Thomas Jefferson Quotes About Youth

• Every generation needs a new revolution.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Change, Famous Inspirational, Needs

• When I contemplate the immense advances in science and discoveries in the arts which have been made within the period of my life, I look forward with confidence to equal advances by the present generation, and have no doubt they will consequently be as much wiser than we have been as we than our fathers were, and they than the burners of witches.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Art, Father, Discovery

  Thomas Jefferson (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”, p.101

• Men possessing minds of the first order and who have had opportunities of being known and of acquiring the general confidence do not abound in any country beyond the wants of the country.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Country, Men, Opportunity

  Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. IX (in 12 Volumes)”, p.180, Cosimo, Inc.

• That the enthusiasm which characterizes youth should lift its parricide hands against freedom and science would be such a monstrous phenomenon as I cannot place among possible things in this age and country.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Country, Freedom, Science

  Letter to William Green Mumford, June 18, 1799.

• I know nothing more important to inculcate into the minds of young people than the wisdom, the honor, and the blessed comfort of living within their income.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Blessed, People, Honor

  Thomas Jefferson, Jerry Holmes (2002). “Thomas Jefferson: A Chronology of His Thoughts”, p.211, Rowman & Littlefield

• Men of high learning and abilities are few in every country; and by taking in those who are not so, the able part of the body have their hands tied by the unable.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Country, Men, Hands

  Thomas Jefferson, John Dewey (2008). “The Essential Jefferson”, p.47, Courier Corporation

• Old heads as well as young may sometimes be charged with ignorance and presumption. The natural course of the human mind is certainly from credulity to skepticism.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Ignorance, Mind, May

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies: From the Papers of Thomas Jefferson”, p.94

• It is to them I look, to the rising generation, and not to the one now in power, for these great reformations i.e., emancipation of slaves and settlement of the Virginia constitution on a firmer and more permanent basis.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Virginia, Looks, Rising

• I rejoice when I hear of young men of virtue and talents, worthy to receive and likely to preserve the splendid inheritance of self- government, which we have acquired and shaped for them.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Men, Self, Inheritance

  Thomas Jefferson, Joyce Appleby, Terence Ball (1999). “Jefferson: Political Writings”, p.271, Cambridge University Press

• Having labored faithfully in establishing the right of self-government, we see in the rising generation, into whose hands it is passing, that purity of principle and energy of character which will protect and preserve it through their day, and deliver it over to their sons as they receive it from their fathers.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Father, Character, Son

  Thomas Jefferson, Richard Holland Johnston, Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association of the United States “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”

• I leave the world and its affairs to the young and energetic, and resign myself to their care, of whom I have endeavored to take care when young.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Care, Inexperience, World

  Thomas Jefferson (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”, p.180

• They are exactly the persons who are to succeed to the government of our country and to rule its future enmities, its friendships and fortunes.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Country, Government, Succeed

  Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence, cont”, p.415

• To instruct the mass of our citizens in these, their rights, interests and duties, as men and citizens...this brings us to the point at which are to commence the higher branches of education . . . . To develop the reasoning faculties of our youth, enlarge their minds, cultivate their morals, and instill into them the precepts of virtue and order.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Education, Men, Rights

  "Early history of the University of Virginia : as contained in the letters of Thomas Jefferson and Joseph C. Cabell, hitherto unpublished". Book by Thomas Jefferson, 1856.

• No instance exists of a person's writing two language perfectly. That will always appear to be his native language which was most familiar to him in his youth.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Writing, Native Language, Two

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs Corespondence and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson Late, President of the United States: Now First Published the Original Manuscripts”, p.347

• [Emigrants] will bring with them the principles of the governments they leave, imbibed in their early youth; or, if able to throw off, it will be in exchange for an unbounded licentiousness, passing, as is usual, from one extreme to another. It would be a miracle were they to stop precisely at the point of temperate liberty.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Government, Miracle, Liberty

  Thomas Jefferson (1977). “The Portable Thomas Jefferson”, p.115, Penguin

• We are now trusting to those who are against us in position and principle, to fashion to their own form the minds and affections of our youth... This canker is eating on the vitals of our existence, and if not arrested at once, will be beyond remedy.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Fashion, Mind, Principles

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, correspondence, and miscellanies from the papers of T. Jefferson”

• 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.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Class, Genius, Use

  Thomas Jefferson (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private : Published by the Order of the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library, from the Original Manuscripts, Deposited in the Department of State”, p.390

• The reward of esteem, respect and gratitude [is] due to those who devote their time and efforts to render the youths of every successive age fit governors for the next.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Gratitude, Effort, Age

  Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence, contin”, p.522

• I would observe to you that what is called style in writing or speaking is formed very early in life while the imagination is warm, and impressions are permanent.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Writing, Imagination, Style

  Thomas Jefferson (1977). “The Portable Thomas Jefferson”, p.309, Penguin

• It is while we are young that the habit of industry is formed. If not then, it never is afterwards. The fortune of our lives therefore depends on employing well the short period of our youth.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Work, Youth, Habit

  Thomas Jefferson, Jerry Holmes (2002). “Thomas Jefferson: A Chronology of His Thoughts”, p.85, Rowman & Littlefield

• Of all the errors which can possibly be committed to the education of youth, that of sending them to Europe is the most fatal. I see [clearly] that no American should come to Europe under 30 years of age.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Education, Errors, Years

  Thomas Jefferson (1953). “The Papers of Thomas Jefferson: 25 February to 31 October 1785”

• The fortune of our lives depends on employing well the short period of our youth.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Youth, Fortune, Periods

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