DEARSIR，——YourfavourofJuly31，wasdulyreceived，andwasreadwithpeculiarpleasure。Thesentimentsbreathedthroughthewholedohonortoboththeheadandheartofthewriter。Mineonthesubjectofslaveryofnegroeshavelongsincebeeninpossessionofthepublic，andtimehasonlyservedtogivethemstrongerroot。Theloveofjusticeandtheloveofcountrypleadequallythecauseofthesepeople，anditisamoralreproachtousthattheyshouldhavepleadeditsolonginvain，andshouldhaveproducednotasingleeffort，nayIfearnotmuchseriouswillingnesstorelievethem&
ourselvesfromourpresentconditionofmoral&politicalreprobation。FromthoseoftheformergenerationwhowereinthefulnessofagewhenIcameintopubliclife，whichwaswhileourcontroversywithEnglandwasonpaperonly，Isoonsawthatnothingwastobehoped。Nursedandeducatedinthedailyhabitofseeingthedegradedcondition，bothbodilyandmental，ofthoseunfortunatebeings，notreflectingthatthatdegradationwasverymuchtheworkofthemselves&theirfathers，fewmindshaveyetdoubtedbutthattheywereaslegitimatesubjectsofpropertyastheirhorsesandcattle。Thequietandmonotonouscourseofcoloniallifehasbeendisturbedbynoalarm，andlittlereflectiononthevalueofliberty。
Andwhenalarmwastakenatanenterprizeontheirown，itwasnoteasytocarrythemtothewholelengthoftheprincipleswhichtheyinvokedforthemselves。InthefirstorsecondsessionoftheLegislatureafterIbecameamember，IdrewtothissubjecttheattentionofCol。Bland，oneoftheoldest，ablest，&mostrespectedmembers，andheundertooktomoveforcertainmoderateextensionsoftheprotectionofthelawstothesepeople。Isecondedhismotion，and，asayoungermember，wasmoresparedinthedebate；buthewasdenouncedasanenemyofhiscountry，&wastreatedwiththegrossestindecorum。Fromanearlystageofourrevolutionother&moredistantdutieswereassignedtome，sothatfromthattimetillmyreturnfromEuropein1789，andImaysaytillIreturnedtoresideathomein1809，Ihadlittleopportunityofknowingtheprogressofpublicsentimenthereonthissubject。Ihadalwayshopedthattheyoungergenerationreceivingtheirearlyimpressionsaftertheflameoflibertyhadbeenkindledineverybreast，&hadbecomeasitwerethevitalspiritofeveryAmerican，thatthegeneroustemperamentofyouth，analogoustothemotionoftheirblood，andabovethesuggestionsofavarice，wouldhavesympathizedwithoppressionwhereverfound，andprovedtheirloveoflibertybeyondtheirownshareofit。Butmyintercoursewiththem，sincemyreturnhasnotbeensufficienttoascertainthattheyhadmadetowardsthispointtheprogressIhadhoped。Yoursolitarybutwelcomevoiceisthefirstwhichhasbroughtthissoundtomyear；andIhaveconsideredthegeneralsilencewhichprevailsonthissubjectasindicatinganapathyunfavorabletoeveryhope。Yetthehourofemancipationisadvancing，inthemarchoftime。Itwillcome；andwhetherbroughtonbythegenerousenergyofourownminds；orbythebloodyprocessofStDomingo，excitedandconductedbythepowerofourpresentenemy，ifoncestationedpermanentlywithinourCountry，andofferingasylum&armstotheoppressed，isaleafofourhistorynotyetturnedover。Astothemethodbywhichthisdifficultworkistobeeffected，ifpermittedtobedonebyourselves，Ihaveseennopropositionsoexpedientonthewhole，asthatasemancipationofthosebornafteragivenday，andoftheireducationandexpatriationafteragivenage。Thiswouldgivetimeforagradualextinctionofthatspeciesoflabour&substitutionofanother，andlessentheseverityoftheshockwhichanoperationsofundamentalcannotfailtoproduce。Formenprobablyofanycolor，butofthiscolorweknow，broughtfromtheirinfancywithoutnecessityforthoughtorforecast，arebytheirhabitsrenderedasincapableaschildrenoftakingcareofthemselves，andareextinguishedpromptlywhereverindustryisnecessaryforraisingyoung。