Light and Liberty: Reflections on the Pursuit of HappinessRandom House Publishing Group, 1. 6. 2004 - Počet stran: 176 Were Thomas Jefferson alive to read this book, he would recognize every sentence, every elegant turn of phrase, every lofty, beautifully expressed idea. Indeed, every word in the book is his. In an astonishing feat of editing, Eric S. Petersen has culled the entirety of Thomas Jefferson’s published works to fashion thirty-four original essays on themes ranging from patriotism and liberty to hope, humility, and gratitude. The result is a lucid, inspiring distillation of the wisdom of one of America’s greatest political thinkers. From his personal motto—“Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God”—to his resounding discourse on “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” in the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson defined the essential truth of the American spirit. In the essays that Petersen has crafted from letters, speeches, and public documents, Jefferson’s unique moral philosophy and vision shine through. Among the hundreds of magnificent sentences gathered in this volume, here are Jefferson’s pronouncements on Gratitude: “I have but one system of ethics for men and for nations— to be grateful, to be faithful to all engagements and under all circumstances, to be open and generous.” Religion: “A concern purely between our God and our consciences.” America’s national character: “It is part of the American character to consider nothing as desperate; to surmount every difficulty with resolution and contrivance.” Public debt: “We shall all consider ourselves unauthorized to saddle posterity with our debts, and morally bound to pay them ourselves.” War: “I abhor war and view it as the greatest scourge of mankind.” In stately measured cadences, these thirty-four essays provide timeless guidance on leading a spiritually fulfilling life. Light and Liberty is a triumphant work of supreme eloquence, as uplifting today as when Jefferson first set these immortal sentences on paper. |
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Výsledky 1-5 z 28
Strana x
... friends , colleagues , and even strangers , whose constant flood of correspondence he could not refuse to answer ... friend and fellow Jefferson admirer , I was fortunate to come into pos- session of a substantially complete collection ...
... friends , colleagues , and even strangers , whose constant flood of correspondence he could not refuse to answer ... friend and fellow Jefferson admirer , I was fortunate to come into pos- session of a substantially complete collection ...
Strana xiii
... friends in life but for you and me , his friends in posterity . His words and wisdom are an unparalleled leg- acy . Thomas Jefferson illumined the pathway of world progress to a brighter future . His vision of light and liberty will ...
... friends in life but for you and me , his friends in posterity . His words and wisdom are an unparalleled leg- acy . Thomas Jefferson illumined the pathway of world progress to a brighter future . His vision of light and liberty will ...
Strana 8
... friends at their ease we show them that we are so ourselves , by pursuing the necessary vocations of the day and enjoying their company at the usual hours of society . Is it impossible to hope that this unexplored country may tempt your ...
... friends at their ease we show them that we are so ourselves , by pursuing the necessary vocations of the day and enjoying their company at the usual hours of society . Is it impossible to hope that this unexplored country may tempt your ...
Strana 9
... friends as sincerely attached as yours affectionately . I sincerely supplicate Heaven that your own per- sonal welfare may long make a part of the general prosperity of a great , a free , and a happy people . The religion you so ...
... friends as sincerely attached as yours affectionately . I sincerely supplicate Heaven that your own per- sonal welfare may long make a part of the general prosperity of a great , a free , and a happy people . The religion you so ...
Strana 16
... friends . Husband well your time , cherish your instructors , strive to make every- body your friend . All the world will love you if you continue good hu- mored , prudent , and attentive to everybody , as I am sure you will do from ...
... friends . Husband well your time , cherish your instructors , strive to make every- body your friend . All the world will love you if you continue good hu- mored , prudent , and attentive to everybody , as I am sure you will do from ...
Obsah
3 | |
10 | |
16 | |
SINCERITY | 22 |
SEEING THE GOOD | 28 |
JESUS | 34 |
HUMILITY | 40 |
BEING TRUE TO YOURSELF | 46 |
DOING WHAT IS RIGHT | 52 |
DREAMING THE IMPOSSIBLE | 76 |
SELFGIVING | 90 |
SELFDISCIPLINE | 103 |
CHRONOLOGY | 121 |
6 | 126 |
16 | 133 |
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America approbation August August 27 believe Benjamin Rush blessing body character cherish Congress constitution duty earth Elected endeavor error evils exercise faith favor fear February 21 feel fellow citizens Franklin freedom friends friendship George George Wythe give habit heart heaven honest honor hope human interest James Madison James Monroe January 11 Jefferson Randolph Jesus John Adams June justice labor laws light and liberty lived mankind March March 21 Martha Jefferson Martha Jefferson Randolph mind Monticello moral nation nature never November 24 object October 19 opinion ourselves peace Peter Carr preserve principles reason religion republican retirement Revolution sacrifice self-government sincerely society temper things Thomas Jefferson Randolph tion TJ to Dr TJ to James TJ to John TJ to Martha TJ to Peter TJ to Thomas TJ to William tranquility truth Virginia virtue William Short wise wish
Oblíbené pasáže
Strana 74 - All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that, though the will of the majority is, in all cases, to prevail, that will, to be rightful, must be reasonable ; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal laws must protect, and to violate which would be oppression.
Strana 49 - ... militia, our best reliance in peace and for the first moments of war, till regulars may relieve them; the supremacy of the civil over the military authority; economy in the public expense, that labor may be lightly burdened; the honest payment of our debts, and sacred preservation of the public faith...
Strana 33 - Nature intended me for the tranquil pursuits of science, by rendering them my supreme delight. But the enormities of the times in which I have lived, have forced me to take part in resisting them, and to commit myself on the boisterous ocean of political passions.
Strana 119 - Almighty God hath created the mind free, and manifested his supreme will that free it shall remain by making it altogether insusceptible of restraint; that all attempts to influence it by temporal punishments, or burthens, or by civil incapacitations, tend only to beget habits of hypocrisy and meanness, and are a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion...
Strana 120 - ... truth is great and will prevail if left to herself; that she is the proper and sufficient antagonist to error, and has nothing to fear from the conflict, unless by human interposition disarmed of her natural weapons, free argument and debate, errors ceasing to be dangerous when it is permitted freely to contradict them...
Strana 30 - Behold, here I am ; witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed ; whose ox have I taken ? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded ? whom have I oppressed ? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith ? and I will restore it you. And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man's hand.
Strana 25 - CALLED upon to undertake the duties of the first executive office of our country, I avail myself of the presence of that portion of my fellow-citizens which is here assembled, to express my grateful thanks for the favor with which they have been pleased to look...
Strana xi - Its peculiar character, too, is that no one possesses the less, because every other possesses the whole of it. He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.
Strana 47 - The rights of conscience we never submitted, we could not submit. We are answerable for them to our God. The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty Gods, or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.