ies, and there are enough of these for all the purposes
of life, without plunging into the fathomless abyss of dreams and
phantasms. I am satisfied, and sufficiently occupied with the things
which are, without tormenting or troubling myself about those which may
indeed be, but of which I have no evidence. I am sure that I really know
many, many things, and none more surely than that I love you with all
my heart, and pray for the continuance of your life until you shall be
tired of it yourself.

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CLV.--TO JOSEPH C. CABELL, November 28, 1820

TO JOSEPH C. CABELL.

Poplar Forest, November 28, 1820.

Dear Sir,

I sent in due time the Report of the Visitors to the Governor, with a
request that he would endeavor to convene the Literary Board in time to
lay it before the legislature on the second day of their session. It
was enclosed in a letter which will explain itself to you. If delivered
before the crowd of other business presses on them, they may act on
it immediately, and before there will have been time for unfriendly
combinations and manoeuvres by the enemies of the institution. I enclose
you now a paper presenting some views which may be useful to you in
conversations, to rebut exaggerated estimates of what our institution
is to cost, and reproaches of deceptive estimates. One hundred and
sixty-two thousand three hundred and sixty-four dollars will be about
the cost of the whole establishment, when completed. Not an office
at Washington has cost less. The single building of the courthouse of
Henrico has cost nearly that: and the massive walls of the millions of
bricks of William and Mary could not now be built for a less sum.

Surely Governor Clinton's display of the gigantic efforts of New York
towards the education of her citizens, will stimulate the pride as well
as the patriotism of our legislature, to look to the reputation and
safety of their own country, to rescue it from the degradation of
becoming the Barbary of the Union, and of falling into the ranks of our
own negroes. To that condition it is fast sinking. We shall be in the
hands of the other States, what our indigenous predecessors were when
invaded by the science and arts of Europe. The mass of education in
Virginia, before the Revolution, placed her with the foremost of her
sister colonies. What is her education now? Where is it? The little
we have, we import, like beggars, from other States; or import their
begga