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Thomas Jefferson on books
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826),
3rd U.S. President (1801-1809), was a great reader and collector
of books, as well as a brilliant statesman, scientist, architect,
and author. In an 1814 letter to Samuel Smith, proposing the donation
of his personal library for the founding of a new Library of Congress,
he remarks that "I have been fifty years making [my library], and
have spared no pains, opportunity or expense, to make it what it
is. While residing in Paris, I devoted every afternoon I was disengaged,
for a summer or two, in examining all the principal bookstores,
turning over every book with my own hand, and putting by everything
which related to America, and indeed whatever was rare and valuable
in every science." The result of his lifetime's collecting, he goes
on to say, is "between nine and ten thousand volumes", which "includes
what is chiefly valuable in science and literature generally". (September
21, 1814; see full excerpt below).
Long before building this library for a nation, however, Jefferson
had turned his thoughts to the building of a single gentleman's
collection, prompted by a request from his friend Robert Skipworth
in 1771. Skipworth had asked Jefferson's advice on how to found
a personal library, given 50 pounds sterling to spend. "I sat down
with a design of executing your request to form a catalogue of books",
Jefferson replied in a letter of August 3, 1771, "But could by no
means satisfy myself with any partial choice I could make." Instead,
he decided to frame "such a general collection as I think you would
wish and might in time find convenient to procure" -- in other words,
a sort of Lifetime Reading Plan.
The full text of Jefferson' letter is presented at bottom; the list
is presented below.
I. FINE ARTS
Payne. Observations on Gardening.
Webb. Essay on Painting.
Homer. Illiad (translated by Pope)
Virgil. Aeneid (translated by Dryden).
Milton. Works.
Tasso, Torquato. Works. (translated by Hoole).
Ossian's Works, with Blair's criticisms.
Dodsley. Telemachus.
Shakespeare's Works.
Dryden. Plays.
Addison. Plays.
Otway. Plays
Rowe. Works.
Thompson. Works.
Young. Works.
Home. Plays
Mallet. Works
Mason. Poetical Works.
Terence. (English)
Moliere. (English)
Farquhar. Plays.
Vanbrugh. Plays.
Steele. Plays.
Congreve. Works.
Garric. Dramatic Works.
Foote. Dramatic Works.
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. Eloisa; Emilius and Sophia.
Marmontel. Moral Tales.
Smollett, Tobias. Gil Blas; Don Quixot; David Simple;
Roderic Random; Peregrine Pickle; Launcelot Graves;
Adventures of a Guinea.
Richardson. Pamela; Clarissa; Grandison; Fool
of Quality.
Fielding. Works.
Langhorne. Constantia; Solyman and Almena.
Belle assemblee.
Goldsmith. The Vicar of Wakefield.
Sidney Bidulph.
Lady Julia Mandeville.
Almoran and Hamet.
Sterne, Lawrence. Tristram Shandy; A Sentimental Journey.
Fragments of Ancient Poetry. (Edinburgh).
Percy. Runic Poems.
Percy. Reliques of Antient English poetry.
Percy. Han Kious Chouan.
Percy. Miscellaneous Chinese pieces.
Chaucer. Works.
Spenser. Works.
Waller. Poems.
Dodsley's collection of poems.
Pearch's collection of poems.
Gray. Works.
Ogilvie. Poems.
Prior. Poems. (Foulis edition).
Gay. Works. (Foulis edition).
Shenstone. Works
Dryden. Works (Foulis edition).
Pope. Works (Warburton edition).
Churchill. Poems.
Hudibrass.
Swift. Works; literary correspondence.
Spectator.
Tatler.
Guardian..
Freeholder.
Lord Lyttleton. Persian Letter.
II. CRITICISM ON THE FINE ARTS.
Lord. Kaim. Elements of Criticism.
Burke. On the Sublime and Beautiful.
Hogarth. The Analysis of Beauty.
Reid, on the human mind.
Smith, Adam. The Theory of Moral Sentiments.
Johnson. The Dictionary.
Capell, Prolusions.
III. POLITICKS, TRADE.
Montesquieu. The Spirit of Laws.
