1Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 14 October 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter, dear Sir, of May 6. had already well explained the Uses of grief, that of Sep. 3. with equal truth adduces instances of it’s abuse; and when we put into the same scale these abuses, with the afflictions of soul which even the Uses of grief cost us, we may consider it’s value in the economy of the human being, as equivocal at least. those afflictions cloud too great a portion of...
2To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 28 December 1812 (Adams Papers)
An absence of 5. or 6. weeks, on a journey I take three or four times a year, must apologize for my late acknolegement of your favor of Oct. 12. after getting thro the mass of business which generally accumulates during my absence, my first attention has been bestowed on the subject of your letter. I turned to the passages you refer to the subject of your letter. I turned to the passages you...
3Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 22 August 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my letter of June 27. I am in your debt for many; all of which I have read with infinite delight. they open a wide field for reflection; and offer subjects enough to occupy the mind and the pen indefinitely. I must follow the good example you have set; and when I have not time to take up every subject, take up a single one. Your approbation of my outline to D r Priestly is a great...
4Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 11 January 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Of the last five months I have past four at my other domicil , for such it is in a considerable degree. no letters are forwarded to me there, because the cross post to that place is circuitous and uncertain. during my absence therefore they are accumulating here, & awaiting acknolegements. this has been the fate of your favor of Nov. 13. I agree with you in all it’s eulogies on the 18 th...
5To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 23 January 1812 (Adams Papers)
The messenger who carried my letter of yesterday to the Post-office brought me thence, on his return, the two pieces of homespun which had been separated by the way from your letter of Jan. 1. a little more sagacity of conjecture in me, as to their appellation, would have saved you the trouble of reading a long dissertation on the state of real homespun in our quarter. the fact stated however...
6Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 27 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Ἴδαν ἐς πολύδενδρον ἀνὴρ ὑλητόμος ἐλθὼν, Παπταίνει, παρέοντος ἄδην, ποθεν ἄρξεται ἔργου· Τί πρᾶτον καταλεξῶ; ἐπεὶ πάρα μυρία ἐιπῆν. and I too, my dear Sir, like the wood-cutter of Ida, should doubt where to begin, were I to enter the forest of opinions, discussions, & contentions which have occurred in our day. I should exclaim with Theocritus Τί πρᾶτον καταλεξῶ; ἐπεὶ πάρα μυρία ειπῆν . but I...
7To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 28 October 1813 (Adams Papers)
According to the reservation between us, of taking up one of the subjects of our correspondence at a time, I turn to your letters of Aug. 16. & Sep. 2. The passage you quote from Theognis, I think has an Ethical, rather than a political object. the whole piece is a moral exhortation , παραινεςις , and this passage particularly seems to be a reproof to man, who, while with his domestic animals...
8To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 1 August 1816 (Adams Papers)
Your two philosophical letters of May 4. and 6. have been too long in my Carton of “Letters to be answered.” to the question indeed on the utility of Grief, no answer remains to be given. you have exhausted the subject. I see that, with the other evils of life, it is destined to temper the cup we are to drink. Two urns by Jove’s high throne have ever stood, The source of evil one, and one of...
9To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 8 April 1816 (Adams Papers)
I have to acknolege your two favors of Feb. 16. & Mar. 2. and to join sincerely in the sentiment of mrs Adams, and regret that distance separates us so widely. an hour of conversation would be worth a volume of letters. but we must take things as they come. You ask if I would agree to live my 70. or rather 73. years over again? to which I say Yea. I think with you that it is a good world on...
10Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 10 August 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
The simultaneous movements in our correspondence have been really remarkable on several occasions. it would seem as if the state of the air, or state of the times, or some other unknown cause produced a sympathetic effect on our mutual recollections. I had set down to answer your letters of June 19. 20. 22. with pen, ink, and paper before me, when I recieved from our mail that of July 30. you...