part17-第5章

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　　　　　　　　‘Leon　piagato　a　morte　Cosi　fra　l'ire　estrema

　　　　　　　　　　　　Sente　mancar　la　vita；　　　　　　　　　　　rugge；　minaccia；　e　freme；

　　　　　　　　　　　　Guarda　la　sua　ferita；　　　　　　　　　　　Che　fa　tremar　morendo

　　　　　　　　　　　　Ne　s'avilisce　ancor。　　　　　　　　　　　　Tal　volta　il　cacciator。'

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Metast　Adriano。




　　　　　　　　But　Bonaparte　was　a　lion　in　the　field　only。　　In　civil　life　a

cold…blooded；　calculating　unprincipled　Usurper；　without　a　virtue；　no

statesman；　knowing　nothing　of　commerce；　political　economy；　or　civil

government；　and　supplying　ignorance　by　bold　presumption。　　I　had

supposed　him　a　great　man　until　his　entrance　into　the　Assembly　des

cinq　cens；　18。　Brumaire　（an。　8。）　From　that　date　however　I　set　him

down　as　a　great　scoundrel　only。　　To　the　wonders　of　his　rise　and　fall；

we　may　add　that　of　a　Czar　of　Muscovy　dictating；　_in　Paris_；　laws　and

limits　to　all　the　successors　of　the　Caesars；　and　holding　even　the

balance　in　which　the　fortunes　of　this　new　world　are　suspended。　　I　own

that；　while　I　rejoice；　for　the　good　of　mankind；　to　the　deliverance　of

Europe　from　the　havoc　which　would　have　never　ceased　while　Bonaparte

should　have　lived　in　power；　I　see　with　anxiety　the　tyrant　of　the

ocean　remaining　in　vigor；　and　even　participating　in　the　merit　of

crushing　his　brother　tyrant。　　While　the　world　is　thus　turned　up　side

down；　on　which　side　of　it　are　we？　　All　the　strong　reasons　indeed

place　us　on　the　side　of　peace；　the　interests　of　the　continent；　their

friendly　dispositions；　and　even　the　interests　of　England。　　Her

passions　alone　are　opposed　to　it。　　Peace　would　seem　now　to　be　an　easy

work；　the　causes　of　the　war　being　removed。　　Her　orders　of　council

will　no　doubt　be　taken　care　of　by　the　allied　powers；　and；　war

ceasing；　her　impressment　of　our　seamen　ceases　of　course。　　But　I　fear

there　is　foundation　for　the　design　intimated　in　the　public　papers；　of

demanding　a　cession　of　our　right　in　the　fisheries。　　What　will

Massachusets　say　to　this？　　I　mean　her　majority；　which　must　be

considered　as　speaking；　thro'　the　organs　it　has　appointed　itself；　as

the　Index　of　it's　will。　　She　chose　to　sacrifice　the　liberty　of　our

seafaring　citizens；　in　which　we　were　all　interested；　and　with　them

her　obligations　to　the　Co…states；　rather　than　war　with　England。　　Will

she　now　sacrifice　the　fisheries　to　the　same　partialities？　　This

question　is　interesting　to　her　alone：　for　to　the　middle；　the　Southern

and　Western　States　they　are　of　no　direct　concern；　of　no　more　than　the

culture　of　tobacco；　rice　and　cotton　to　Massachusets。　　I　am　really　at

a　loss　to　conjecture　what　our　refractory　sister　will　say　on　this

occasion。　　I　know　what；　as　a　citizen　of　the　Union；　I　would　say　to

her。　　‘Take　this　question　ad　referendum。　　It　concerns　you　alone。　　If

you　would　rather　give　up　the　fisheries　than　war　with　England；　we　give

them　up。　　If　you　had　rather　fight　for　them；　we　will　defend　your

interests　to　the　last　drop　of　our　blood；　chusing　rather　to　set　a　good

example　than　follow　a　bad　one。'　And　I　hope　she　will　determine　to

fight　for　them。　　With　this　however　you　and　I　shall　have　nothing　to

do；　ours　being　truly　the　case　wherein　‘non　tali　auxilio；　nec

defensoribus　istis　Tempus　eget。'　Quitting　this　subject　therefore　I

will　turn　over　another　leaf。




　　　　　　　　I　am　just　returned　from　one　of　my　long　absences；　having　been　at

my　other　home　for　five　weeks　past。　　Having　more　leisure　there　than

here　for　reading；　I　amused　myself　with　reading　seriously　Plato's

republic。　　I　am　wrong　however　in　calling　it　amusement；　for　it　was　the

heaviest　task…work　I　ever　went　through。　　I　had　occasionally　before

