opinion in politics, religion, or philosophy should not break friends. 14. The happiest man is he of whom the world says least. 15. Pride costs us more than hunger, thirst, and cold. 16. We never repent of having eaten too little. 17. How much pain have cost us the evils which have never hap pened. 18. Adore God; reverence and cherish your parents. 19. Love your neighbor as yourself, and your country more than yourself. 20. Be just; be true; murmur not at the ways of Providence. CHAPTER II THOMAS JEFFERSON-AMBITIOUS YOUNG MAN AND STATESMAN Father's characteristics and prominence; his own early life, education, experience at William and Mary College; personal sorrows; lawyer, member of the House of Burgesses, Continental_Congress, and Congress; Shadwell destroyed; marriage; death of Dabney Carr and its episode; Patrick Henry's great speech; John Adams' eulogy; Declaration of Independence-when, where, and how composed; religious liberty, public reforms; diffusion of knowledge; Governor, Northwestern Territory; Minister to France, Secretary of State, etc. THOMAS JEFFERSON was born April 13, 1743, on the family estate, Shadwell, Albemarle County, Virginia, four miles east of Charlottesville. To-day an unpretentious station of that name, on the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, marks the plantation's original southern boundary, while on the near-by rising hill northward a few straggling locust and sycamore trees, planted by him on his twenty-first birthday, remain as the only visible reminder of the historic frame mansion destroyed by fire in 1770. His father, Peter Jefferson, who owned and resided here from early manhood until death (1757), cultivating so much of his nineteen hundred acres as practical with thirty slaves, was possibly the most prominent man of Albemarle in that day-standing high with his government, his people, and the surrounding Indians. He was large in body and strong in mind, possessing sound judgment, a substantial and inspiring personality, and an education acquired by self-effort through extensive reading and an eagerness for general knowledge-a fine mathematician, a skilled surveyor, following it, as did Washington, with remarkable credit and success. He occupied a number of honorable and important positions-Justice of the Peace, State and County Surveyor, Colonel of the County, executor of large estates, Church vestryman, member of the House of Burgesses, etc.— while an early death deprived him of much assured distinction. His estate joined another of local interest, Edgehill, owned and occupied by William Randolph, with whom for years he enjoyed the closest friendship, and finally a relationship by marrying a brother's daughter, Jane Randolph. The fruition of this union was ten children-six girls and four boys; of the latter, three died quite young, while the eldest, Thomas, alone survived to bring fame to the name. The father sympathized with struggling humanity, espoused the popular side, took pride in plain dress and appearance, and was solicitous about his characteristics and theories being impressed upon his son, whom he also had taught the darings of sport-to ride a fleet horse, fire a gun, and brave a swollen stream in pursuit of deer or turkey. He was a firm believer in education, considering it a far better legacy than monetary inheritance, desired his son, Thomas, to have the best, and previous to death had begun to shape that by placing him when five years old at an English school in Tuckahoe, and when nine at the Latin school of Mr. Douglas, a Scottish clergyman, where he studied Latin, Greek, French and mathematics, and remained until fourteen, at the death of his father. The next two years he spent only fourteen miles from Shadwell,, at the school of Rev. James Maury, a Huguenot, a broad-minded man and a correct classical scholar, from where he entered (1760) William and Mary College, Williamsburg—the then capital of Virginia, an unpaved village of a thousand inhabitants, but the center of much social, political and educational activity, especially during winters when the Legislature and Great Court were in session, as then many distinguished families took up there a temporary residence. To all such Mr. Jefferson had entrée, but was careful not to abuse the social side, as he held ever foremost the object of his sojourn—an education. Of the various college instructors there was one with whom he formed the closest intimacy, speaking of him afterwards in grateful terms: "It was my good fortune, and what probably fixed the destinies of my life, that Dr. William Small of Scotland was then professor of mathematics, a man profound in most of the useful branches of science, with a happy talent of communication, correct and gentlemanly manners, and an enlarged and liberal mind. He most happily for me, became