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foundation　of　much　of　the　religions　of　those　who　have　schismatised

from　them。　　Elevated　by　the　enthusiasm　of　a　warm　and　pure　heart；

conscious　of　the　high　strains　of　an　eloquence　which　had　not　been

taught　him；　he　might　readily　mistake　the　coruscations　of　his　own　fine

genius　for　inspirations　of　an　higher　order。　　This　belief　carried；

therefore；　no　more　personal　imputation；　than　the　belief　of　Socrates；

that　himself　was　under　the　care　and　admonitions　of　a　guardian　Daemon。

And　how　many　of　our　wisest　men　still　believe　in　the　reality　of　these

inspirations；　while　perfectly　sane　on　all　other　subjects。　　Excusing；

therefore；　on　these　considerations；　those　passages　in　the　gospels

which　seem　to　bear　marks　of　weakness　in　Jesus；　ascribing　to　him　what

alone　is　consistent　with　the　great　and　pure　character　of　which　the

same　writings　furnish　proofs；　and　to　their　proper　authors　their　own

trivialities　and　imbecilities；　I　think　myself　authorised　to　conclude

the　purity　and　distinction　of　his　character；　in　opposition　to　the

impostures　which　those　authors　would　fix　upon　him；　and　that　the

postulate　of　my　former　letter　is　no　more　than　is　granted　in　all　other

historical　works。




　　　　　　　　Mr。　Correa　is　here；　on　his　farewell　visit　to　us。　　He　has　been

much　pleased　with　the　plan　and　progress　of　our　University；　and　has

given　some　valuable　hints　to　its　botanical　branch。　　He　goes　to　do；　I

hope；　much　good　in　his　new　country；　the　public　instruction　there；　as

I　understand；　being　within　the　department　destined　for　him。　　He　is

not　without　dissatisfaction；　and　reasonable　dissatisfaction　too；　with

the　piracies　of　Baltimore；　but　his　justice　and　friendly　dispositions

will；　I　am　sure；　distinguish　between　the　iniquities　of　a　few

plunderers；　and　the　sound　principles　of　our　country　at　large；　and　of

our　government　especially。　　From　many　conversations　with　him；　I　hope

he　sees；　and　will　promote　in　his　new　situation；　the　advantages　of　a

cordial　fraternization　among　all　the　American　nations；　and　the

importance　of　their　coalescing　in　an　American　system　of　policy；

totally　independent　of；　and　unconnected　with　that　of　Europe。　　The　day

is　not　distant；　when　we　may　formally　require　a　meridian　of　partition

through　the　ocean　which　separates　the　two　hemispheres；　on　the　hither

side　of　which　no　European　gun　shall　ever　be　heard；　nor　an　American　on

the　other；　and　when；　during　the　rage　of　the　eternal　wars　of　Europe；

the　lion　and　the　lamb；　within　our　regions；　shall　lie　down　together　in

peace。　　The　excess　of　population　in　Europe　and　want　of　room；　render

war；　in　their　opinion；　necessary　to　keep　down　that　excess　of　numbers。

Here；　room　is　abundant；　population　scanty；　and　peace　the　necessary

means　for　producing　men；　to　whom　the　redundant　soil　is　offering　the

means　of　life　and　happiness。　　The　principles　of　society　there　and

here；　then；　are　radically　different；　and　I　hope　no　American　patriot

will　ever　lose　sight　of　the　essential　policy　of　interdicting　in　the

seas　and　territories　of　both　Americas；　the　ferocious　and　sanguinary

contests　of　Europe。　　I　wish　to　see　this　coalition　begun。　　I　am

earnest　for　an　agreement　with　the　maritime　powers　of　Europe；

assigning　them　the　task　of　keeping　down　the　piracies　of　their　seas

and　the　cannibalisms　of　the　African　coasts；　and　to　us；　the

suppression　of　the　same　enormities　within　our　seas：　and　for　this

purpose；　I　should　rejoice　to　see　the　fleets　of　Brazil　and　the　United

States　riding　together　as　brethren　of　the　same　family；　and　pursuing

the　same　object。　　And　indeed　it　would　be　of　happy　augury　to　begin　at

once　this　concert　of　action　here；　on　the　invitation　of　either　to　the

other　government；　while　the　way　might　be　preparing　for　withdrawing

our　cruisers　from　Europe；　and　preventing　naval　collisions　there　which

daily　endanger　our　peace。




　　　　　　　　Turning　to　another　part　of　your　letter；　I　do　not　think　the

obstacles　insuperable　which　you　state　as　opposed　to　your　visit　to　us。

From　one　of　the　persons　mentioned；　I　never　heard　a　sentiment　but　of

esteem　for　you　and　I　am　certain　you　would　be　recieved　with　kindness

and　cordiality。　　But　still　the　call　may　be　omitted　without　notice。

The　mountain　lies　between　his　residence　and　the　main　road；　and

occludes　the　expectation　of　transient　visits。　　I　am　equally　ignorant

of　any　dispositions　not　substantially　friendly　to　you　in　the　other

person。　　But　the　alibi　there　gives　you　ten　free　months　in　the　year。

But　if　the　visit　is　to　be　but　once　in　your　life；　I　would　suppress　my

impatience　and　consent　it　should　be　made　a　year　or　two　hence。

Because；　by　that　time　our　University　will　be　compleate　and　in　full

action：　and　you　would　recieve　the　satisfaction；　in　the　final　adieu　to

your　native　state；　of　seeing　that　she　would　retain　her　equal　standing

in　the　sisterhood　of　our　republics。　　However；　come　now；　come　then；　or

come　when　you　please；　your　visit　will　give　me　the　gratification　I

feel　in　every　opportunity　of　proving　to　you　the　sincerity　of　my

friendship　and　respect　for　you。







　　　　　　　　THE　UNIVERSITY；　NEOLOGY；　AND　MATERIALISM




　　　　　　　　_To　John　Adams_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　Aug。　15；　1820_




