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it　not　to　require　a　moment's　consideration。　　The　parts　fall　asunder

of　themselves；　as　would　those　of　an　image　of　metal　and　clay。




　　　　　　　　There　are；　I　acknowledge；　passages　not　free　from　objection；

which　we　may；　with　probability；　ascribe　to　Jesus　himself；　but

claiming　indulgence　from　the　circumstances　under　which　he　acted。　　His

object　was　the　reformation　of　some　articles　in　the　religion　of　the

Jews；　as　taught　by　Moses。　　That　sect　had　presented　for　the　object　of

their　worship；　a　being　of　terrific　character；　cruel；　vindictive；

capricious　and　unjust。　　Jesus；　taking　for　his　type　the　best　qualities

of　the　human　head　and　heart；　wisdom；　justice；　goodness；　and　adding　to

them　power；　ascribed　all　of　these；　but　in　infinite　perfection；　to　the

Supreme　Being；　and　formed　him　really　worthy　of　their　adoration。

Moses　had　either　not　believed　in　a　future　state　of　existence；　or　had

not　thought　it　essential　to　be　explicitly　taught　to　his　people。

Jesus　inculcated　that　doctrine　with　emphasis　and　precision。　　Moses

had　bound　the　Jews　to　many　idle　ceremonies；　mummeries　and

observances；　of　no　effect　towards　producing　the　social　utilities

which　constitute　the　essence　of　virtue；　Jesus　exposed　their　futility

and　insignificance。　　The　one　instilled　into　his　people　the　most

anti…social　spirit　towards　other　nations；　the　other　preached

philanthropy　and　universal　charity　and　benevolence。　　The　office　of

reformer　of　the　superstitions　of　a　nation；　is　ever　dangerous。　　Jesus

had　to　walk　on　the　perilous　confines　of　reason　and　religion：　and　a

step　to　right　or　left　might　place　him　within　the　gripe　of　the　priests

of　the　superstition；　a　blood　thirsty　race；　as　cruel　and　remorseless

as　the　being　whom　they　represented　as　the　family　God　of　Abraham；　of

Isaac　and　of　Jacob；　and　the　local　God　of　Israel。　　They　were

constantly　laying　snares；　too；　to　entangle　him　in　the　web　of　the　law。

He　was　justifiable；　therefore；　in　avoiding　these　by　evasions；　by

sophisms；　by　misconstructions　and　misapplications　of　scraps　of　the

prophets；　and　in　defending　himself　with　these　their　own　weapons；　as

sufficient；　_ad　homines_；　at　least。　　That　Jesus　did　not　mean　to

impose　himself　on　mankind　as　the　son　of　God；　physically　speaking；　I

have　been　convinced　by　the　writings　of　men　more　learned　than　myself

in　that　lore。　　But　that　he　might　conscientiously　believe　himself

inspired　from　above；　is　very　possible。　　The　whole　religion　of　the

Jews；　inculcated　on　him　from　his　infancy；　was　founded　in　the　belief

of　divine　inspiration。　　The　fumes　of　the　most　disordered　imaginations

were　recorded　in　their　religious　code；　as　special　communications　of

the　Deity；　and　as　it　could　not　but　happen　that；　in　the　course　of

ages；　events　would　now　and　then　turn　up　to　which　some　of　these　vague

rhapsodies　might　be　accommodated　by　the　aid　of　allegories；　figures；

types；　and　other　tricks　upon　words；　they　have　not　only　preserved

their　credit　with　the　Jews　of　all　subsequent　times；　but　are　the

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