Locke on government.
Sidney on government.
Marmontel. Belisarius.
Lord Bolingbroke. Political Works.
Montesquieu. The Rise and Fall of the Roman Government.
Steuart. Political Economy.
Petty. Political Arithmetic.
IV. RELIGION.
Locke. Conduct of the mind in search of truth.
Xenophon. Memoirs of Socrates. (translated by Feilding).
Collins. Antoninus.
Seneca. (trans by L'Estrange).
Cicero. Offices (translated by Guthrie).
Cicero, Tusculan Disputations.
Lord Bolingbroke's Philosophical work.
Hume. Essays.
Lord Kaim's Natural Religion.
Philosophical Survey of Nature.
Oeconomy of human life.
Sterne. Sermons.
Sherlock on death and on a future state.
V. LAW
Lord Kaim. Principles of Equity.
Blackstone. Commentaries.
Cunningham Law dictionary.
VI. HISTORY, ANCIENT.
Bible
Rollin's Ancient history.
Stanyan's Graccian history.
Livy.
Sallust (trans by Gordon).
Tacitus (trans by Gordon).
Caesar (trans by Bladen).
Josephus.
Vertot. Revolutions of Rome.
Plutarch. Lives (trans by Langhorne)
Bayles. Dictionary.
Jeffery. Historical and Chronological chart.
VII. HISTORY. MODERN
Robertson. History of Charles V.
Bossuet. History of France.
Davila. (trans by Farneworth).
Hume. History of England.
Clarendon. History of the Rebellion.
Robertson. History of Scotland.
Keith. History of Virginia.
Stith. History of Virginia.
VIII. NATURAL PHILOSOPHY, NATURAL HISTORY, etc.
Nature displayed.
Franklin on Electricity.
Macqeer. Elements of Chemistry.
Home. Principles of Agriculture.
Tull. Horse-hoeing Husbandry.
Duhamel's husbandry.
Millar's Gandener's diet.
Buffon's natural history.
Nourse. A Compendium of Physic & Surgery.
Addison. Travels.
Anson. Voiage.
Thompson. Travels.
Lady M.W. Montague's letter.
IX. MISCELLANEOUS.
Lord Lyttleton. Dialogues of the Dead.
Fenelon's Dialogues of the Dead.
Voltaire. Works
Locke. On Education.
Owen. Dictionary of Arts & Sciences.
-------------------------------
Letter to Robert Skipworth, August 3, 1771:
"I sat down with a design of executing your request to form a catalogue
of books to the amount of about 50 lib. sterl. But could by no means
satisfy myself with any partial choice I could make. Thinking therefore
it might be as agreeable to you I have framed such a general collection
as I think you would wish and might in time find convenient to procure.
Out of this will chuse for yourself to the amount you mentioned
for the present year and may hereafter as shall be convenient proceed
in completing the whole. A view of the second column in this catalogue
would I suppose extort a smile from the face of gravity. Peace to
its wisdom! Let me not awaken it. A little attention however to
the nature of the human mind evinces that the entertainments of
fiction are useful as well as pleasant. That they are pleasant when
well written every person feels who reads. But wherein is its utility
asks the reverend sage, big with the notion that nothing can be
useful but the learned lumber of Greek and Roman reading with which
his head is stored?
