Books were at all times his chosen companions.

Mr Jefferson had a most decided taste for music and great natural dispositions for it. His ear was singularly correct and his voice, though he never sang except in the retirement of his own rooms, was sweet and clear and continued unbroken to a very late period of his life. My chamber at...

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...

Give them that wukked the best a suit of red or blue: encouraged them mightily.

My old master was as neat a hand as ever you see to make keys & locks & small chains, iron & brass

Old master had abundance of books: sometimes would have twenty of ’em down on the floor at once: read fust one, then tother.

my greatest grief would be for the fatal effect of such an event on the hopes and happiness of the world. we exist, and are quoted, as standing proofs that a government, so modelled as to rest continually on the will of the whole society, is a practicable government. were we to break to pieces,...

a government of reason is better than one of force.

the boisterous sea of liberty is never without a wave.

A system of general instruction, which shall reach every description of our citizens, from the richest to the poorest, as it was the earliest, so will it be the latest, of all the public concerns in which I shall permit myself to take an interest.