Later in life, after his presidency, Thomas Jefferson was asked to counsel a young man who’d been named after him on how to live a virtuous life.
Not having me there to assist in drafting the response, he did the best he could, poor fellow.
Here is part of his reply:
- Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.
- Never trouble another for what you can do yourself.
- Never spend your money before you have it.
- Never buy what you do not want, because it is cheap; it will be dear to you.
- Pride costs us more than hunger, thirst, and cold.
- We never repent of having eaten too little.
- Nothing is troublesome that we do willingly.
- How much pain have cost us the evils which have never happened.
- Take things always be their smooth handle.
- When angry, count to ten, before you speak; if very angry, a hundred.
- BGT