第13章

IthasalwaysbeenallowedtoDr。Franklin。DoesMr。AdamsmeantochargethisforAuteuilandLondon?Becauseifhedoes，Icertainlywill，beingconvincedbyexperiencethatmyexpencesherewillotherwiseexceedmyallowance。Iaskthisinformationofyou，Madam，becauseIthinkyouknowbetterthanMr。Adamswhatmaybenecessaryandrightforhimtodoinoccasionsofthisclass。IwillbegthefavorofyoutopresentmyrespectstoMissAdams。Ihavenosecretstocommunicatetoherincypheratthismoment，whatIwritetoMr。

Adamsbeingmerecommonplacestuff，notmeritingacommunicationtotheSecretary。IhavethehonourtobewiththemostperfectesteemDr。MadamYourmostobedientandmosthumbleservt。，ASTATUEOFWASHINGTON

_TotheVirginiaDelegatesinCongress_

_Paris，July12，1785_

GENTLEMEN，——InconsequenceoftheordersoftheLegislative&

ExecutivebodiesofVirginia，IhaveengagedMonsr。HoudontomaketheStatueofGenl。Washington。ForthispurposeitisnecessaryforhimtoseetheGeneral。HethereforegoeswithDoctr。Franklin，&

willhavethehonorofdeliveringyouthishimself。AshisjourneyisattheexpenceoftheStateaccordingtoourcontract，Iwillprayyoutofavorhimwithyourpatronage&counsels，andtoprotecthimasmuchaspossiblefromthoseimpositionstowhichstrangersarebuttoomuchexposed。IhaveadvisedhimtoproceedinthestagestotheGeneral’s。Ihavealsoagreed，ifhecanseeGeneralGreene&Gates，whosebustshehasadesiretomake，thathemaymakeamoderatedeviationforthispurpose，afterheisdonewithGeneralWashington。

ButthemostimportantobjectwithhimistobeemployedtomakeGeneralWashington’sequestrianstatueforCongress。Nothingbuttheexpectationofthiscouldhaveengagedhimtohaveundertakenthisvoyage。ThepedestrianstatueforVirginiawillnotmakeitworththebusinesshelosesbyabsentinghimself。Iwasthereforeobligedtoassurehimofmyrecommendationsforthisgreaterwork。

Havingactedinthisforthestate，youwillIhopethinkyourselvesinsomemeasureboundtopatronize&urgehisbeingemployedbyCongress。Iwouldnothavedonethismyself，noraskedyoutodoit，didInotseethatitwouldbebetterforCongresstoputthisbusinessintohishands，thanthoseofanyotherpersonliving，forthesereasons：1。heiswithoutrivalshipthefirststatuaryofthisage；asaproofofwhichhereceivesordersfromeveryothercountryforthingsintendedtobecapital：2。hewillhaveseenGeneralWashington，havetakenhismeasuresineverypart，andofcoursewhateverhedoesofhimwillhavethemeritofbeingoriginal，fromwhichotherworkmencanonlyfurnishcopies。3。Heisinpossessionofthehouse，thefurnaces，&alltheapparatusprovidedformakingthestatueofLouisXV。Ifanyotherworkmanisemployed，thiswillallbetobeprovidedanewandofcoursetobeaddedtothepriceofthestatue，fornomancaneverexpecttomaketwoequestrianstatues。Theadditionwhichthiswouldbetothepricewillmuchexceedtheexpectationofanypersonwhohasnotseenthatapparatus。

Intruthitisimmense。AstothepriceoftheworkitwillbemuchgreaterthanCongressisawareof，probably。Ihaveenquiredsomewhatintothiscircumstance，andfindthepricesofthosemadefortwocenturiespasthavebeenfrom120。000guineasdownto16。000

guineas，accordingtothesize。AndasfarasIhaveseen，thesmallertheyare，themoreagreeable。Thesmallestyetmadeisinfinitelyabovethesizeofthelife，andtheyallappearoutreeandmonstrous。ThatofLouisXV。isprobablythebestintheworld，anditisthesmallesthere。Yetitisimpossibletofindapointofviewfromwhichitdoesnotappearamonster，unlessyougosofarastolosesightofthefeaturesandfinerlineamentsofthefaceandbody。Astatueisnotmade，likeamountain，tobeseenatagreatdistance。Toperceivethoseminutercircumstanceswhichconstituteitsbeautyyoumustbenearit，and，inthatcase，itshouldbesolittleabovethesizeofthelife，astoappearactuallyofthatsizefromyourpointofview。IshouldnotthereforefeartoproposethattheoneintendedbyCongressshouldbeconsiderablysmallerthananyofthosetobeseenhere；asIthinkitwillbemorebeautiful，andalsocheaper。Ihavetroubledyouwiththeseobservationsastheyhavebeensuggestedtomefromanactualsightofworksinthiskind，&supposedtheymightassistyouinmakingupyourmindsonthissubject。InmakingacontractwithMonsr。Houdonitwouldnotbepropertoadvancemoney，butashisdisbursementsandlabouradvance。