I answer, everything is useful which contributes to fix in the principles
and practices of virtue. When any original act of charity or of
gratitude, for instance, is presented to our sight or imagination,
we are deeply impressed with its beauty and feel a strong desire
in ourselves of doing charitable and grateful acts also. On the
contrary when we see or read of any atrocious deed, we are disgusted
with it's deformity, and conceive an abhorence of vice. Now every
emotion of this kind is an exercise of our virtuous dispositions,
and dispositions of the mind, like limbs of body acquire strength
by exercise. But exercise produces habit, and in the instance of
which we speak the exercise being of the moral feelings produces
a habit of thinking and acting virtuously. We never reflect whether
the story we read be truth or fiction. If the painting be lively,
and a tolerable picture of nature, we are thrown into a reverie,
from which if we awaken it is the fault of the writer. I appeal
to every reader of feeling and sentiment whether the fictitious
murder of Duncan by Macbeth in Shakespeare does not excite in him
as great a horror of villany, as the real one of Henry IV by Ravaillac
as related by Davila? And whether the fidelity of Nelson and generosity
of Blandford in Marmontel do not dilate his breast and elevate his
sentiments as much as any similar incident which real history can
furnish? Does he not in face feel himself a better man while reading
them, and privately covenant to copy the fair example? We neither
know nor care whether Lawrence Sterne really went to France, whether
he was there accosted by the Franciscan, at first rebuked him unkindly,
and then gave him a peace offering: or whether the whole be not
fiction. In either case we equally are sorrowful at the rebuke,
and secretly resolve we will never do so: we are pleased with the
subsequent atonement, and view with emulation a soul candidly acknowledging
it's fault and making a just reparation. Considering history as
a moral exercise, her lesson would be too infrequent if confined
to real life. Of those recorded by historians few incidents have
been attended with such circumstances as to excite in any high degree
this sympathetic emotion of virtue. We are therefore wisely framed
to be as warmly interested for a fictitious as for a real personage.
The field of imagination is thus laid open to our use and lessons
may be formed to illustrate and carry home to the heart every moral
rule of life. Thus a lively and lasting sense of filial duty is
more effectually impressed on the mind of a son or daughter by reading
King Lear, than by all the dry volumes of ethics, and divinity that
ever were written. This is my idea of well written Romance, of Tragedy,
Comedy and Epic poetry.-- If you are fond of speculation the books
under the head of Criticism will afford you much pleasure. Of Politics
and Trade I have given you a few only of the best books, as you
would probably chuse to be not unacquainted with those commercial
principles which bring wealth into our country, and constitutional
security we have for the enjoiment of that wealth. In Law I mention
a few systematic books, as a knowledge of the minutiae of that science
is necessary for a private gentleman. In Religion, History, Natural
philosophy, I have followed the same plan in general,-- But whence
the necessity of this collection? Come to the new Rowanty, from
which you may reach your hand to a library formed on a more extensive
plan. Separated from each but a few paces the possessions of each
would be open to the other. A spring centrically situated might
be scene of every evening's joy. There we should talk over the lessons
of the day, or lose them in music, chess or the merriments of our
family companions. The heart thus lightened our pillows would be
soft, and health and long life would attend the happy scene. Come
then and bring out dear Tibby with you, the first in your affections,
and second in mind. Offer prayers for me too at that shrine to which
tho' absent I pray continual devotions. In every scheme of happiness
she is placed in the foreground of the picture, as the principal
figure. Take that away, and it is no picture for me. Bear my affections
to Wintipock clothed in the warmest expressions of sincerity; to
yourself be every human felicity.
Adieu.
--------------------------------
A related letter to Peter Carr. signed Paris, August 19, 1785.
"An honest heart being the first blessing, a knowing head is the
second. It is time for you now to begin to be choice in your reading;
to begin to pursue a regular course in it; and not to suffer yourself
to be turned to the right or left by reading any thing out of that
course. I have long ago digested a plan for you, suited to the circumstances
in which you will be placed. This I will detail to you, from time
to time, as you advance. For the present, I advise you to begin
a course of antient history, reading every thing in the original
and not in translations. First read Goldsmith's history of Greece.
This will give you a digested view of that field. Then take up antient
history in the detail, reading the following books, in the following
order: Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophontis Hellenica, Xenophontis
Anabasis, Arrian, Quintus Cirtius, Diodorus Siculus, Justin. This
shall form the first stage of your historical reading, and is all
I need mention to you now. Then next, will be of Roman history.
(Livy, Sallust, Caesar, Cicero's epistles, Suetonius, Tacitus, Gibbon).
