The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-02-07
DOMESTIC Life Of THOMAS JEFFERSON
By his Great Grand Daughter, Sarah h.
Randolph. "

This volume has great claims on our at
tentiOn. 1t is both exceedingly interesting
and instructive. There is, very generally
felt strong desire, (not a mere curiosity
to know something of the personal history
and private life, habits and home relations
and associations of those, who have occupied
conspicuous positions in society; especially
positions of wide and lasting influence
Whatever opinion may be held of Mr.. JEFF
ferson's political principles, it cannot be de
MED, that his public acts exercised a mos
powerful and lasting influence on the char
acter and destinies Of his country. AnC
his public life may be said to be almost co
terminous With the life Of his manhood II
was act " engaged IN political employ
ments from 1774 to 1909, and spent large
part of the last ten years of his life, in very
harassing, and diligent labOrs in establishing
the University of Virginia. Of such man.
the private life and character becomes a sub.
ject of special interest. This might have
been portrayed, as "Lives" are often writ
ten, by a narrative, detailing events and ex,
planning their relations to each other and
the public life, and submitting speculatiOns
and reflections by the author Miss R. has
adopted a different, and far better method
She has gathered, from various sources, Mr..
Us letters to intimate friends and especially
to the members of his own family, through
the period of nearly seventy years-the
earliest Ito his guardian) being dated in
1760, and the latest, in 1926. The picture
Of his life, thus presented, in his own drawn,
amidst the events narrated, and having the
stamp not only of truth, but of passing real
ity. "reminiscences supplied by personal
contributions of his oldest grand son and
others, who knew him, some at earlier, and
some at later periods, are, all along, appro-
priately introduced, connecting the points
Of biography, supplied by the letters. The
latter present some very lfe-lke pictures
and, written with no view to publication
though in the excellent English Of the au
thor, are often replete with vivacity, excel
lent counsel, discriminating criticism or elO
quent description, as occasion required
We see him, sprightly college boy indulg
ing in the good-humored gossip of his age
in letter to eOtempOrary, the grave yOun:
man, first entering on the serious duties o
life, and presenting his impressions of Henry
who appeared to him "to speak as Home
wrote, or giyiUgthe warm, bat not unmer
tied tribute Of his admiration for Dabne,
Carr. We are made by the "Reminia
cences, almost spectators of his bridal jour
ney with his young wife, for the last eigh
miles, on horseback, through snow eighteel
inches deep; or introduced to his earlier as
sociation with Governor Fauquier, DR.. Smal
and George Wythe, of whose eminent abili
ties and excellent private qualities, one o
his letters presents a glowing description
And thus, through his scenes of sorrow
weeping over the premature death of hi
young wife, and those of curiosity and en-
quiry, during his long period of public SCI
vice in France, we seem to accompany hir
in every step and feel with his heart, hea
with bis ears and see with his eyes,. L
nothing, perhaps, do these letters more in
tensely stir our feelings, than in the pleas
ing and also instructive pictures of his ten
der sentiments and judiciOus cOunsels to hi
little mOtherless daughters. Mr.. J. ma
have done and said many things which h
ought not to have done or said, and left III
done many more; but it is not often tha
any father, especially in the scenes, tn
cares, the perplexities and the pleasures c
public life, exhibits, not only the intens
tenderness and lively solieitude of the afeC
tiOnate parent, but at the same time, tn
wise forecast and pOndered arrangement