Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-01-23

in nearly every parish by the learned clergy of
the established Church As a class, they were
intelligent, polished in manners, high-toned and
hospitable-and sturdy in their loyalty and in
their adherence TO the national Church. Their
winters were often spent in the gayees and fes-
tivities Of the provincial capital their summers,
when not connected with the public service, prin-
cipay in supervising their immense estates in
visiting each other, and in such amuscments as
country life afforded Am ,pg the latter, the
chase held prominent place. Porn almost to
the saddle and to the use OF firearms, they were
keen hunters and when the chase was over,
they sat round gfoaning boards, and drank con
fusion to FIcnchman and Spaniard abroad, and
to Roundhead and Prelatist at home. When
the lurking and predatory Indian became the
object Of pursuit, no strength of the red man
could withstand no speed of his eude, this fiery
and n,ly-mountcd cavalry. The social guilt
which separated this from the common class of
colonists, became about as deep and wide and as
difficult to ovcr-leap IN marriage aud other social
arrangements, and that which divided the gen
try and peasaniry of Engand. Such were the
Carriers, the Carys, the Burwells the Byrds, the
fariaxes the Ilarrisons, the Lees tile Ran
dolphs, and many other families Of early Virginia
FATHER OF THOMAS JEFFERSON.
Many well.attested facts and anecdotes are
yet cxtant of the life of the father OF Thomas
Jefferson which, though too desultory, and sep.
ara'ely unimportant, TO he embodied into CON
nected narration, give, taken together, clear in
sight into his character. They all show that he
ordinary man. He owed none Of his sue
cess TO good fortune or ingralaing manners
lie was man OF gigantic stature aud strength
plain, and averse to display-hc WAS grave,
taclturn, slow to make, and not over prompt to
accept, advances. He was one of those calmly
and almost sternly scll-relying men, who lean on
nonc-who desire help from none. And he ccr-
tainly had both muscles and mind which could
he trusted. lie could simultaneously " head up"
Erase from their sides to an upright p0suon0
two hogsheads Of tobacco. weighing nearly a
thousand pounds apiece lie once directed three
be-bodied slaves TO pull down ruinous shed
by means OF u rope. After they had again and
again made the effort, he babe them stand aside
seized the rope, AMI dragged down the structure
in an instant. Traditions have come down of
his continuing his lines as Il surveyor through
savage wildernesscs after his assistants had gwen
out from famine and fatigue. subssiing on the
raw flesh OF game, and even of his carving mules
when other food failed. sleeping in a hollow tree
amidst bowling and screechlng beasts of prey,
and thus undaunledly pushing on until IN, task
was accomplished
His mind was of a corresponding texture. lie
lad the same love of mathematics which alter
wards characterized his son. and much if not all
of the same remarkable facility in understanding
IFS processes. His judgment was swift and solid
His neighbors sought his advice his friends soon
learned 10 esteem ii uncrrlug. His mind once
made up, no danger could turn him asiIe-no
obstacles thwart his iron will, aud calm, but re-
sstless energy. And he acted for another, in
these particulars, as he acted for himself His
probity was so conspicuous, that other wealthy
friends besides William Randolph, desired him
10 act as their executor, and III one or two other
instances he consented.
When the foregoing traits of character are
considered, II becomes easy to understand the ma
Ur ,nat Strong bond of alliance which SUB
sisted, from the outset, between Colonel Jeifrr-
son and the Randophs understand why that
proud family so readily took the yonng survey
or, without fortune or finished education com.
parative adveriurer--to their close family a-
ance and friendship. Those shrewd and prac-
ticed men OF the world were not slow to discover
that this stately young man would prove a tow
cr OF strength to his friends, and 6ulwark to he
relied upon agalns, foes. And the eve of wo.
man rarely looks down with Indifference upon
such union OF mental and physical power.
But so massively nodded, he had n gentler,
softer side. He was a tender husband, a dcyo-
ted father. His tastes approached to the ee-
ntilt, III MS own nOuStnhlil. Alter me Mtdfl-
some and often stirring events of day of bor-
der life were passed he spen, the evening in read
ing historians. essayists, and even poets. Add-
son, Swift, and Pope were prime favortes with
him, but Shakespeare was his great iavorie His
well-worn and fine old edition OF the work is ill
exiant This speaks volumes concerning the
tastes of the man.
Colonel Jefferson was a siaunch Whg and
he adhered TO certain democratic (using the word
in its broad, popular srnse) notions and maxms
which descended to his sou. His leanincs as a
magistrate were TO the popular side lie was
unpretend'ne IN his equipage and address. A
cardinal maxim with him was, Never ask an
other to do for you what YOU can do for yourselc'
lie held that it is the strong in body who are
both the strong and free III mnd-a text his son
often afterwards preached from. His attempts
to form the character OF his son correspond led
with his theories. He died when the latter was
fourteen yrars old, but he had already taught
him to sit his horse, fire his gun, boldly stem the
Ryanna when the swollen river was
Rolling red from brae to brae,"
and press his way with unfagging foot through
the rocky submits of the contiguous hills in Dur-
suit of deer and wild turkeys But his attention
was not limited to physical training. Though
his son was kept constantly al school in the eve
nings he put good books into his hands for read
ing, taught him to keep accounts, instructed him
in his own beautiful penmanship, and impressed
upon his mind lessons Of system, punctuality, en-
ergy, and perseverance Thomas Jefferson al
ways possessed particular veneraton for the
memory Of his father. Young as he was when
the latter died, we think his mind had been OBJ
viously impressed with his instructions and ex-
ample; for We trace manifest analogy fam
lily likeness modified only by circumstances and
more in degree than kind--be,wsen their poiti-
cal social, and domestic ideas There WAS some
physical resemblance between them. Accord
ing 10 tradition, the calm, thoughtful, firm eye
Of The son. and the outlines Of his face were those
of his father his physical strength, too, was he
yond that OF ordinary men; but his slim form
and delicate fhcrs were those of his mothers
family. His mind, too, gave evidence of both
parental stocks-of the auspicious combination
Of new strength with old courtly culture, of the
solid with the snowy, of robust sense with the
glitter of talent
TIE YOUNG JEFFERSON.
His appearance was engaging. His face
though angular and far from beautiful, beamed
with intelligence, with benevoIence, and with
the cheerful vvacity of happy, hopeful spirit
Ills complexion was ruddy, and deicately fair