Asitisaworkofmanyyears，thiswillrendertheexpenceinsensible。Thepedestrianstatueofmarbleistotakethreeyears。

Theequestrianofcoursemuchmore。Thereforethesooneritisbegunthebetter。”ANHONESTHEART……AKNOWINGHEAD”

_ToPeterCarr_

_Paris，August19，1785_

DEARPETER，——Ireceived，byMr。Mazzei，yourletterofAprilthe20th。Iammuchmortifiedtohearthatyouhavelostsomuchtime；andthatwhenyouarrivedinWilliamsburg，youwerenotatalladvancedfromwhatyouwerewhenyouleftMonticello。Timenowbeginstobeprecioustoyou。Everydayyoulose，willretardadayyourentranceonthatpublicstagewhereonyoumaybegintobeusefultoyourself。However，thewaytorepairthelossistoimprovethefuturetime。Itrust，thatwithyourdispositions，eventheacquisitionofscienceisapleasingemployment。Icanassureyou，thatthepossessionofitis，what(nexttoanhonestheart)willaboveallthingsrenderyoudeartoyourfriends，andgiveyoufameandpromotioninyourowncountry。Whenyourmindshallbewellimprovedwithscience，nothingwillbenecessarytoplaceyouinthehighestpointsofview，buttopursuetheinterestsofyourcountry，theinterestsofyourfriends，andyourowninterestsalso，withthepurestintegrity，themostchastehonor。Thedefectofthesevirtuescanneverbemadeupbyalltheotheracquirementsofbodyandmind。

Makethesethenyourfirstobject。Giveupmoney，giveupfame，giveupscience，givetheearthitselfandallitcontains，ratherthandoanimmoralact。Andneversuppose，thatinanypossiblesituation，orunderanycircumstances，itisbestforyoutodoadishonorablething，howeverslightlysoitmayappeartoyou。Wheneveryouaretodoathing，thoughitcanneverbeknownbuttoyourself，askyourselfhowyouwouldactwerealltheworldlookingatyou，andactaccordingly。Encourageallyourvirtuousdispositions，andexercisethemwheneveranopportunityarises；beingassuredthattheywillgainstrengthbyexercise，asalimbofthebodydoes，andthatexercisewillmakethemhabitual。Fromthepracticeofthepurestvirtue，youmaybeassuredyouwillderivethemostsublimecomfortsineverymomentoflife，andinthemomentofdeath。Ifeveryoufindyourselfenvironedwithdifficultiesandperplexingcircumstances，outofwhichyouareatalosshowtoextricateyourself，dowhatisright，andbeassuredthatthatwillextricateyouthebestoutoftheworstsituations。Thoughyoucannotsee，whenyoutakeonestep，whatwillbethenext，yetfollowtruth，justice，andplaindealing，andneverfeartheirleadingyououtofthelabyrinth，intheeasiestmannerpossible。TheknotwhichyouthoughtaGordianone，willuntieitselfbeforeyou。Nothingissomistakenasthesupposition，thatapersonistoextricatehimselffromadifficulty，byintrigue，bychicanery，bydissimulation，bytrimming，byanuntruth，byaninjustice。Thisincreasesthedifficultiestenfold；andthosewhopursuethesemethods，getthemselvessoinvolvedatlength，thattheycanturnnowaybuttheirinfamybecomesmoreexposed。Itisofgreatimportancetosetaresolution，nottobeshaken，nevertotellanuntruth。Thereisnovicesomean，sopitiful，socontemptible；andhewhopermitshimselftotellalieonce，findsitmucheasiertodoitasecondandthirdtime，tillatlengthitbecomeshabitual；hetellslieswithoutattendingtoit，andtruthswithouttheworld’sbelievinghim。Thisfalsehoodofthetongueleadstothatoftheheart，andintimedepravesallitsgooddispositions。

Anhonestheartbeingthefirstblessing，aknowingheadisthesecond。Itistimeforyounowtobegintobechoiceinyourreading；tobegintopursuearegularcourseinit；andnottosufferyourselftobeturnedtotherightorleftbyreadinganythingoutofthatcourse。Ihavelongagodigestedaplanforyou，suitedtothecircumstancesinwhichyouwillbeplaced。ThisIwilldetailtoyou，fromtimetotime，asyouadvance。Forthepresent，Iadviseyoutobeginacourseofantienthistory，readingeverythingintheoriginalandnotintranslations。FirstreadGoldsmith’shistoryofGreece。Thiswillgiveyouadigestedviewofthatfield。Thentakeupantienthistoryinthedetail，readingthefollowingbooks，inthefollowingorder：Herodotus，Thucydides，XenophontisHellenica，XenophontisAnabasis，Arrian，QuintusCurtius，DiodorusSiculus，Justin。Thisshallformthefirststageofyourhistoricalreading，andisallIneedmentiontoyounow。Thenext，willbeofRomanhistory(*)。Fromthat，wewillcomedowntomodernhistory。InGreekandLatinpoetry，youhavereadorwillreadatschool，Virgil，Terence，Horace，Anacreon，Theocritus，Homer，Euripides，Sophocles。

