Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

I return you very sincere assurances of gratefull feeling for your manner of communicating the condolence of the New York Historical Society with the family of Thomas Jefferson upon the event of his death. You will find their answer inclosed. He would probably have lived ten years longer if he had not persisted in the resolution to be actively usefull to the end. Last year his allmost daily rides on horseback to the University, four miles off, brought on an affection of the bladder, and its internal appendages, which caused him much pain, and more trouble. The daily use of opium was recommended by Dr Dunglison, and the relief given by it was supposed very complete for some time. There was no neglect of proper trials to intermit the use of that remedy, and it was often remitted considerably, but a full resort was allways found necessary, and in time, as was apprehended by several of his family, after taking eighty drops of the strongest laudanum every night for several months, his vital powers gave way. No doubt, disturbance of mind, from his desperate pecuniary affairs, contributed greatly to the sad event by diminishing the sound action of his digestive organs and deranging that part of his system, the reparatory “appareil,” in him uncommonly powerfull. Allow me to assure you that no one living can wish, or pray more heartily, and sincerely, than I do, for a long period to yourself of the most full and complete enjoyment of that splendid and happy condition in life which genius, learning, and industry have procured for you. Next to that, in your quarter of our territory,¹ is the success of our admired political character, your intimate friend, in all his views, and hopes. God grant it [. . .] I pray; and God will grant it, I firmly believe.