Extract from Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge Comments on Henry S. Randall’s Manuscript Chapters for Life of Thomas Jefferson
| 1853 |
With regard to Mr Jefferson’s skill on the violin ... Mr Randall’s idea that he became “one of the best violinists of his day” is a little extreme. My grandfather would I believe have disclaimed it ... we see at once that the time given to music by Mr Jefferson could never have accomplished more than a gentlemanly proficiency. No amateur violinist could hope to equal a professor. Mr Jefferson played I believe very well indeed, but not so well as to stand a comparison with many other persons, especially such as he must have met with abroad.
Tr in Letterbook (ViU: Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge Correspondence); partially dated; at head of text
in Coolidge’s hand: “Some remarks on the first chapters of Mr Randall’s book which he sent me in MS. in
1853, & which I returned as I read them.”.
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January 1, 1853 to December 31, 1853
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