taken　up　some　of　his　other　works；　but　scarcely　ever　had　patience　to

go　through　a　whole　dialogue。　　While　wading　thro'　the　whimsies；　the

puerilities；　and　unintelligible　jargon　of　this　work；　I　laid　it　down

often　to　ask　myself　how　it　could　have　been　that　the　world　should　have

so　long　consented　to　give　reputation　to　such　nonsense　as　this？　　How

the　soi…disant　Christian　world　indeed　should　have　done　it；　is　a　piece

of　historical　curiosity。　　But　how　could　the　Roman　good　sense　do　it？

And　particularly　how　could　Cicero　bestow　such　eulogies　on　Plato？

Altho'　Cicero　did　not　wield　the　dense　logic　of　Demosthenes；　yet　he

was　able；　learned；　laborious；　practised　in　the　business　of　the　world；

and　honest。　　He　could　not　be　the　dupe　of　mere　style；　of　which　he　was

himself　the　first　master　in　the　world。　　With　the　Moderns；　I　think；　it

is　rather　a　matter　of　fashion　and　authority。　　Education　is　chiefly　in

the　hands　of　persons　who；　from　their　profession；　have　an　interest　in

the　reputation　and　the　dreams　of　Plato。　　They　give　the　tone　while　at

school；　and　few；　in　their　after…years；　have　occasion　to　revise　their

college　opinions。　　But　fashion　and　authority　apart；　and　bringing

Plato　to　the　test　of　reason；　take　from　him　his　sophisms；　futilities；

and　incomprehensibilities；　and　what　remains？　　In　truth；　he　is　one　of

the　race　of　genuine　Sophists；　who　has　escaped　the　oblivion　of　his

brethren；　first　by　the　elegance　of　his　diction；　but　chiefly　by　the

adoption　and　incorporation　of　his　whimsies　into　the　body　of

artificial　Christianity。　　His　foggy　mind；　is　forever　presenting　the

semblances　of　objects　which；　half　seen　thro'　a　mist；　can　be　defined

neither　in　form　or　dimension。　　Yet　this　which　should　have　consigned

him　to　early　oblivion　really　procured　him　immortality　of　fame　and

reverence。　　The　Christian　priesthood；　finding　the　doctrines　of　Christ

levelled　to　every　understanding；　and　too　plain　to　need　explanation；

saw；　in　the　mysticisms　of　Plato；　materials　with　which　they　might

build　up　an　artificial　system　which　might；　from　it's　indistinctness；

admit　everlasting　controversy；　give　employment　for　their　order；　and

introduce　it　to　profit；　power　and　pre…eminence。　　The　doctrines　which

flowed　from　the　lips　of　Jesus　himself　are　within　the　comprehension　of

a　child；　but　thousands　of　volumes　have　not　yet　explained　the

Platonisms　engrafted　on　them：　and　for　this　obvious　reason　that

nonsense　can　never　be　explained。　　Their　purposes　however　are

answered。　　Plato　is　canonized；　and　it　is　now　deemed　as　impious　to

question　his　merits　as　those　of　an　Apostle　of　Jesus。　　He　is

peculiarly　appealed　to　as　an　advocate　of　the　immortality　of　the　soul；

and　yet　I　will　venture　to　say　that　were　there　no　better　arguments

than　his　in　proof　of　it；　not　a　man　in　the　world　would　believe　it。　　It

is　fortunate　for　us　that　Platonic　republicanism　has　not　obtained　the

same　favor　as　Platonic　Christianity；　or　we　should　now　have　been　all

living；　men；　women　and　children；　pell　mell　together；　like　beasts　of

the　field　or　forest。　　Yet　‘Plato　is　a　great　Philosopher；'　said　La

Fontaine。　　But　says　Fontenelle　‘do　you　find　his　ideas　very　clear'？

‘Oh　no！　he　is　of　an　obscurity　impenetrable。'　‘Do　you　not　find　him

full　of　contradictions？'　　‘Certainly；'　replied　La　Fontaine；　‘he　is

but　a　Sophist。'　Yet　immediately　after；　he　exclaims　again；　‘Oh　Plato

was　a　great　Philosopher。'　Socrates　had　reason　indeed　to　complain　of

the　misrepresentations　of　Plato；　for　in　truth　his　dialogues　are

libels　on　Socrates。




　　　　　　　　But　why　am　I　dosing　you　with　these　Ante…diluvian　topics？

Because　I　am　glad　to　have　some　one　to　whom　they　are　familiar；　and　who

will　not　recieve　them　as　if　dropped　from　the　moon。　　Our

