The Mind of Jefferson

           

Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello was a place similar to Washington’s Mt. Vernon. Jefferson’s mind often drifted, gardens captivating his every spare moment of attention. His arrival in London in 1786 brought with it a massive headache due to the tensions with the British. Jefferson’s frustration reached such a high level he left Adams with the British and once again found peace in touring the wondrous landscapes of England. In a time of economic decay, Jefferson wished to “visit all the notable gardens of England and, having seen them, lay out similar ones here.” Traveling through Europe gave Jefferson the opportunity of a lifetime. He was able to essentially combine business with pleasure.

Jefferson was so multi-dimensional he considered himself to think with both his “Heart” and “Head”. His “Heart” spoke of creating physical beauty amidst Monticello while his “Head” urged him that the world is filled with “calculations.” Jefferson knew that he could not focus all of his attention on the aesthetic aspects of Monticello. He needed to find the balance between luxury and utility, beauty and agriculture. Jefferson saw the future in agriculture and used his influence to promote Western expansion. This brings about the question of just how much influence Jefferson had, and whether he sometimes used it for promotion of his own ideas. At first glance it seemed to me as though Lewis and Clarks’ love for botany and landscapes stemmed from Jefferson’s but I now believe it was quite the opposite. Jefferson in a way forced Lewis to do what he wanted. We see this when Jefferson places Lewis under the study of the professor of botany at the University of Pennsylvania to teach him the intricacies of taxonomy and botanical descriptions. He instructed Lewis to send samples of all plant life and specimens while at the same time firmly investing in the finding of new crops to feed the American people. Jefferson, this man of many faces and ideas, somewhat coerced people to fulfill his demands but had he not had this attitude, would the results of Lewis and Clarks expedition have been different. Would his presidency have been different?

Monticello was a constant source of relaxation and conversation for Jefferson. Throughout his presidency it seems as though gardening took precedent to other issues. This topic calmed Jefferson down, no matter what was happening economically his gardens and trees at Monticello were of prime importance, he always needed to know what was happening with his property. The amount of time and dedication alone that it took to build the magnificent Monticello speaks wonders for Jefferson’s love for the place. To this day, Thomas Jefferson is one of the most intricate and genuine people to study and I believe it will stay this way.