The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1860-08-21
Jefferson as Student and Lover.

at home, at ShadWell, where the rest OF
the family continued to reside. The sys-
tematic industry of his collegiate life con-
Itinued. Notwithstanding the time given
to company, he contrived to pass nearly
twice the usual number of hours of law
students in his studies. Heplaced clock
in his bed room, and as soon as he could
distinguish its hands in the gray of the
summer morning, he rose and commenced
his labors In winter, he rose punctually
at five His hour of retiring in the sum-
.mer, in the country, was nine-in the
winter at.ten. At Shadwell, his studies
were very little interrupted by company.
he usually took gallop on horseback
during the day, and at twilight walked to
the top Of Monticello. An hour or two
given to the society of his family and the
favoritc violin, completed the list of inter
rnptions, ard still left fourteen OF fifteen
hours for study and reading.
With Mr.. j Jefferson, the lover succeeded
the schoolboy in the due and time-honor-
ed order, as laid down the /" melancholy
Jaques" The only record of this affair
is to be found in series of letters ad-
dressed by him to his friend John Page,
commencing; Immediately after he left col
lege and extending, at intervals, through
the two succeeding years. These are to
be found at length in the Congress edition
of his works, and also in his life, by Pro-
fessor Tucker They possess some inter-
est, perhaps, in relation to their subject
matter, but most, as the early specimens
of their authors epistolary writing which
have been preserved. Though they dis
play something of that easy command of
languagc-that running pcn'-for which
he was afterwards so celebrated, they ex-
hibit no peculiar grace or style, or matu-
rity of thought Perhaps, however, these
would scarcely be expected in the careless,
off-hand effusions of boyish intimacy. 1t
causes a smile to sec the future statesman
=" signing like a furnace " in first love;
conccaling, after the approved fashion Of
student life, the name Of his mistress un-
der awkward Latin puns and Greek ana
grams, to bury secret which the world,
of course, was supposed to have vast in
tcrcst in discovering; delighted describing
happy dances with his Belinda" in the
Apollo Chat room of the Raleigh tavern
where we shall soon find him acting so
different part;) vowing the customary
VOW, that "if Belinda will not
accept his service, it shall never be Of
fercd to anothcr;" and so on to the end Of
the chaptcr-in the well beaten track Of
prescription. The object Of.
his attachment a Miss Rebccca Burwell
(callcd Belinda, asa pet name, or by way
of conccalment,) whom tradition speaks
as more distinguished for beauty than
clcvcrness.
His proposal seems to have been cloggcd
with the condition that he must be absent
for two or three years in foreign travel
before marriage. lie several times cx-
presses this design, specifying England,
Holland, France, Spain, italy, Egypt, and
Il return through the northern British
Provinces in America, as his proposed
route. Why he gave this up does not ap-
pear Whether for this, or because her
preferences lay in different direction,
Miss Burwcll somewhat abruptly married
another man, in 17G4.
Mr.. Jefferson was generally, however,
rather f;,vorite with the other sex, and
not without reason. His appearance was
engaging. His face, though angular and
far from beautiful, bcamcd with intclli-
gence, with benevolencc, and with the
cheerful vivacity of happy, hopeful
spirit. His complexion was ruddy, and
delicatcly fair; his reddish chestnut hair
luxllriant and siIken. Ills full, dcep-sct
eyes, the prevailing color of which was
light hazel, (or declls of hazel on q ground
work of gray) were peculiarly express
sive, and mirrorcd, as the clear lake mir
rors the cloud, the emotion which was
passing through his mind
lie stood six feet two and half inches
in hcighth, and though very slim at this
period, his form was erect and sinewy,
and his movements displayed elasticity
and vigor. He was an expert musician,
a fine dancer, dashing rider, and there
was no manly exercise in which he could
not play we'll his part. His manners were