Inthemeantimetheyarepestsinsocietybytheiridleness，andthedepredationstowhichthisleadsthem。Theiramalgamationwiththeothercolorproducesadegradationtowhichnoloverofhiscountry，noloverofexcellenceinthehumancharactercaninnocentlyconsent。Iamsensibleofthepartialitieswithwhichyouhavelookedtowardsmeasthepersonwhoshouldundertakethissalutarybutarduouswork。Butthis，mydearsir，islikebiddingoldPriamtobucklethearmourofHector”trementibusaequohumerisetinutileferruncingi。”No，Ihaveoverlivedthegenerationwithwhichmutuallabors&perilsbegatmutualconfidenceandinfluence。Thisenterpriseisfortheyoung；
forthosewhocanfollowitup，andbearitthroughtoitsconsummation。Itshallhaveallmyprayers，&thesearetheonlyweaponsofanoldman。Butinthemeantimeareyourightinabandoningthisproperty，andyourcountrywithit?Ithinknot。Myopinionhaseverbeenthat，untilmorecanbedoneforthem，weshouldendeavor，withthosewhomfortunehasthrownonourhands，tofeedandclothethemwell，protectthemfromallillusage，requiresuchreasonablelaboronlyasisperformedvoluntarilybyfreemen，&
beledbynorepugnanciestoabdicatethem，andourdutiestothem。
Thelawsdonotpermitustoturnthemloose，ifthatwerefortheirgood：andtocommutethemforotherpropertyistocommitthemtothosewhoseusageofthemwecannotcontrol。Ihopethen，mydearsir，youwillreconcileyourselftoyourcountryanditsunfortunatecondition；thatyouwillnotlessenitsstockofsounddispositionbywithdrawingyourportionfromthemass。That，onthecontraryyouwillcomeforwardinthepubliccouncils，becomethemissionaryofthisdoctrinetrulychristian；insinuate&inculcateitsoftlybutsteadily，throughthemediumofwritingandconversation；associateothersinyourlabors，andwhenthephalanxisformed，bringonandpressthepropositionperseveringlyuntilitsaccomplishment。Itisanencouragingobservationthatnogoodmeasurewaseverproposed，which，ifdulypursued，failedtoprevailintheend。WehaveproofofthisinthehistoryoftheendeavorsintheEnglishparliamenttosuppressthatverytradewhichbroughtthisevilonus。Andyouwillbesupportedbythereligiousprecept，”benotwearyinwell-doing。”
Thatyoursuccessmaybeasspeedy&complete，asitwillbeofhonorable&immortalconsolationtoyourself，IshallasferventlyandsincerelyprayasIassureyouofmygreatfriendshipandrespect。
ASYSTEMOFEDUCATION
_ToPeterCarr_
_Monticello，September7，1814_
DEARSIR，——Onthesubjectoftheacademyorcollegeproposedtobeestablishedinourneighborhood，IpromisedthetrusteesthatI
wouldprepareforthemaplan，adapted，inthefirstinstance，toourslenderfunds，butsusceptibleofbeingenlarged，eitherbytheirowngrowthorbyaccessionfromotherquarters。
Ihavelongentertainedthehopethatthis，ournativeState，wouldtakeupthesubjectofeducation，andmakeanestablishment，eitherwithorwithoutincorporationintothatofWilliamandMary，whereeverybranchofscience，deemedusefulatthisday，shouldbetaughtinitshighestdegree。Withthisview，Ihavelostnooccasionofmakingmyselfacquaintedwiththeorganizationofthebestseminariesinothercountries，andwiththeopinionsofthemostenlightenedindividuals，onthesubjectofthesciencesworthyofaplaceinsuchaninstitution。InordertopreparewhatIhavepromisedourtrustees，Ihavelatelyrevisedtheseseveralplanswithattention；andIamstruckwiththediversityofarrangementobservableinthem——notwoalike：Yet，Ihavenodoubtthattheseseveralarrangementshavebeenthesubjectofmaturereflection，bywiseandlearnedmen，who，contemplatinglocalcircumstances，haveadaptedthemtotheconditionsofthesectionofsocietyforwhichtheyhavebeenframed。Iamstrengthenedinthisconclusionbyanexaminationofeachseparately，andaconvictionthatnooneofthem，ifadoptedwithoutchange，wouldbesuitedtothecircumstancesandpursuitofourcountry。Theexampletheyset，then，isauthorityforustoselectfromtheirdifferentinstitutionsthematerialswhicharegoodforus，and，withthem，toerectastructure，whosearrangementshallcorrespondwithourownsocialcondition，andshalladmitofenlargementinproportiontotheencouragementitmaymeritandreceive。AsImaynotbeabletoattendthemeetingsofthetrustees，Iwillmakeyouthedepositoryofmyideasonthesubject，whichmaybecorrected，asyouproceed，bythebetterviewofothers，andadapted，fromtimetotime，totheprospectswhichopenuponus，andwhichcannotbespecificallyseenandprovidedfor。
