The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-11-04
tate than the expense Of his residence
Williamsburg.

The young dispu:ant prevailed, ana IN IlOo
he was sent to William and Mary college,
He remained there wo>-years. His acquire
ments, during this time, though probably not
so great as Mr.. Randall would have us believe,
must have been large. He had equal aptitude
for the classic and mathematics. In the lat
ter his proficiency was remarkable, and ne al
ways retained hts taste for it. Though never
critical classical scholar, he could read La
tin with ease He was conversant with |
French, and had some familiarity with Greek.
In latter life he studied Anglo-Saxon and ltal-
iar. But Jefferson terminated his collegiate
course with possessi on far more valuable
than all the learning he could gather IN tne
narrow curriculum OF colonial college; study
had excited in him that eager thirst for knowl-
e1ge.which is an appetite of the mind almost
as unconquerable as the appetite of the body.
After leaving college, he remsined at Will
iamsburg, and entered the office at Mr.. Wyeth'
q ,eade, at the Virginia bar. Will amsburg
was the capital and .he centre Of the most re-
fined society of the province. Francis fau-
ou,er was governor. He was an Englishman,
Of distins ished family, who had lost large
in single nights play, and had Ia
ken the appointment:to Virginia to repair MS
fortunes. To some Of the vices and most OF
the accomplishments of a'man Of the world ne
added fire talents and many solid attainments.
He was. withal skilful musician and facina-
ting conversationist. Mr.. Wyeth, and DIR.
Small, professor Of mathematics at the COL
lepe, were in the habit Of dining with the gov
ernor at stated times, for the purpose of con-
versation. Jefferson, though not yet twenty
wears old. was admitted to these PARTIES
Fauquier organized a musical society, and
Jefferson, who played upon the violin, belong
ed TO This likewise. In these associations, the
young student acquired the easy courtesy
and conversational ant which afterwards great
ly contributed to his success, and disingui sh-
ed him even among the gentlemen of Paris.
His life, between twenty and thirty, was
judciously employed. closer student could
hardly have been found at Edinburg or Heidel-
burg. He persued his profession persistantly,
and, in addition, made incursiohs into the fields
Of belle -lettres and political and physical sci
ence. He early conceived prejudice against
metaphysical speculations, which was never
removed We cannot believe that bis partality
for romance was much greater. He undoubt-
edly had that appreciation of the value Of this
department of letters which every man of
sense has, and including them within the circle
Of his reading because itcontains much desir-
able knowledge. The severest criticism which
can be made upon his taste of poetry is con-
conveyed by the statement, that, when young.
he admired Qssian, and when old, admired
Moore.
His summers were spent at Shadwell.-
The responsible charge of large estate rested
upon him, and he introduced into his affairs
and studies the extraordinary system which,
through life, he carried into all matters, great
or small. He commenced keeping a garden
book, which, with Interruptions caused by alb
sence, was continued until he was eighty-one
years old. It contains memoranda of vegeta-
Bile phenomena, and statements of all kinds
Of information, in any way effecting the econ
olny Of horticulture. He likewise keep a
farm book. His accounts were noted, with
out the loss Of day, through his entire life
and every item of personal expense was separ-
! ately stated. We often find entries like these:
sid. paid to the barber,,'--s4d for whetting
penknife ,''--and Is. put in the church-box y,
On the 4th Of July, 1776 we find :--sspd Spar
hawk, for a thermomete-, f3 15s.--pd, for I
pairs women's gloves, 27s.-gave in charity,
Is 3d." HIS meteorological register informs
US, at 6 O'Clock, A. M. Of the same memorable
day, the mercury stood SO deg. above; at noon
at 76 deg; at 9, P. M. at 73A deg. Entries
were regularly made in this register, three
times day. Separate books were kept for
special accounts, like the expense OF the Presi-
dental mansion. In addition, he made minute
records Of observations in natural history, and
curious s.Statement Of the Vegetable market
Of Washington, during Period of Eight Years,
wherein the Earliest and Latest Appearance
Of each article, within the whole Eight Years,
is noted" This table mentions thirty-seren
different articles, and was compiled during the
Presidency. He made collection Of the vo-
cabulares Of fifty Indian languages, .and two
collocations of those passages in the New Tes-
lament which contain the doctrines of Jesus.
One Of these, entitled, ssThe life and Morals
Of Jesus Of Nazareth" is an octave volumn,
with a complete index. The texts are written
out in Greek, Latin, French, and English, aud
placed in PARALLEL columns.
His career at the bar was short. The ac-
QUESTION Of science like the law was an easy
task Tor mind so ingenious and active as his.
He had no talent as an advocate, but was at
once successful IN the more retired and not
less difficult departments Of the profession.
During several years. practice, his income ave-
ragged three thousand dollars a year ia large
sum then, and no mean reward at the present
day.
When twenty-nine years old, he married
Mrs. Martha SHELTON, young and childless
widow, Of great beauty. In relation to this
affair pleasant anecdote Is told. Mr.. Jeffer-
son had number Of rivals. Two OF the gen.
tlemen met, one evening, IN the drawingroom
OF Mrs. Skeiton's house. While waiting for
her to enter, they heard her singing in an ad-
joining room, and Jefferson playing an accom-
nlisuon upnn tho v;olio ThAro ,uaa Somx