Homes of American Statesmen; With Anecdotical, Personal, and Descriptive SketchesVarious
History
Homes of American Statesmen; With Anecdotical, Personal, and Descriptive Sketches
Various
Historic buildings -- United States; Statesmen -- United States; United States -- Biography
Granary burying ground in Boston, which the economical citizens make do
double duty, as a memorial of the greatest name of which their city can
boast, and a monument to his parents.
[Illustration: Franklin's Monument, Boston]
=Jefferson.=
[Illustration: Jefferson fac-simile of letter]
[Illustration: Monticello, Jefferson's Residence]
JEFFERSON.
Jefferson would have been a notable man in any country and any age,
because he possessed both genius and character. Without the former he
could never have succeeded, as he did, in moulding the opinions of his
contemporaries and successors, and without the latter, he would not have
been, as he was, bitterly hated by his enemies and cordially loved by
his friends. His genius, however, was not of that kind which in the
ardor of its inspiration intoxicates the judgment; nor was his
character, on the other hand, of the sort which moves an admiration so
profound, unquestioning and universal, as to disarm the antagonism its
very excellence provokes. There was enough error and frailty, therefore,
mingled with his eminent qualities both of mind and heart, to involve
him in seeming contradictions, and to expose his life to double
construction and controversy. At the same time, it has happened to him
as it has often happened in human history, that the hostility awakened
by his acts during his life, has dwindled with the lapse of time, while
his fame has grown brighter and broader with every renewal of the
decisions of posterity. No man, we may now safely say, who has figured
on the theatre of events in this country, with the single exception of
Washington, occupies a larger share of the veneration of Americans.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account