but tho’ an old man, I am but a young gardener.

I have often thought that if heaven had given me choice of my position & calling, it should have been on a rich spot of earth, well watered, and near a good market for the productions of the garden. no occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, & no culture comparable...

I find friendship to be like wine, raw when new, ripened with age, the true old man’s milk, & restorative cordial.

there is a fulness of time when men should go, & not occupy too long the ground to which others have a right to advance.

permit me now to render my portion of the general debt of gratitude, by acknolegements in advance for the singular benefaction which is the subject of this letter, to tender my wishes for the continuance of a life so usefully employed, and to add the assurances of my perfect esteem and respect.

I had, with the world, deemed Montesquieu’s a work of much merit; but saw in it, with every thinking man, so much of paradox, of false principle, & misapplied fact, as to render it’s value equivocal on the whole.

I have just returned from orange on a very disagreable mission; concerning poor Macons embarassed affairs, There was no speaking in the case, & of course no glory—so I shall have the deficiency on that score made up by the l’argent. I had rather have argued a great cause well, gratis than...

Your letter My Dear Jane has relieved My mind from a weight of anxiety that would most effectually have bannished sleep I had figured to my self Jefferson seriously ill too much so to leave home & alone. and had tormented my self in to hysterics when your welcome note arrived Ellen has a...

I received this morning your letter with your Mamas—I did not mean that you should neglect your French—I agree perfectly with you in your idea of its importance—The history I proposed to you to read was only designed as a part of what I calculated on your doing as a matter of course—You must try...

I was very much disappointed at not receiving a letter from you by Brother Charles as I expected you would write. your little maid was born the 2nd of november I wish you would write us word what you want her named & I will try & persuade Betsey to let us name it I have read the little...