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the health, and not useful to the mind. Having ascribed proper hours to exercise, divide what remain, (I mean of your vacant hours) into three portions. Give the principal to History, the other two, which should be shorter, to Philosophy and Poetry. Write to me once every month or two, and let me know the progress you make. Tell me in what manner you employ every hour in the day. The plan I have proposed for you is adapted to your pre sent situation only. When that is changed, I shall propose a cor responding change of plan. I have ordered the following books to be sent to you from London, to the care of Mr. Madison. He rodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon s Hellenics, Anabasis and Me morabilia, Cicero s works, Baretti s Spanish and English Diction ary, Martin s Philosophical Grammar, and Martin s Philosophia Britannica. I will send you the following from hence. Bezout s Mathematics, De la Lande s Astronomy, Muschenbrock s Physics, Quintus Curtius, Justin, a Spanish Grammar, and some Spanish books. You will observe that Martin, Bezout, De la Lande, and Muschenbrock are not in the preceding plan. They are not to be opened till you go to the University. You are now, I expect, learning French. You must push this; because the books which will be put into your hands when you advance into Mathematics, Natural philosophy, Natural history, &;c. will be mostly French, these sciences being better treated by the French than the English writers. Our future connection with Spain renders that the most necessary of the modern languages, after the French. When you become a public man, you may have occasion for it, and the cir cumstance of your possessing that language, may give you a pre ference over other candidates. I have nothing further to add for the present, but husband well your time, cherish your instructors, strive to make every body your friend ; and be assured that no thing will be so pleasing, as your success, to, Dear Peter,
Your s affectionately,
TH: JEFFERSON.
LETTER XCV1. TO JOHN PAGE.
Paris, August 20, 1785. DEAR PAGE,
I received your friendly letter of April the 28th, by Mr. Mazzei, on the 22nd of July. That of the month before, by Monsieur Le Croix, has not come to hand. This correspondence is grateful to
