The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-08-20
Interesting "reminiscences of Jefferson

Interesting "reminiscences of Jefferson
From Prof. Geo. Longs letter read at the Semi
Centennial of the University of Virginia.
Early in December, 1924. travelled
from Washington to Fredericksburg,
where I stayed all night. I do not know
how [ was known, but a gentleman
called on me and asked me to his house;
and I spent pleasant evening. l saw
some young Virginia ladies there, and
thought they were very charming. l
was amused with the curiosity which
my new friends showed to hear Some
news about England. A gentleman came
up to me and asked how I left Mr..
Campbell, the poet. Luckily L had
lately called on him in London on some
business about a relation of his who
thought of emigrating to America, and
[ could therefore give satisfactory
answer. At fredericksburg l first
tasted corn bread, and l used it all the
time that I lived in Virginia. I wish that
could have it now. From Fredericks-
burg l had two days rather unpleas-
ant Journey to Charlottesville in the
stage. coach. The roads were bad, the
accommodation not good, and the COM
pany rather Indifferent. The young men
of the present day can hardly conceive
what this road was then, for I suppose
that there is now railroad the whole
distance.
at the university lived at least two
months in the house which was assigned
to me in great solitude, and during bad
weather it would have been still worse
if had not experienced the kindness of
the proctor, Mr.. Brockenbrough,
whose wife's sister 1 afterward married.
The other professors had embarked In
an English vessel for Norfolk, and they
had a very long passage. The ship was
described to me as something like an
old hay. stack. It could just float and go
before the wind. had more wisely en-
barked in one of the New York Ameri-
can packets from Liverpool. Since that
time the English have learned to build
good ships for the American trade.
| When my bpather professors arrived at
the university, they found me eating
corn bread. and already Virginian in
taste, aud habits. Things were rather
rough, but I have always had and still
| have the faculty Of making myself hap
DIV under anv circumstances. A few days
after my arrival at the university [
walked up to Monticello to see Mr..
Jefferson. I made myself known to his
servant, and was introduced into his
| great room. In few minutes tall, dig
| nifed old man entered, and after look
| ing at ne a moment, said care you
the ne V professor of ancient languages?
| I replied that I was. He observed,
s'You are very yonng," to which I OBJ
served that [ would grow older. He
smiled and said that was true. He
was evidently somewhat startled at my
youthful aud bOyish appearance, and l
| could plainly see that he was disap-
pointed. We fell to talking, and stay ed
to dine with him. He was grave and
rather cold in his manner, but he was
very polite; and was pleased with his
simple Virginian dress, and his CONVEX
gation, free from all affectation. | re-
member the interview as il it took place
yesterday.
During my solitary residence before
the university opened [ visited Month
cello several times, aud occasionally
passed the night there. I thought Mr..
Jefferson became better satisfied with
the boy professor, and we talked on all
subjects. = lie saw that took great in
terest in the geography of America and
in the story of the revolution, and he
told me much about it, but IN very
modest wayas to himself. He showed me
the original draft of the declaration of in
dependence, andhe could clearly see that
was III habits, as have always been
and still am, man who preferred plain
republican. institutions to the outward
show and splendor of European king
doms-when I say republican lnstltu-
lions, mean genuine republican, Tor
republic may have the name, and very
little besides that value.
] often saw Mr.. Jefferson between
this time and his death. When he
came on his horse to the university he
generally called on me. His thoughts
were always about this new place OF
education, of which he was really the
founder and though the first few years
of the university were not quite salts
factory, he confidently looked forward
to the future and to the advantages
which the state would derive from the
young men who were educated IN the
University Of Virginia.
[ remember we'll a long conversation
which l once had with Mr.. Jefferson on
George Washington. He spoke of him
freely and generously, as of a man OF
great and noble character. MIR. Tack
er. in his life of Jefferson, has given
the character of Washington IS Jetter-
son wrote it, and it is, perhaps. certain
that character was written at the time
when Mr.. Jefferson spoke of Washing
ton to me, though he told me something
morethau the write character contains,
but nothing that is contradictory to it.
The character is exceedingly well writ
ten, and it proves that as mere writer
Jefferson might have excelled most men
of his day.
7 discovered that Mr.. Jefferson was
well acquainted with Polybius, who is
not a good writer, but man of excel
lent sense and the soundest judgment.
The last time that saw Mr.. Jefferson,
when he was suffering from a complaint
which clused his death, be was reading
PIinv's letters, and we had a converse
ton about a passage. A few weeks
after. when I was at the Sweet Spr1hg
during the summer vacation, l heard OF
his death, There was much foolish
display in Virginia, and some extraya-
CANT hombastic orations. Those who
had more sense showed their feeling IN
another way, The man who had done
so much for Virginia and the United
States was honored for his services, for
his talents, and for his grand and simple
character. He ought to he revered by
all who enjoy the advantages of being
educated in his university, and ever re-
membered as one of the great men
whom Virginia has produced. His
great deeds are recorded OIL the epltaph
which he wrote for his own tomb.
THE Suffice. Another case of suffice