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[302] hopes, however, are kept in check by the ordinary character of our State legislatures, the members of which do not generally possess information enough to perceive the important truths, that knowledge is power, that knowledge is safety, and that knowledge is happiness. In the mean time, and in case of failure of the broader plan, we are establishing a college of general science at the same situation near Charlottesville, the scale of which, of necessity, will be much more moderate, as resting on private donations only. These amount at present to about 75,000 dollars; the buildings are begun, and by midsummer we hope to have two or three professorships in operation. Would to God we could have two or three duplicates of yourself, the original being above our means or hopes. If then we fail in doing all the good we wish, we will do, at least, all we can. This is the law of duty in every society of free agents, where every one has equal right to judge for himself. God bless you, and give to the means of benefiting mankind which you will bring home with you, all the success your high qualifications ought to insure.


From Mr. Jefferson.

Monticello, October 25, 1818.
dear Sir: I received, two days ago, your favor of August 10, from Madrid, and sincerely regret that my letter to Cardinal Dugnani did not reach you at Rome.1 It would have introduced you to a circle worth studying as a variety in the human character. I am happy, however, to learn that your peregrinations through Europe have been


1 The letter to Cardinal Dugnani had a curious history. It must have reached Mr. Elisha Ticknor, for the letter to him which contained it was found among his papers. The enclosed letter, however, never left this continent, but was found many years afterwards ‘in the garret of an old house in Plymouth, Massachusetts, among a mass of ship-papers, log-books, etc., etc. The owner of the house formerly owned sailing vessels, and two of his brothers were sea-captains, one of whom sailed to the Mediterranean.’ In 1864 Mr. Ticknor received a letter from Troy, New York, addressed to him by a lady born in Plymouth, who offered to send him Mr. Jefferson's letter to the Cardinal, which she had found among some autographs in her possession, and of which she had traced the history as above. She thought he ought to have the letter, because it concluded with a very high compliment to him. Mr. Ticknor was much pleased by this little incident, accepted the letter, and sent the lady a copy of the handsome quarto edition of his Life of Prescott, then just published. The fate of the letter was never further explained. Mr. Elisha Ticknor had obviously sent it on its way, but it did not go far on its journey.

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