21From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 11 April 1823 (Adams Papers)
The wishes expressed, in your last favor, that I may continue in life and health until I become a Calvinist, at least in his exclamation of “ mon Dieu ! jusque à quand”! would make me immortal. I can never join Calvin in addressing his god . he was indeed an Atheist, which I can never be; or rather his religion was Dæmonism. if ever man worshipped a false god, he did. the being described in...
22From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 25 March 1826 (Jefferson Papers)
My grandson Th: Jefferson Randolph, being on a visit to Boston, would think he had seen nothing were he to leave it without having seen you. altho’ I truly sympathise with you in the trouble these interruptions give, yet I must ask for him permission to pay to you his personal respects. like other young people, he wishes to be able, in the winter nights of old age, to recount to those around...
23To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 15 February 1825 (Adams Papers)
The people of Europe seem still to think that America is a mere garden plat, and that whatever is sent to one place is close for at home as to every other. the volume I now forward to you by this mail was found on Majr. Cartwright’s death, was found to have in his own handwriting an address for you altho’ mistaking your Christian name. his friends having occn to write to me on another subject,...
24Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 22 January 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
I was quite rejoiced, dear Sir, to see that you had health & spirits enough to take part in the late convention of your state for revising it’s constitution, and to bear your share in it’s debates and labors. the amendments of which we have as yet heard prove the advance of liberalism in the intervening period; and encourage a hope that the human mind will some day get back to the freedom it...
25From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 11 April 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
The wishes expressed, in your last favor, that I may continue in life and health until I become a Calvinist, at least in his exclamation of ‘ mon Dieu ! jusque à quand’! would make me immortal. I can never join Calvin in addressing his god . he was indeed an Atheist, which I can never be; or rather his religion was Dæmonism. if ever man worshipped a false god, he did. the being described in...
26To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 12 October 1823 (Adams Papers)
I do not write with the ease which your letter of Sep. 18. supposes. crippled wrists and fingers make writing slow and laborious. but, while writing to you, I lose the sense of these things, in the recollection of antient times, when youth and health made happiness out of every thing. I forget for a while the hoary winter of age, when we can when we can think of nothing but how to keep...
27Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 8 September 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
A month’s absence from Monticello has added to the delay of acknoleging your last letters; and indeed for a month before I left it our projected College gave me constant employment; for being the only Visitor in it’s immediate neighborhood, all it’s administrative business falls on me, and that, where building is going on, is not a little. in yours of July 15. you express a wish to see our...
28From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 4 September 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of Aug. 15. was recieved in due time, and with the welcome of every thing which comes from you. with it’s opinions on the difficulties of revolutions, from despotism to freedom, I very much concur. the generation which commences a revolution rarely compleats it. habituated from their infancy to passive submission of body and mind to their kings and priests, they are not qualified,...
29From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 12 October 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
I do not write with the ease which your letter of Sep. 18. supposes. crippled wrists and fingers make writing slow and laborious. but, while writing to you, I lose the sense of these things, in the recollection of antient times, when youth and health made happiness out of every thing. I forget for a while the hoary winter of age, when we can think of nothing but how to keep ourselves warm, &...
30To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 18 December 1825 (Adams Papers)
Your letters are always welcome, the last more than all others, it’s subject being one of the dearest to my heart. to my granddaughter your commendations cannot fail to be an object of high ambition, as a certain passport to the good opinion of the world. if she does not cultivate them with assiduity and affection, she will illy fulfill my parting injunctions. I trust she will merit a...