post…revolutionary　youth　are　born　under　happier　stars　than　you　and　I

were。　　They　acquire　all　learning　in　their　mothers'　womb；　and　bring　it

into　the　world　ready…made。　　The　information　of　books　is　no　longer

necessary；　and　all　knolege　which　is　not　innate；　is　in　contempt；　or

neglect　at　least。　　Every　folly　must　run　it's　round；　and　so；　I

suppose；　must　that　of　self…learning；　and　self　sufficiency；　of

rejecting　the　knolege　acquired　in　past　ages；　and　starting　on　the　new

ground　of　intuition。　　When　sobered　by　experience　I　hope　our

successors　will　turn　their　attention　to　the　advantages　of　education。

I　mean　of　education　on　the　broad　scale；　and　not　that　of　the　petty

_academies_；　as　they　call　themselves；　which　are　starting　up　in　every

neighborhood；　and　where　one　or　two　men；　possessing　Latin；　and

sometimes　Greek；　a　knolege　of　the　globes；　and　the　first　six　books　of

Euclid；　imagine　and　communicate　this　as　the　sum　of　science。　　They

commit　their　pupils　to　the　theatre　of　the　world　with　just　taste

enough　of　learning　to　be　alienated　from　industrious　pursuits；　and　not

enough　to　do　service　in　the　ranks　of　science。　　We　have　some

exceptions　indeed。　　I　presented　one　to　you　lately；　and　we　have　some

others。　　But　the　terms　I　use　are　general　truths。　　I　hope　the

necessity　will　at　length　be　seen　of　establishing　institutions；　here

as　in　Europe；　where　every　branch　of　science；　useful　at　this　day；　may

be　taught　in　it's　highest　degrees。　　Have　you　ever　turned　your

thoughts　to　the　plan　of　such　an　institution？　　I　mean　to　a

specification　of　the　particular　sciences　of　real　use　in　human

affairs；　and　how　they　might　be　so　grouped　as　to　require　so　many

professors　only　as　might　bring　them　within　the　views　of　a　just　but

enlightened　economy？　　I　should　be　happy　in　a　communication　of　your

ideas　on　this　problem；　either　loose　or　digested。　　But　to　avoid　my

being　run　away　with　by　another　subject；　and　adding　to　the　length　and

ennui　of　the　present　letter；　I　will　here　present　to　Mrs。　Adams　and

yourself　the　assurance　of　my　constant　and　sincere　friendship　and

respect。







　　　　　　　　EMANCIPATION　AND　THE　YOUNGER　GENERATION




　　　　　　　　_To　Edward　Coles_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　August　25；　1814_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　Your　favour　of　July　31；　was　duly　received；　and　was

read　with　peculiar　pleasure。　　The　sentiments　breathed　through　the

whole　do　honor　to　both　the　head　and　heart　of　the　writer。　　Mine　on　the

subject　of　slavery　of　negroes　have　long　since　been　in　possession　of

the　public；　and　time　has　only　served　to　give　them　stronger　root。　　The

love　of　justice　and　the　love　of　country　plead　equally　the　cause　of

these　people；　and　it　is　a　moral　reproach　to　us　that　they　should　have

pleaded　it　so　long　in　vain；　and　should　have　produced　not　a　single

effort；　nay　I　fear　not　much　serious　willingness　to　relieve　them　&

ourselves　from　our　present　condition　of　moral　&　political

reprobation。　　From　those　of　the　former　generation　who　were　in　the

fulness　of　age　when　I　came　into　public　life；　which　was　while　our

controversy　with　England　was　on　paper　only；　I　soon　saw　that　nothing

was　to　be　hoped。　　Nursed　and　educated　in　the　daily　habit　of　seeing

the　degraded　condition；　both　bodily　and　mental；　of　those　unfortunate

beings；　not　reflecting　that　that　degradation　was　very　much　the　work

of　themselves　&　their　fathers；　few　minds　have　yet　doubted　but　that

they　were　as　legitimate　subjects　of　property　as　their　horses　and

cattle。　　The　quiet　and　monotonous　course　of　colonial　life　has　been

disturbed　by　no　alarm；　and　little　reflection　on　the　value　of　liberty。

And　when　alarm　was　taken　at　an　enterprize　on　their　own；　it　was　not

easy　to　carry　them　to　the　whole　leng