ReadalsoMilton’sParadiseLost，Shakspeare，Ossian，Pope’sandSwift’sworks，inordertoformyourstyleinyourownlanguage。Inmorality，readEpictetus，XenophontisMemorabilia，Plato’sSocraticdialogues，Cicero’sphilosophies，Antoninus，andSeneca。Inordertoassureacertainprogressinthisreading，considerwhathoursyouhavefreefromtheschoolandtheexercisesoftheschool。Giveabouttwoofthem，everyday，toexercise；forhealthmustnotbesacrificedtolearning。Astrongbodymakesthemindstrong。Astothespeciesofexercise，Iadvisethegun。Whilethisgivesamoderateexercisetothebody，itgivesboldness，enterprise，andindependencetothemind。Gamesplayedwiththeball，andothersofthatnature，aretooviolentforthebody，andstampnocharacteronthemind。Letyourgunthereforebetheconstantcompanionofyourwalks。Neverthinkoftakingabookwithyou。Theobjectofwalkingistorelaxthemind。Youshouldthereforenotpermityourselfeventothinkwhileyouwalk；butdivertyourattentionbytheobjectssurroundingyou。Walkingisthebestpossibleexercise。Habituateyourselftowalkveryfar。TheEuropeansvaluethemselvesonhavingsubduedthehorsetotheusesofman；butIdoubtwhetherwehavenotlostmorethanwehavegained，bytheuseofthisanimal。Noonehasoccasionedsomuch，thedegeneracyofthehumanbody。AnIndiangoesonfootnearlyasfarinaday，foralongjourney，asanenfeebledwhitedoesonhishorse；andhewilltirethebesthorses。Thereisnohabityouwillvaluesomuchasthatofwalkingfarwithoutfatigue。Iwouldadviseyoutotakeyourexerciseintheafternoon：

notbecauseitisthebesttimeforexercise，forcertainlyitisnot；butbecauseitisthebesttimetosparefromyourstudies；andhabitwillsoonreconcileittohealth，andrenderitnearlyasusefulasifyougavetothatthemoreprecioushoursoftheday。A

littlewalkofhalfanhour，inthemorning，whenyoufirstrise，isadvisablealso。Itshakesoffsleep，andproducesothergoodeffectsintheanimaleconomy。Riseatafixedandanearlyhour，andgotobedatafixedandearlyhouralso。Sittinguplateatnightisinjurioustothehealth，andnotusefultothemind。Havingascribedproperhourstoexercise，dividewhatremain，(Imeanofyourvacanthours)intothreeportions。GivetheprincipaltoHistory，theothertwo，whichshouldbeshorter，toPhilosophyandPoetry。Writetomeonceeverymonthortwo，andletmeknowtheprogressyoumake。Tellmeinwhatmanneryouemployeveryhourintheday。TheplanIhaveproposedforyouisadaptedtoyourpresentsituationonly。Whenthatischanged，Ishallproposeacorrespondingchangeofplan。I

haveorderedthefollowingbookstobesenttoyoufromLondon，tothecareofMr。Madison。Herodotus，Thucydides，Xenophon’sHellenics，AnabasisandMemorabilia，Cicero’sworks，Baretti’sSpanishandEnglishDictionary，Martin’sPhilosophicalGrammar，andMartin’sPhilosophiaBritannica。Iwillsendyouthefollowingfromhence。Bezout’sMathematics，DelaLande’sAstronomy，Muschenbrock’sPhysics，QuintusCurtius，Justin，aSpanishGrammar，andsomeSpanishbooks。YouwillobservethatMartin，Bezout，DelaLande，andMuschenbrockarenotintheprecedingplan。TheyarenottobeopenedtillyougototheUniversity。Youarenow，Iexpect，learningFrench。Youmustpushthis；becausethebookswhichwillbeputintoyourhandswhenyouadvanceintoMathematics，Naturalphilosophy，Naturalhistory，&c。willbemostlyFrench，thesesciencesbeingbettertreatedbytheFrenchthantheEnglishwriters。

OurfutureconnectionwithSpainrendersthatthemostnecessaryofthemodernlanguages，aftertheFrench。Whenyoubecomeapublicman，youmayhaveoccasionforit，andthecircumstanceofyourpossessingthatlanguage，maygiveyouapreferenceoverothercandidates。Ihavenothingfurthertoaddforthepresent，buthusbandwellyourtime，cherishyourinstructors，strivetomakeeverybodyyourfriend；andbeassuredthatnothingwillbesopleasing，asyoursuccess，to，DearPeter，Your’saffectionately，(*)Livy，Sullust，Caesar，Cicero’sepistles，Suetonius，Tacitus，Gibbon。

COMMERCEANDSEAPOWER

_ToJohnJay_

_Paris，Aug。23，1785_