The Domestic Life of Thomas Jefferson: Comp. from Family Letters and Reminiscences

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Harper & brothers, 1871 - Biography & Autobiography - 432 pages
 

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Page 36 - Caesar had his Brutus,— Charles the First, his Cromwell,— and George the Third"— "Treason," cried the speaker— "treason, treason," was echoed from every part of the house.
Page 357 - Although in the circle of his friends, where he might be unreserved with safety, he took a free share in conversation, ! his colloquial talents were not above mediocrity, possessing neither copiousness of ideas nor fluency of words. In public, when called on for a sudden opinion, he was unready, short, and embarrassed. Yet he wrote readily, rather diffusely, in an easy and correct style. This he had acquired by conversation with the world, for his education was merely reading, writing, and common...
Page 326 - Behold, here I am ; witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed ; whose ox have I taken ? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded ? whom have I oppressed ? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith ? and I will restore it you. And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man's hand.
Page 420 - 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 eveiy thought and deed by rules of virtue moves ; Whose generous tongue disdains to speak the thing his heart disproves.
Page 26 - I am certain that this mode of deciding on my conduct, tended more to correctness than any reasoning powers I possessed. Knowing the even and dignified line they pursued, I could never doubt for a moment which of two courses would be in character for them. Whereas, seeking the same object through a process of moral reasoning, and with the jaundiced eye of youth, I should often have erred.
Page 28 - Europe in 1762, having previously filled up the measure of his goodness to me, by procuring for me, from his most intimate friend, George Wythe, a reception as a student of law, under his direction, and introduced me to the acquaintance and familiar table of Governor Fauquier, the ablest man who had ever filled that office. With him, and at his table, Dr. Small and Mr. Wythe, his amid omnium horarum, and myself, formed a partie quarree, and to the habitual conversations on these occasions I owed...
Page 267 - The house is made habitable, but there is not a single apartment finished, and all withinside, except the plastering, has been done since Briesler came. We have not the least fence, yard, or other convenience, without, and the great unfinished audience-room I make a dryingroom of, to hang up the clothes in. The principal stairs are not up, and will not be this winter.
Page 388 - I forget for a while the hoary winter of age, when we can think of nothing but how to keep ourselves warm, and how to get rid of our heavy hours until the friendly hand of death shall rid us of all at once.
Page 121 - I am in hopes it will arrive a little before I shall, and give me an opportunity of judging whether you have got the better of that want of industry which I began to fear would be the rock on which you would split. Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.
Page 358 - ... government, which would lead infallibly to licentiousness and anarchy. And to this he listened the more easily, from my known disapprobation of the British treaty. I never saw him afterwards, or these malignant insinuations should have been dissipated before his just judgment, as mists before the sun. I felt on his death, with my countrymen, that " verily a great man hath fallen this day in Israel.

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