Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-01-12
NO. Q.
Thomas JeffeTsOn-His Personal Appear
ance and Habits when a Young Man.

L
ance and Habits when a Young Man.
A popular biograI by of Thomas Jeff
erson, by Henry Randall, has recently
appeared. His labors have revealed many
facts of wt;ch even the more sludeous a d.
mi rers of Jefferson were ignorant He
tells us of Jeferson's college habits at
William and Mary Collegs, his fondness
for horses and the fiddle, how he studied
fifteen hours day, his proficiency both
In Mathematics and the Classcs-a rare
CONFERENCE.-The youthful devotion TO Os-
sian, from which, however, he soon got
c ured, has interchangeable habits as a law
student, his first love, his freedom from
the vices of the gentlemen Of his gener-
alton, his unexampled system, his habits
OF minute bservation, Sc, SC. Upon
all these points Mr.. Randall gives manv
details, which are curious and new The
follow ing sketch of Jeflerson's personal
appearance and habits closes the first
chapter
g Mr.. Jefferson was generally. how
ever favorite with the opposite sex, and
not without reason. His appearance was
enga ging. His face, though angular and
far from beautiful, beamed with intelh-
6 ence, with benevolence, ard with the
chez rful vivacity of happy hopeful spirit.
His complexion was ruddy, and delcately
fair; his reddish chestnut hair, luxurant
and silken. His full, deep-set eyes, the
prevailing color of which was a ligh,
hazel Cor fecks of hazel on a ground
work Of gray,) were peculiarly express
sive, and mirrored, as the clear lake mir
rors the cloud, every emotion which was
passing through his MUD He stood six
feet two and a half inches in heig bit, and
though very slim at this period, his form
was erect and sinewy, and his movements
displayed elasticity and yigor. He was
an expert musician, fine dancer, a DASH
ing rider, and there was no manly exer-
else in which he could not play well his
part.
His manners were unusually grace
ful, but simple and cordial. His conver
satIon already possessed no inconsidera-
bic share of that charm which, in after
years, was so much extolled by friends.
and to which enemies attributed so seduc-
tive an influence In moulding the Young
and the wavering to his political views
| There was a frankness, earnestness and
cordlallty IN It's tone-a deep sympathy
with humanity confidence in man,and
a sanguine hopefulness in his destiny.
which lrresistably woa upon the fe elings
not only Of the ordinary hearer, but of
those grave men whose commerce with
the world had perhaps led them to form
less glowing estimates of it-of such men
as the scholar-lilie Small, the sagacious
Wythe, the courtly and gifted Fauquier.
Mr. Jeferson's temper was gentle,
kindly and forgiving. If it naturally had
anything of that warmth which is the US
ual concomitant of affections and sympa-
thles so ardent, AID it no doubt had i,
had been subugated by habituaI control
Yet under It's even placidlty, there was
not wanting those indications of calm self
reliance and courage which all instipc-
lively reco gnlze and respect. There i,
hot an instance on record of his having
been engaged in personal rencontre, or
his having offered a personal indignity.
Possessing the accomplishments, he avoid
ed the vices of the young Virginia gen.
try of the day, ,and class of habits whi,h,
if not vices themselves, were too often
made the prelu1es to them. He never
gambled- To avoil opportunities to
games which were generally accompanied
with betting, he never learned to distin-
guish one card from another, he was
moderate with the enjoyments of the ia
bic; TO strong drinks be had an aversion
which rarely yielded to any circumstan-
ces; his mouth was unpoluted by oaths
or tobacco! Though be speaks of enjoy
| ing the victory of a favorite horse ani
the death of the fox, he never put but
oae horse in training to run-never run
bat a single race, and he very rarely
Joined IN the pleasant excitement-he
knew it to be too pleasant for the aspir-
ing student-of the chase. With such
qualities of mind and character, with the
favor of powerful friends and relatives,
and even of vice-royalty to urge him on
ward, Mr.. jefferson was not a young man
70 be lightly regarded by the young or
Told of either sex. He became OF age in
1864"
eg- A worthy old farmer. who thor