　　　　　　　　I　am　a　great　defaulter；　my　dear　Sir；　in　our　correspondence；　but

prostrate　health　rarely　permits　me　to　write；　and；　when　it　does；

matters　of　business　imperiously　press　their　claims。　　I　am　getting

better　however；　slowly；　swelled　legs　being　now　the　only　serious

symptom；　and　these；　I　believe；　proceed　from　extreme　debility。　　I　can

walk　but　little；　but　I　ride　6。　or　8。　miles　a　day　without　fatigue；　and

within　a　few　days；　I　shall　endeavor　to　visit　my　other　home；　after　a

twelve　month's　absence　from　it。　　Our　University；　4　miles　distant；

gives　me　frequent　exercise；　and　the　oftener　as　I　direct　it's

architecture。　　It's　plan　is　unique；　and　it　is　becoming　an　object　of

curiosity　for　the　traveller。　　I　have　lately　had　an　opportunity　of

reading　a　critique　on　this　institution　in　your　North　American　Review

of　January　last；　having　been　not　without　anxiety　to　see　what　that

able　work　would　say　of　us：　and　I　was　relieved　on　finding　in　it　much

coincidence　of　opinion；　and　even；　where　criticisms　were　indulged；　I

found　they　would　have　been　obviated　had　the　developements　of　our　plan

been　fuller。　　But　these　were　restrained　by　the　character　of　the　paper

reviewed；　being　merely　a　report　of　outlines；　not　a　detailed　treatise；

and　addressed　to　a　legislative　body；　not　to　a　learned　academy。　　E。g。

as　an　inducement　to　introduce　the　Anglo…Saxon　into　our　plan；　it　was

said　that　it　would　reward　amply　the　_few　weeks_　of　attention　which

alone　would　be　requisite　for　it's　attainment；　leaving　both　term　and

degree　under　an　indefinite　expression；　because　I　know　that　not　much

time　is　necessary　to　attain　it　to　an　useful　degree；　sufficient　to

give　such　instruction　in　the　etymologies　of　our　language　as　may

satisfy　ordinary　students；　while　more　time　would　be　requisite　for

those　who　would　propose　to　attain　a　critical　knolege　of　it。　　In　a

letter　which　I　had　occasion　to　write　to　Mr。　Crofts　（who　sent　you；　I

believe；　as　well　as　myself；　a　copy　of　his　treatise　on　the　English　and

German　languages；　as　preliminary　to　an　Etymological　dictionary　he

meditated）　I　went　into　explanations　with　him　of　an　easy　process　for

simplifying　the　study　of　the　Anglo…Saxon；　and　lessening　the　terrors；

and　difficulties　presented　by　it's　rude　Alphabet；　and　unformed

orthography。　　But　this　is　a　subject　beyond　the　bounds　of　a　letter；　as

it　was　beyond　the　bounds　of　a　Report　to　the　legislature。　　Mr。　Crofts

died；　I　believe；　before　any　progress　was　made　in　the　work　he　had

projected。




　　　　　　　　The　reviewer　expresses　doubt；　rather　than　decision；　on　our

placing　Military　and　Naval　architecture　in　the　department　of　Pure

Mathematics。　　Military　architecture　embraces　fortification　and　field

works；　which　with　their　bastions；　curtains；　hornworks；　redoubts　etc。

are　based　on　a　technical　combination　of　lines　and　angles。　　These　are

adapted　to　offence　and　defence；　with　and　against　the　effects　of

bombs；　balls；　escalades　etc。　　But　lines　and　angles　make　the　sum　of

elementary　geometry；　a　branch　of　Pure　Mathematics：　and　the　direction

of　the　bombs；　balls；　and　other　projectiles；　the　necessary　appendages

of　military　works；　altho'　no　part　of　their　architecture；　belong　to

the　conic　sections；　a　branch　of　transcendental　geometry。　　Diderot　and

Dalembert　therefore；　in　their　Arbor　scientiae；　have　placed　military

architecture　in　the　department　of　elementary　geometry。　　Naval

architecture　teaches　the　best　form　and　construction　of　vessels；　for

which　best　form　it　has　recourse　to　the　question　of　the　Solid　of　least

resistance；　a　problem　of　transcendental　geometry。　　And　it's

appurtenant　projectiles　belong　to　the　same　branch；　as　in　the

preceding　case。　　It　is　true　that　so　far　as　respects　the　action　of　the

water　on　the　rudder　and　oars；　and　of　the　wind　on　the　sails；　it　may　be

placed　in　the　department　of　mechanics；　as　Diderot　and　Dalambert　have

done：　but　belonging　quite　as　much　to　geometry；