Inthefirstplace，wemustascertainwithprecisiontheobjectofourinstitution，bytakingasurveyofthegeneralfieldofscience，andmarkingouttheportionwemeantooccupyatfirst，andtheultimateextensionofourviewsbeyondthat，shouldwebeenabledtorenderit，intheend，ascomprehensiveaswewouldwish。
1。Elementaryschools。
Itishighlyinterestingtoourcountry，anditisthedutyofitsfunctionaries，toprovidethateverycitizeninitshouldreceiveaneducationproportionedtotheconditionandpursuitsofhislife。
Themassofourcitizensmaybedividedintotwoclasses——thelaboringandthelearned。Thelaboringwillneedthefirstgradeofeducationtoqualifythemfortheirpursuitsandduties；thelearnedwillneeditasafoundationforfurtheracquirements。AplanwasformerlyproposedtothelegislatureofthisStateforlayingoffeverycountyintohundredsorwardsoffiveorsixmilessquare，withineachofwhichshouldbeaschoolfortheeducationofthechildrenoftheward，whereintheyshouldreceivethreeyears’
instructiongratis，inreading，writing，arithmeticasfarasfractions，therootsandratios，andgeography。TheLegislatureatonetimetriedanineffectualexpedientforintroducingthisplan，whichhavingfailed，itishopedtheywillsomedayresumeitinamorepromisingform。
2。Generalschools。
Atthedischargingofthepupilsfromtheelementaryschools，thetwoclassesseparate——thosedestinedforlaborwillengageinthebusinessofagriculture，orenterintoapprenticeshipstosuchhandicraftartasmaybetheirchoice；theircompanions，destinedtothepursuitsofscience，willproceedtothecollege，whichwillconsist，1stofgeneralschools；and，2d，ofprofessionalschools。
Thegeneralschoolswillconstitutethesecondgradeofeducation。
Thelearnedclassmaystillbesubdividedintotwosections：1，Thosewhoaredestinedforlearnedprofessions，asmeansoflivelihood；and，2，Thewealthy，who，possessingindependentfortunes，mayaspiretoshareinconductingtheaffairsofthenation，ortolivewithusefulnessandrespectintheprivateranksoflife。Bothofthesesectionswillrequireinstructioninallthehigherbranchesofscience；thewealthytoqualifythemforeitherpublicorprivatelife；theprofessionalsectionwillneedthosebranches，especially，whicharethebasisoftheirfutureprofession，andageneralknowledgeoftheothers，asauxiliarytothat，andnecessarytotheirstandingandassociationwiththescientificclass。Allthebranches，then，ofusefulscience，oughttobetaughtinthegeneralschools，toacompetentdegree，inthefirstinstance。
Thesesciencesmaybearrangedintothreedepartments，notrigorouslyscientific，indeed，butsufficientlysoforourpurposes。Theseare，I。Language；II。Mathematics；III。Philosophy。
I。Language。Inthefirstdepartment，Iwouldarrangeadistinctscience。1，LanguagesandHistory，ancientandmodern；2，Grammar；3，BellesLettres；4，RhetoricandOratory；5，Aschoolforthedeaf，dumbandblind。Historyishereassociatedwithlanguages，notasakindredsubject，butontheprincipleofeconomy，becausebothmaybeattainedbythesamecourseofreading，ifbooksareselectedwiththatview。
II。Mathematics。InthedepartmentofMathematics，Ishouldgiveplacedistinctly：1，Mathematicspure；2，Physico-Mathematics；
3，Physic；4，Chemistry；5，NaturalHistory，towit：Mineralogy；6，Botany；and7，Zoology；8，Anatomy；9，theTheoryofMedicine。
