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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

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Thomas Jefferson
Age: 83 †
Born: 1743
Born: April 2
Died: 1826
Died: July 4
3Rd U.S. President
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President Jefferson
T. Jefferson
Duty
Antagonist
Virtue
Propensity
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Violation
Others
Duties
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Gratification
Love
Sole
Leading
Constantly
Propensities

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Nothing was or is farther from my intentions, than to enlist myself as the champion of a fixed opinion, where I have only expressed doubt.
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Shake hands with Pain, give greeting unto Grief, Those angels in disguise, and thy glad soul From height to height, from star to shining star, Shall climb and claim blest immortality.
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It is better to tolerate the rare instance of a parent refusing to let his child be educated, than to shock the common feelings and ideas by forcible asportation and education of the infant against the will of the father.
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With all the defects in our Constitution, whether general or particular, the comparison of our government with those of Europe, is like a comparison of Heaven with Hell. England, like the earth, may be allowed to take the intermediate station.
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It has been thought that the people are not competent electors of judges learned in the law. But I do not know this to be true, and, if doubtful, we should follow principle.
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Excessive taxation . . . will carry reason & reflection to every man's door, and particularly in the hour of election.
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Every honest man will suppose honest acts to flow from honest principles, and the rogues may rail without intermission.
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I join you therefore in branding as cowardly the idea that the human mind is incapable of further advances.
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Where thought is free in its range, we need never fear to hazard what is good in itself.
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Well, Page, I do wish the Devil had old Cooke, for I am sure I never was so tired of an old dull scoundrel in my life ... But the old-fellows say we must read to gain knowledge and gain knowledge to make us happy and be admired. Mere jargon! Is there any such thing as happiness in this world? No.
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The cornerstone of democracy rests on the foundation of an educated electorate.
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By... [selecting] the youths of genius from among the classes of the poor, we hope to avail the State of those talents which nature has sown as liberally among the poor as the rich, but which perish without use if not sought for and cultivated.
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A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of Life.
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I apprehend... that the total abandonment of the principle of rotation in the offices of President and Senator will end in abuse.
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I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another.
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If we are made in some degree for others, yet in a greater are we made for ourselves.
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The uniform tenor of a man's life furnishes better evidence of what he has said or done on any particular occasion than the word of any enemy.
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I agree with you that it is the duty of every good citizen to use all the opportunities, which occur to him, for preserving documents relating to the history of our country.
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Man ... feels that he is a participator in the government of affairs not merely at an election, one day in the year, but every day.
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To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude.
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