standing and intellectual culture of Thomas Jefferson, when a young man of twenty, it may be mentioned that he was on intimate terms, not only with his preceptor, Chancel lor Wythe, but with the accomplished Fran cis Fauquier, Governor of Virginia, who was declared by Jefferson the ablest man who had ever filled that office. He frequently dined with these distinguished gentlemen at the Governor's palace in Williamsburg, and bore his part in the wit-combats that lookplace there. Jefferson recorded in his diary that "Mr. Wythe continued to be my faithful and beloved mentor in youth, and my affec tionate friend through life." The young law student was present in the House of Bur gesses when Patrick Henry made his cele brated oration advocating the popular cause in Virginia, with matchless eloquence and amazing effect. Jefferson's patriotic young soul was fired by the bold utterances of Pat rick Henry, and, in a few years, they were working side by side in the cause of Ameri can independence. Jefferson became of age on April 2, 1764, and, even at that early age, was recognized as one of the leading gentlemen of his county (Albemarle.) The offices formerly held by his father, justice of the peace and vestryman of his parish, descended upon his youthful shoulders; to which must be added the em ployment of farming, an occupation to which he was through life practically devoted, and became the most scientific farmer of his time, in Virginia. Even in those early years, he was a ready writer, and systematic diarist, keeping a farm-book, a garden-book, a weather-book, a receipt-book, and a pocketexpense book. Everything he did, or thought, or read was recorded: Item, " put id in the church box; paid Bell for books, 3SS."
His most intimate friend at that time was Dabney Carr. who had been a fellow-student at college. They were inseparable compan ions. Both were students of law; both, de
voted to reading; both clever; both enthusi astically patriotic. Two miles from Jeffer son's early home was a high mountain, up on which he afterwards raised the stately mansion called Monticello. At the top of this mountain, in the deep recesses of the then virgin forest, under an ancient oak of gigan tic size, the two friends constructed a rustic seat to which they retired every morning, and passed the day in studying law, and in intelligent conversation. They entered into a solemn agreement that, whoever died first should be buried by the other beneath that old oak. Young Carr was the first to die, and Jefferson faithfully carried out the con tract, and, long afterwards, when Jefferson had taken up his residence at Monticello, the spot was made the burial-place of the family. Both friends have long since reposed beneath the ground on which they studied together in their early youth. Fresh from the writings of love letters and the perusal of Cicero's pol ished page, Jefferson opened that "old dull scoundrel, Coke, a work printed in black let ter, and offering as little promise of enter tainment or instruction as the outside of 'a gold mine does of the wealth within." The author himself, in his preface, does not prom ise a very inviting prospect to the student : "I shall desire that the learned reader will not conceive any opinion against any part of this painful and large volume until he shall ad visedly read over the whole, and diligently searched out and well considered of the sev eral authorities, proofs and reasons which we have cited for warrant and confirmation of our opinions throughout this whole work." Tf Jefferson did not find entertainment in Coke, he found information, he found learn ing, he found a vast store of knowledge, which was of immense service in his public life. He bore ample testimony to the import ant service of Coke upon the fundamental principle of human liberty: "Coke Lyttleton," he wrote afterwards, "was the universal elementary book of law-students, and a