From that we will come down to modern history. In Greek and Latin
poetry, you have read or will read at school, Virgil, Terence, Horace,
Anacreon, Theocritus, Homer, Euripedes, Sophocles. Read also Milton's
Paradise Lost, Shakspeare, Ossian, Pope's and Swift's works, in
order to form your style in your own language. In morality, read
Epictetus, Xenophontis Memorabilia, Plato's Socratic dialogues,
Cicero's philosophies, Antoninus, and Seneca. In order to assure
a certain progress in this reading, consider what hours you have
free from the school and exercises of the school. Give about two
of them, every day, to exercise,; for health must not be sacrificed
to learning. A strong body makes the mind strong…."
"Having ascribed proper hours to exercise, divide what remain, (I
mean of your vacant hours) into three portions. Give the principal
to History, the other two, which should be shorter, to Philosophy
and Poetry. Write to me once every month or two, and let me know
the progress you make. Tell me in what manner you employ every hour
in the day. The plan I have proposed for you is adapted to your
present situation only. When that is changed, I shall propose a
corresponding change of plan. I have ordered the following books
to be sent to you from London, to the care of Mr. Madison. Herodotus,
Thucydides, Xenophon's Hellenics, Anabasis and Memorabilia,
Cicero's works, Baretti's Spanish and English Dictionary,
Martin's Philosophical Grammar, and Martin's Philosophia
Brittanica. I will send you the following from hence. Nezout's
Mathematics, De la Lande's Astronomy, Muschenbrock's
Physics, Quintus Curtius, Justin, a Spanish Grammar, and
some Spanish books. You will observe that Martin, Bezout, De la
Lande, and Muschenbrock are not in the preceding plan. They are
not to be opened till you go to the University. You are now, I expect,
learning French. You must push this; because which will be put into
your hands when you advance into Mathematics, Natural philosophy,
Natural history, etc. will be mostly French, these sciences being
better treated by the French than the English writers. Our future
connection with Spain renders that the most necessary of the modern
languages, after the French. When you become a public man, you may
have occasion for it, and the circumstances of your possessing that
language may give you a preference over other candidates. I have
nothing further to add for the present, but husband well you time,
cherish your instructors, strive to make every body your friend;
and be assured that nothing will be so pleasing, as you success,
to Dear Peter, Your's affectionately,…"
--------------------------------
Jefferson's offer to donate his personal library to the nation
(Letter to Samuel H. Smith. Written from Monticello, September 21,
1814).
"Dear Sir,-- I learn from the newspapers that the Vandalism of our
enemy has triumphed at Washington over science as well as the arts,
by the destruction of the public library with the noble edifice
in which it was deposited. Of this transaction as of that of Copenhagen,
the world will entertain but one sentiment. The will see…acts of
barbarism which do not belong to a civilized age…"
"I presume it will be among the early objects of Congress to re-
commence their collection. This will be difficult while the war
continues, and intercourse with Europe is attended with so much
risk. You know my collection, its condition and extent. I have been
fifty years making it, and have spared no pains, opportunity or
expense, to make it what it is. While residing in Paris, I devoted
every afternoon I was disengaged, for a summer or two, in examining
all the principal bookstores, turning over every books with my own
hand, and putting by everything which related to America, and indeed
whatever was rare and valuable in every science. Besides this, I
had standing orders during the whole time I was in Europe, on its
principal book-marts, particularly Amsterdam, Frankfort, Madrid
and London, for such Works relating to America as could not
be found in Paris. So that in that department particularly, such
a collection was made as probably can never again be effected, because
it is hardly probably that the same opportunities, the same time,
industry, perseverence and expense, with some knowledge of the bibliography
of the subject, would again happen to be in concurrence. During
the same period, and after my return to America, I was led to procure,
also, whatever related to the duties of those in the high concerns
of the nation. So that the collection, which I suppose is of between
nine and ten thousand volumes, while it includes what is chiefly
valuable in science and literature generally, extends more particularly
to whatever belongs to the American statesman. In the diplomatic
and parliamentary branches, it is particularly full. It is long
since I have been sensible it ought not to continue private property,
and had provided that at my death, Congress should have the refusal
of it at their own price. But the loss they have now incurred, makes
the present the proper moment for their accommodation, without regard
to the small remnant of time and the barren use of my enjoying it.
I ask of your friendship, therefore, to make for me the tender of
it to the library committee of Congress…"
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