Posted on 11/27/2007 7:16:16 AM PST by Loud Mime
In reading the original content surrounding one of yesterday's quotes, I was struck by Jefferson's recommendations for reading and his advice to aquaint oneself with firearms rather than sports that use a ball. The following is an excerpt from Thomas Jefferson's Letter to Peter Carr (August 1778). I have broken the letter's lines to make reading easier.
This is just a segment of the letter. The original, in its entirety, is at the source link. "An honest heart being the first blessing, a knowing head is the second. It is time for you now to begin to be choice in your reading; to begin to pursue a regular course in it; and not to suffer yourself to be turned to the right or left by reading any thing out of that course.
I have long ago digested a plan for you, suited to the circumstances in which you will be placed. This I will detail to you, from time to time, as you advance. For the present, I advise you to begin a course of antient history, reading every thing in the original and not in translations. First read Goldsmith's history of Greece. This will give you a digested view of that field. Then take up antient history in the detail, reading the following books, in the following order: Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophontis Hellenica, Xenophontis Anabasis, Arrian, Quintus Curtius, Diodorus Siculus, Justin.
This shall form the first stage of your historical reading, and is all I need mention to you now. The next, will be of Roman history (*). From that, we will come down to modern history.
In Greek and Latin poetry, you have read or will read at school, Virgil, Terence, Horace, Anacreon, Theocritus, Homer, Euripides, Sophocles. Read also Milton's Paradise Lost, Shakspeare, Ossian, Pope's and Swift's works, in order to form your style in your own language. In morality, read Epictetus, Xenophontis Memorabilia, Plato's Socratic dialogues, Cicero's philosophies, Antoninus, and Seneca.
In order to assure a certain progress in this reading, consider what hours you have free from the school and the exercises of the school. Give about two of them, every day, to exercise; for health must not be sacrificed to learning.
A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercise, I advise the gun. While this gives a moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise, and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body, and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be the constant companion of your walks."
bookmark
What kind of ping list is it? Constitution? Founders?
Founder’s quotes.
It started with a quote a day. I believe two threads per week will keep up the interest.
As you can see by this thread, I do not restrict meaningful quotes made from non-founders. Good information is being tendered by some very knowledgable people and there is a shared good-will among all the contributors.
Bookmark
Thanks for the Loeb recommendation.
bump for reference — and more reading
I just started it. What a great book. McCullough makes you feel like you are actually there.
Amazing book, start to finish. Enjoy.
A couple of years ago I read “Path Between the Seas” by McCullough. That is also very good. That is actually why I bought the Adams book. Just picked up “Truman” at a thrift shop for $4....a steal. Lots of reading coming up!
Sounds good.
I lived in Panama for 4 years. When I read the Path Between the Seas I was aghast at all the suffering. The notes from the journals of the French surveyors were beyond imagination.
I did my boy scout days there, camping at Camp Chagres on Gatun Lake. The wildlife posed tremendous problems. I heard that two kids were killed by Fer-de-lance bites on one summer....after I left.
Sure, it’s the only sport where you actually get to shoot people! Targets just sit there, game may run, but people shoot back.
It sure gives you a reality check if you think you’re a badass with a gun. When some 14 year old kid has you pinned down in a trench, well, you get very realistic about firearm use. Of course, the best part is when some ‘gangsta’ kid shows up- EVERYONE wants to nail him to the wall, and he usually gets lit up pretty bad.
I prefer camo style paintball- “woodsball”, not the open field style, or “speedball”. It’s great for kids too.
My attempt at humor may have failed - paint “ball”, a “ball sport” as Jefferson mentioned...?
I played Rugby until I was 30; I still have some bruises, I think. One concussion, one grapefruit sized hemotoma on my elbow and not one logical reason to play that game....Jefferson, in my book, was spot-on.
George did pretty well for himself though. I doubt most people know he had a brother.
I never lived in Panama....that must have been quite an experience. I sailed through the canal about 4 times while in the Merchant Marine. I will never forget that experience.
We just assumed any snake was poisonous. There were insects there that defied imagination. Tarantulas everywhere. One time we were walking through a jungle trail and our scoutmaster pointed out a boa in the tree above us. “Don’t walk under it, because it will fall on you.”
We camped on the side of the Miraflores Locks for a couple of nights. It was a bad plan, since the shipping was so noisy we hardly slept. One night at Camp Chagres we were raided by white faced monkeys. A bunch of us got into one tent and used the end-stick of our cots to keep them back from us.
It was something....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.