Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. I.djvu/148

LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS studied fifteen hours a day. Once a week the lieutenant-governor, Francis Fauquier, had a musical party at the "palace/ to which the guests, in the good old style of that century, brought their instruments. Jefferson was always present at these parties with his violin, and participated in the con cert, the governor himself being also a performer. From Fauquier, a man of the world of the period, he learned much of the social, political, and par liamentary life of the Old World. George Wythe, afterward chancellor, was then a young lawyer of Williamsburg. He was one of the highly gifted men that frequented the governor s table, and con tributed especially to the forming of Jefferson s mind. On his graduation, Jefferson entered upon the study of law, under the guidance of George Wythe. As his father s estate was charged with the main tenance of a large family, a profession was neces sary to the student, and he entered upon his prepa ration for the bar with all his energy and resolu tion. On coming of age, in April, 1764, he assumed the management of the estate, and was appointed to two of his father s offices justice of the peace and vestryman. He gave much attention to the cultivation of his lands, and remained always an attentive, zealous, and improving farmer. He attached importance all his life to the fact that his legal training was based upon the works of Lord