III。Philosophy。InthePhilosophicaldepartment，Ishoulddistinguish：1，Ideology；2，Ethics；3，theLawofNatureandNations；4，Government；5，PoliticalEconomy。
But，someofthesetermsbeingusedbydifferentwriters，indifferentdegreesofextension，IshalldefineexactlywhatImeantocomprehendineachofthem。
I。3。WithinthetermofBellesLettresIincludepoetryandcompositiongenerally，andcriticism。
II。1。Iconsiderpuremathematicsasthescienceof，1，Numbers，and2，Measureintheabstract；thatofnumberscomprehendingArithmetic，AlgebraandFluxions；thatofMeasureunderthegeneralappellationofGeometry，comprehendingTrigonometry，planeandspherical，conicsections，andtranscendentalcurves。
II。2。Physico-Mathematicstreatofphysicalsubjectsbytheaidofmathematicalcalculation。TheseareMechanics，Statics，Hydrostatics，Hydrodynamics，Navigation，Astronomy，Geography，Optics，Pneumatics，Acoustics。
II。3。Physics，orNaturalPhilosophynotenteringthelimitsofChemistrytreatofnaturalsubstances，theirproperties，mutualrelationsandaction。Theyparticularlyexaminethesubjectsofmotion，action，magnetism，electricity，galvanism，light，meteorology，withanetc。noteasilyenumerated。ThesedefinitionsandspecificationsrenderimmaterialthequestionwhetherIusethegenerictermsintheexactdegreeofcomprehensioninwhichothersusethem；tobeunderstoodisallthatisnecessarytothepresentobject。
3。ProfessionalSchools。
Atthecloseofthiscoursethestudentsseparate；thewealthyretiring，withasufficientstockofknowledge，toimprovethemselvestoanydegreetowhichtheirviewsmayleadthem，andtheprofessionalsectiontotheprofessionalschools，constitutingthethirdgradeofeducation，andteachingtheparticularscienceswhichtheindividualsofthissectionmeantopursue，withmoreminutenessanddetailthanwaswithinthescopeofthegeneralschoolsforthesecondgradeofinstruction。Intheseprofessionalschoolseachscienceistobetaughtinthehighestdegreeithasyetattained。
Theyaretobethe1stDepartment，thefinearts，towit：CivilArchitecture，Gardening，Painting，Sculpture，andtheTheoryofMusic；the2ndDepartment，Architecture，MilitaryandNaval；Projectiles，RuralEconomycomprehendingAgriculture，HorticultureandVeterinary，TechnicalPhilosophy，thePracticeofMedicine，MateriaMedica，PharmacyandSurgery。Inthe3rdDepartment，TheologyandEcclesiasticalHistory；Law，MunicipalandForeign。
Totheseprofessionalschoolswillcomethosewhoseparatedatthecloseoftheirfirstelementarycourse，towit：
Thelawyertothelawschool。
Theecclesiastictothatoftheologyandecclesiasticalhistory。
Thephysicantothoseofmedicine，materiamedica，pharmacyandsurgery。
Themilitarymantothatofmilitaryandnavalarchitectureandprojectiles。
Theagricultortothatofruraleconomy。
Thegentleman，thearchitect，thepleasuregardener，painterandmusiciantotheschooloffinearts。
Andtothatoftechnicalphilosophywillcomethemariner，carpenter，shipwright，pumpmaker，clockmaker，machinist，optician，metallurgist，founder，cutler，druggist，brewer，vintner，distiller，dyer，painter，bleacher，soapmaker，tanner，powdermaker，saltmaker，glassmaker，tolearnasmuchasshallbenecessarytopursuetheirartunderstandingly，ofthesciencesofgeometry，mechanics，statics，hydrostatics，hydraulics，hydrodynamics，navigation，astronomy，geography，optics，pneumatics，physics，chemistry，naturalhistory，botany，mineralogyandpharmacy。
Theschooloftechnicalphilosophywilldifferessentiallyinitsfunctionsfromtheotherprofessionalschools。Theothersareinstitutedtoramifyanddilatetheparticularsciencestaughtintheschoolsofthesecondgradeonageneralscaleonly。Thetechnicalschoolistoabridgethosewhichweretaughttheretoomuch_inextenso_forthelimitedwantsoftheartificerorpracticalman。