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legislation； and shall wipe it from their code； and from the
remembrance of man； if possible。
I salute you with assurances of high respect and esteem。
PROFESSORS FROM ABROAD
_To Dugald Stewart_
_Monticello in Virginia； Apr。 26； 1824_
DEAR SIR； It is now 35 years since I had the great pleasure
of becoming acquainted with you in Paris； and since we saw together
Louis XVI。 led in triumph by his people thro' the streets of his
capital； these years too have been like ages in the events they have
engendered without seeming at all to have bettered the condn of
suffering man。 Yet his mind has been opening and advancing； a
sentiment of his wrongs has been spreading； and it will end in the
ultimate establishment of his rights。 To effect this nothing is
wanting but a general concurrence of will； and some fortunate
accident will produce that。 At a subsequent period you were so kind
as to recall me to your recollection on the publicn of your
invaluable book on the Philosophy of the Human Mind； a copy of which
you sent me； and I have been happy to see it become the text book of
most of our colleges & academies； and pass thro' several
reimpressions in the U。S。 An occurrence of a character dear to us
both leads again to a renewal of our recollections and associates us
in an occasion of still rendering some service to those we are about
to leave。 The State of Virga； of which I am a native and resident；
is establishing an university on a scale as extensive and liberal as
circumstances permit or call for。 We have been 4 or 5 years in
preparing our buildings； which are now ready to recieve their
tenants。 We proceed； therefore； to the engaging professors； and
anxious to recieve none but of the highest grade of science in their
respective lines； we find we must have recourse to Europe； where
alone that grade is to be found； and to Gr。 Br。 of preference； as the
land of our own language； morals； manners； and habits。 To make the
selection we send a special agent； M'r Francis W。 Gilmer； who will
have the honor of delivering you this letter。 He is well educated
himself in most of the branches of science； of correct morals and
habits； an enlarged mind； and a discretion meriting entire
confidence。 From the universities of Oxford and Cambridge； where we
expect he will find persons duly qualified in the particular branches
in which these seminaries are respectively eminent； he will pass on
to Edinburg； distinguished for it's school of Medicine as well as of
other sciences； but when arrived there he will be a perfect stranger；
and would have to grope his way in darkness and uncertainty； you can
lighten his path； and to beseech you to do so is the object of this
letter。 Your knolege of persons and characters there can guard him
against being misled and lead him to the consummation of our wishes。
We do not expect to engage the high characters there who are at the
head of their schools； established in offices； honors； & emoluments
which can be bettered no where。 But we know there is always a junior
set of aspirants； treading on their heels； ready to take their
places； and as well & sometimes better qualified than they are。
These persons； unsettled as yet； surrounded by competitors of equal
claims； and perhaps greater credit and interest； may be willing to
accept immediately a comfortable certainty here in place of uncertain
hopes there； and a lingering delay of even these。 From this
description of persons we may hope to procure characters of the first
order of science。 But how to distinguish them？ For we are told that
were the mission of our agent once known； he would be overwhelmed
with applicants； unworthy as well as worthy； yet all supported on
recommendns and certificates equally exaggerated； and by names so
respectable as to confound all discrimination。 Yet this
discrimination is all important to us。 An unlucky selection at first
would blast all our prospects。 Let me beseech you； then； good Sir；
to lead Mr。 Gilmer by the hand in his researches； to instruct him as
to the competent characters； & guard him against those not so。
Besides the first degree of eminence in science； a professor with us
must be of sober and correct morals & habits； having the talent of
communicating his knolege with facility； and of an accomodating and
peaceable temper。 The latter is all important for the harmony of the
institution。 For minuter particulars I will refer you to Mr。 Gilmer；
who possesses a full knolege of everything & our full confidence in
everything。 He takes with him plans of our establm't； which will
shew the comfortable accommodns provided for the professors； whether
with or without families； and by the expensiveness and extent of the
scale they will see it is not an ephemeral thing to which they are
invited。
A knolege of your character & disposns to do good dispenses
with all apology for the trouble I give you。 While the character and
success of this institN； involving the future hopes and happiness of
my country； will justify the anxieties I feel in the choice of it's
professors； I am sure the object will excite in your breast such
sympathies of kind disposN； as will give us the benefits we ask of
your counsels & attentions。 And； with my acknolegements for these；
accept assurances of constant and sincere attamt； esteem & respect。
SAXONS； CONSTITUTIONS； AND A CASE OF PIOUS FRAUD
_To Major John Cartwright_
_Monticello； June 5； 1824_
DEAR AND VENERABLE SIR； I am much indebted for your kind
letter of February the 29th； and for your valuable volume on the
English constitution。 I have read this with pleasure and much
approbation； and think it has deduced the constitution of the English
nation from its rightful root； the Anglo…Saxon。 It is really
wonderful； that so many able and learned men should have failed in
their attempts to define it with correctness。 No wonder then； that
Paine； who thought more than he read； should have credited the great
authorities who have declared； that the will of parliament is the
constitution of England。 So Marbois； before the French revolution；
observed to me； that the Almanac Royal was the constitution of
France。 Your derivation of it from the Anglo…Saxons； seems to be
made on legitimate principles。 Having driven out the former
inhabitants of that part of the island called England； they became
aborigines as to you； and your lineal ancestors。 They doubtless had
a constitution； and although they have not left it in a written
formula； to the precise text of which you may always appeal； yet they
have left fragments of their history and laws； from which it may be
inferred with considerable certainty。 Whatever their history and
laws shew to have been practised with approbation； we may presume was
permitted by their constitution； whatever was not so practised； was