The Correspondence of Thomas Jefferson
By Subject
EARLY LIFE
He placed me at the English school at five years of age; and at the
Latin at nine, where I continued until his death. My teacher, Mr.
Douglas, a clergyman from Scotland, with the rudiments of the Latin
and Greek languages, taught me the French; and on the death of my
father, I went to the Reverend Mr. Maury, a correct classical scholar,
with whom I continued two years; and then, to wit, in the spring of
1760, went to William and Mary college, where I continued two years.
It was my great good fortune, and what probably fixed the destinies of
my life, that Dr. William Small of Scotland, was then Professor of
Mathematics, a man profound in most of the useful branches of science,
with a happy talent of Communication, correct and gentlemanly manners,
and an enlarged and liberal mind. He, most happily for me, became soon
attached to me, and made me his daily companion when not engaged in
the school; and from his conversation I got my first views of the
expansion of science, and of the system of things in which we are
placed. Fortunately, the philosophical chair became vacant soon after
my arrival at college, and he was appointed to fill it
per interim: and he was the first who ever gave, in that
college, regular lectures in Ethics, Rhetoric and Belles Lettres. He
returned to Europe in 1762, having previously filled up the measure of
his goodness to me, by procuring for me, from his most intimate
friend, George Wythe, a reception as a student of law, under his
direction, and introduced me to the acquaintance and familiar table of
Governor Fauquier, the ablest man who had ever filled that office.
With him, and at his table, Dr. Small and Mr. Wythe, his amici
omnium horarum, and myself, formed a partie quarree, and
to the habitual conversations on these occasions I owed much
instruction. Mr. Wythe continued to be my faithful and beloved mentor
in youth, and my most affectionate friend through life. In 1767, he
led me into the practice of the law at the bar of the General court,
at which I continued until the Revolution shut up the courts of
justice.
from Notes for an Autobiography, 6 January 1821
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