soon attached to me and made me his daily companion, when not engaged in school; and from his conversation I got my first views of the expansion of science and the system of things in which we are placed." He was also a religious skeptic and no doubt gave vent frequently, in the presence of his youthful associate, to his agnostic doctrines with more or less effect. Mr. Jefferson also while there became very friendly with two other distinguished and highly educated menGovernor Francis Fauquier, a thoroughly cultured, able and aggressive gentleman, imparting much that should be imitated as well as avoided, and George Wythe, a scholarly lawyer, who became his law preceptor, and in due time the same to Chief Justice Marshall and Henry Clay. The attainments of these companions stimulated in Mr. Jefferson an ambition and industry scarcely conceivable, so that in spite of beginning college life with the enjoyment of various diversions social entertainments, healthful exercises, horseback riding (for he had his own stable), playing the violin, etc.— these by degrees were discarded, with the exception of a mile run at twilight, in order that he might devote at least fifteen hours to solid study, an application which only a strong, vigor ous and robust constitution, like his, could have safely endured. Although adhering to such a studious regime and braving successfully the many besetting temptations-cards, wine and tobacco-so as to leave college morally sound when not yet twenty (1762), he had gone so far as to become strongly interested in Miss Rebecca Burwell, an heiress of much beauty in manner and person, who, pretending a reciprocal sentiment, clandestinely married another—Jacquelin Ambler. To cover disappointment this unexpected conclusion of a romance made Mr. Jefferson all the closer reader and student of law-that upon which he had now entered with strong determination and bright hopes under the mentorship of his staunch friend, George Wythe. To the study of this profession he devoted five entire years, passing the winters in Williamsburg and the summers at Shadwell, being admitted to the bar (1767) when twenty-four years of age. While these five years had been spent profitably and satisfactorily, yet apart from their pleasant memories others had entered more or less depressing. Thus at the very beginning he encountered love's delusion, and two years later the death of his favorite sister, Jane, which inflicted a much more serious blow, as she was the pride and ornament of the home, a beautiful singer, his literary and musical companion—a grief from which he never completely recovered, cherishing her memory to the last in the expression: "Often in church some sacred air which her sweet voice had made familiar to me in youth recalls to me sweet visions of her whom I loved so well and buried so young." Mr. Jefferson, with his training, might truthfully have been considered the finest educated man of his country at that day, as he possessed a masterly knowledge of Latin, Greek, French, and mathematics; knew considerable of the Indian dialects, Anglo-Saxon, Spanish, Italian, science, agriculture, and architecture; had been a close student of literature, history, biography, philosophy, and was well-grounded in the various phases of law. He once remarked to his grandson: "I have never sat down in idleness, since when a boy, I first found pleasure in books," and his thirst for information was insatiable, as he eagerly seized every possible means of obtaining it. In later life he was recognized as a veritable "walking encyclopædia," but the stranger-farmer, mechanic, scientist, lawyer, physician, theologian-by personal contact thought him in turn simply one of his own craft, as he invariably adapted his conversation to suit each individual. He regarded farming the most moral and ennobling vocation, and farmers as God's chosen people, consequently, as might have been expected, he now assumed control of his landed estate, Shadwell, and in addition began the practice of law in Albemarle and adjoining counties, having his office in Charlottesville. He was the staff of the home, consisting of his mother, brother, and three younger sisters-the three older being absent, Jane by death, Mary by_marriage to Thomas Bolling, and Martha by marriage to Dabney Carr-and fully appreciated the responsibility assumed, but in the spirit of confidence and happiness. From the beginning both chosen interests were highly successful, for he increased his lands in value and acreage, and gained daily professional business and renown. As a lawyer he was patient, accurate and fearless, but nothing of an orator -not even a pleasant public speaker, his voice when elevated becoming husky and indistinct. His talent for investigation and summarizing caused all of his cases to be well-prepared, |