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Thomas Jefferson Quotes - Page 16

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I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led, and bearding every authority which stood in their way.

I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led, and bearding every authority which stood in their way.

Thomas Jefferson
Truth, Knowledge, Politics
Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Autobiography, Anas, Writings 1760-1770”, p.454, Cosimo, Inc.

The glow of one warm thought is to me worth more than money.

Thomas Jefferson
Money, War, Famous Inspirational
Thomas Jefferson, Jerry Holmes (2002). “Thomas Jefferson: A Chronology of His Thoughts”, p.18, Rowman & Littlefield

The sun - my almighty physician.

Thomas Jefferson
Physicians, Sun, Almighty
Thomas Jefferson, Jerry Holmes (2002). “Thomas Jefferson: A Chronology of His Thoughts”, p.58, Rowman & Littlefield

All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. The general spread of the light of science has already laid open to every view. The palpable truth, that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of god. These are grounds of hope for others. For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them.

Thomas Jefferson
4th Of July, Eye, Men
Letter to Roger C.Weightman, 24 June 1826.

Scenes are now to take place as will open the eyes of credulity and of insanity itself, to the dangers of a paper medium abandoned to the discretion of avarice and of swindlers.

Thomas Jefferson
Eye, Insanity, Paper
Thomas Jefferson (2011). “The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Retirement Series, Volume 7: 28 November 1813 to 30 September 1814”, p.654, Princeton University Press

Man is an imitative animal. This quality is the germ of all education in him. From his cradle to his grave he is learning to do what he sees others do.

Thomas Jefferson
Animal, Men, Quality
Thomas Jefferson, Richard Holland Johnston, Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association of the United States “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”

Most men die at age 25, but aren't buried until 70.

Thomas Jefferson
Men, Age, Buried

Where the principle of difference [between political parties] is as substantial and as strongly pronounced as between the republicans and the monocrats of our country, I hold it as honorable to take a firm and decided part and as immoral to pursue a middle line, as between the parties of honest men and rogues, into which every country is divided.

Thomas Jefferson
Country, Party, Men

Lethargy is the forerunner of death to the public liberty.

Thomas Jefferson
Patriotism, Liberty, Civil Rights
Thomas Jefferson, John Dewey (2008). “The Essential Jefferson”, p.66, Courier Corporation

Self-love . . . is the sole antagonist of virtue, leading us constantly by our propensities to self-gratification in violation of our moral duties to others.

Thomas Jefferson
Love Is, Self, Moral
Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private : Published by the Order of the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library, from the Original Manuscripts, Deposited in the Department of State”, p.349

It should be our endeavor to cultivate the peace and friendship of every nation, even of that which has injured us most.

Thomas Jefferson
Should, Endeavor, Injured
Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Virginia II, Correspondence 1782-1786”, p.99, Cosimo, Inc.

We owe gratitude to France, justice to England, good will to all, and subservience to none ... it was by the sober sense of our citizens that we were safely and steadily conducted from monarchy to republicanism, and it is by the same agency alone we can be kept from falling back.

Thomas Jefferson
Gratitude, Fall, Agency
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, correspondence and private papers of Thomas Jefferson, ed. by T.J. Randolph”, p.372

Our civil rights have no dependence upon our religious opinions more than our opinions in physics or geometry.

Thomas Jefferson
Religious, Rights, Opinion
B. L. Rayner, Thomas Jefferson (1834). “Life of Thomas Jefferson: with selections from the most valuable portions of his voluminious and unrivalled private correspondence : with portrait”, p.138

Delay is preferable to error.

Thomas Jefferson
Mistake, Errors, Presidential
Thomas Jefferson, H. A. Washington (2011). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private”, p.357, Cambridge University Press

I am opposed to any form of tyranny over the mind of man.

Thomas Jefferson
Religious, Men, Faith Religion

If, in my retirement to the humble station of a private citizen, I am accompanied with the esteem and approbation of my fellow citizens, trophies obtained by the bloodstained steel, or the tattered flags of the tented field, will never be envied. The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only legitimate object of good government.

Thomas Jefferson
Retirement, Humble, Government
Thomas Jefferson, Richard Holland Johnston, Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association of the United States “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”

The concentrating of powers in the same hands is precisely the definition of despotic government. It will be no alleviation that these powers will be exercised by a plurality of hands, and not by a single one.

Thomas Jefferson
Government, Hands, Definitions
Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Virginia II, Correspondence 1782-1786”, p.20, Cosimo, Inc.

Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions. Ideas must be distinct before reason can act upon them; and no man ever had a distinct idea of the trinity. It is the mere Abracadabra of the mountebanks calling themselves the priests of Jesus.

Thomas Jefferson
Jesus, Men, Ideas
Thomas Jefferson (1964). “The Jefferson Bible: With the Annotated Commentaries on Religion of Thomas Jefferson”

Was the government to prescribe to us our medicine and diet, our bodies would be in such keeping as our souls are now.

Thomas Jefferson
Rights, Government, Medicine
Thomas Jefferson, Richard Holland Johnston, Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association of the United States “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”

A mind always employed is always happy.

Thomas Jefferson
Labor Day, Mind, May Day
Thomas Jefferson (2004). “Light and Liberty: Reflections on the Pursuit of Happiness”, p.6, Modern Library

Agriculture is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness.

Thomas Jefferson
Real, Silly, Garden
Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1859). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence”, p.252

A free people [claim] their rights as derived from the laws of nature, and not as the gift of their chief magistrate.

Thomas Jefferson
4th Of July, Rights, Law
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, Correspondence, and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Late President of the United States”, p.118

Religious leaders will always avail themselves of public ignorance for their own purpose.

Thomas Jefferson
Religious, Atheist, Ignorance

My opinion is that there would never have been an infidel, if there had never been a priest. The artificial structures they have built on the purest of all moral systems, for the purpose of deriving from it pence and power, revolts those who think for themselves, and who read in that system only what is really there.

Thomas Jefferson
Thinking, Religion, Atheism
Thomas Jefferson, H. A. Washington (2011). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private”, p.28, Cambridge University Press

One single object . . . [will merit] the endless gratitude of the society: that of restraining the judges from usurping legislation.

Thomas Jefferson
Gratitude, Judging, Politics