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Thomas Jefferson Quotes - Page 55

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In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty.

In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty.

Thomas Jefferson
Inspirational, Life, Birthday
"Light and Liberty: Reflections on the Pursuit of Happiness".

Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.

Thomas Jefferson
Evil, Suffering, Unalienable Rights
Declaration of Independence (1776)

Wisdom I know is social. She seeks her fellows. But Beauty is jealous, and illy bears the presence of a rival.

Thomas Jefferson
Jealousy, Rivals, Bears
Thomas Jefferson (1984). “Jefferson: Writings”, p.1052, Library of America

The most successful war seldom pays for its losses.

Thomas Jefferson
Money, War, Successful
Thomas Jefferson, Brett F. Woods (2009). “Thomas Jefferson: Thoughts on War and Revolution”, p.10, Algora Publishing

Difference of opinion is advantageous in religion. The several sects perform the office of a Censor - over each other.

Thomas Jefferson
Life, Differences, Office
Thomas Jefferson, Jean M. Yarbrough (1963). “The Essential Jefferson”, p.128, Hackett Publishing

Bodily decay is gloomy in prospect, but of all human contemplations the most abhorrent is body without mind.

Thomas Jefferson
Perspective, Mind, Endurance
Letter to John Adams, 1 August (1816)

An injured friend is the bitterest of foes.

Thomas Jefferson
Friendship, Presidential, Bitterness
Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence 1792-1793”, p.292, Cosimo, Inc.

My theory has always been, that if we are to dream, the flatteries of hope are as cheap, and pleasanter, than the gloom of despair.

Thomas Jefferson
Dream, Doom And Gloom, Hopeful
Thomas Jefferson (2004). “Light and Liberty: Reflections on the Pursuit of Happiness”, p.85, Modern Library

I have seen enough of one war never to wish to see another.

Thomas Jefferson
War, Wish, Enough
1794 Letter to John Adams, 25 Apr.

The earth belongs to the living, not to the dead.

Thomas Jefferson
Life, Inspire, Earth
Thomas Jefferson, Joyce Appleby, Terence Ball (1999). “Jefferson: Political Writings”, p.599, Cambridge University Press

Resort is had to ridicule only when reason is against us.

Thomas Jefferson
Political, Politics, Reason
Thomas Jefferson (2004). “Light and Liberty: Reflections on the Pursuit of Happiness”, p.47, Modern Library

No duty the Executive had to perform was so trying as to put the right man in the right place.

Thomas Jefferson
Men, Political, Trying
In J. B. MacMaster 'History of the People of the U.S.' (1883-1913) vol. 2, ch. 13, p. 586

There is a natural aristocracy among men. The grounds of this are virtue and talents.

Thomas Jefferson
Short Life, Men, Hair
Letter to John Adams, 28 Oct. 1813

The second office in the government is honorable and easy; the first is but a splendid misery.

Thomas Jefferson
Government, Office, Political
Bernard Mayo, Thomas Jefferson (1988). “Jefferson Himself: The Personal Narrative of a Many-Sided American”, p.199, University of Virginia Press

There is not a sprig of grass that shoots uninteresting to me.

Thomas Jefferson
Weed, Nature, Environmental
Thomas Jefferson, Jerry Holmes (2002). “Thomas Jefferson: A Chronology of His Thoughts”, p.120, Rowman & Littlefield

The good opinion of mankind, like the lever of Archimedes, with the given fulcrum, moves the world.

Thomas Jefferson
Moving, Public Opinion, World
Thomas Jefferson, J. Jefferson Looney (2004). “The Papers of Thomas Jefferson: 1 October 1814 to 31 August 1815”, p.167, Princeton University Press

An association of men who will not quarrel with one another is a thing which has never yet existed, from the greatest confederacy of nations down to a town meeting or a vestry.

Thomas Jefferson
Men, Politics, Association
Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, correspondence, and miscellanies from the papers of T. Jefferson”, p.394

Peace and abstinence from European interferences are our objects, and so will continue while the present order of things in America remain uninterrupted.

Thomas Jefferson
Peace, War, Order
Thomas Jefferson, Brett F. Woods (2009). “Thomas Jefferson: Thoughts on War and Revolution : Annotated Correspondence”, p.163, Algora Publishing

I never told my own religion nor scrutinized that of another. I never attempted to make a convert, nor wished to change another's creed. I am satisfied that yours must be an excellent religion to have produced a life of such exemplary virtue and correctness. For it is in our lives, and not from our words, that our religion must be judged.

Thomas Jefferson
Life, Religion, Our Words
Thomas Jefferson, Joyce Appleby, Terence Ball (1999). “Jefferson: Political Writings”, p.399, Cambridge University Press

...in war, they will kill some of us; we shall destroy all of them

Thomas Jefferson
War
Thomas Jefferson (1861). “Correspondence”, p.177

I wish I was a despot that I might save the noble, the beautiful trees that are daily falling sacrifice to the cupidity of their owners, or the necessity of the poor. The unnecessary felling of a tree, perhaps the growth of centuries, seems to me a crime little short of murder.

Thomas Jefferson
Beautiful, Fall, Sacrifice

We believe no more in Bonaparte's fighting merely for the liberties of the seas than in Great Britain's fighting for the liberties of mankind. The object is the same, to draw to themselves the power, the wealth and the resources of other nations.

Thomas Jefferson
Believe, Fighting, Sea
Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence and Papers, 1808-1816”, p.241, Cosimo, Inc.

not to find out new principles, or new arguments, never before thought of . . . but to place before mankind the common sense of the subject, in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent, and to justify ourselves in the independent stand we are compelled to take.

Thomas Jefferson
Independent, Common Sense, Principles
Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1859). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence. Reports and opinions while secretary of state”, p.407

The genuine and simple religion of Jesus will one day be restored: such as it was preached and practiced by Himself.

Thomas Jefferson
Jesus, Simple, Religion
Thomas Jefferson (2002). “Democracy”

The greatest service which can be rendered any country is to add a useful plant to its culture. --The Fruit Hunters

Thomas Jefferson
Country, Garden, Hunters