Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

I am in doubt whether or not I answer’d your last letter, but be assured that I feel sensible of your kindness, & that I duly appreciate the motives which induce you to remain although I am so much the loser by the act itself: for I hold your improvement and advancement as the first considerations & I would give up any thing which could be an obstruction to them even the pleasure of seeing you, which is one of the greatest pleasures I have in anticipation I am not certain that I shall avail myself of your kind offer to lend me money, but I do not thank you the less. Ragland informs (which pleases me very much) that you will have an advantage over the rest, by being asst professor, which is that you will have it in your power to dispose of that time, as you think proper, which the rest consume in camping out. I am confident you will make the best use of it, when I take into consideration the object you have in view, one of the most exciting and instigating nature, for who would not be industrious to be at the head of his class, not only from the satisfaction it imparts to him who obtains that honour, but from the pleasure it communicates to his relations and friends. I am convinced you will obtain the first honour. what do you think of my situation, I have finished division in Algebra and will finish the first book of Euclid in two weeks. I think if I stay here until I have a acquired a competent knowledge of those two branches, I will be enabled to enter the Junior class at college, whereas if I go without any knowledge of them, I shall be obliged to enter the Freshman or Sophmore what course had I better adopt? don’t forget to procure if possible, and send me, the regulations and course of Cambridge, then I shall be better able to judge. I am glad you have procured a work which you think will be of so much advantage to you as La Criox, can it be procured in Philadelphia? for en passant I might purchase it. by comparison with the others of my class, I am encouraged in learning mathematics for I see none who comprehend much more clearly than I, which is not saying a great deal in their favour for you can remember how dull I used to be in comprehending. I am very much pleased with Ragland, & I consider him one of the finest young men I ever saw, he possesses a clear and strong mind, as to his moral character and natural disposition they are both no doubt very good. let me inform you of a conclusion I have drawn from several hints he has let drop, that he is engaged to one of the miss F’s you need not promulgate that.

Your infernal mare has been at Jef Randolph so long at his expense that I am ashamed to think of her, her lameness is still I beleive as bad as ever. Grandmother is in very good health, so are all at the m. mr J. will leave mont for Poplar forest day after tomorrow, & I beleive two of the young ladies are going to Richmond shortly, Miss E. & V. I feel some delicacy to ask miss C to make you a cockade. write to me soon