From Thomas Jefferson to John Garland Jefferson, 11 June 1790
It is a general practice to study the law in the office of some lawyer. This indeed gives to the student the advantage of his instruction. But I have ever seen that the services expected in return have been more than the instructions have been worth. All that is necessary for a student is access to a library, and directions in what order the books are to be read. This I will take the liberty of suggesting to you, observing previously that as other branches of science, and especially history, are necessary to form a lawyer, these must be carried on together. I will arrange the books to be read into three columns, and propose that you should read those in the first column till 12. oclock every day; those in the 2d. from 12. to 2. those in the 3d. after candlelight, leaving all the afternoon for exercise and recreation, which are as necessary as reading; I will rather say more necessary, because health is worth more than learning.
Neither the entry in SJL nor the letter itself indicates that “Mr. Garland” was John Garland, though this was probably the case. George Jefferson, father of John Garland Jefferson, named his brothers-in-law, John and Samuel Garland, as executors of his estate and it was probably the former for whom John Garland Jefferson was named.
Source: “From Thomas Jefferson to John Garland Jefferson, 11 June 1790,” Founders Online, National Archives (http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-16-02-0278, ver. 2014-05-09). Source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 16,30 November 1789–4 July 1790, ed. Julian P. Boyd. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1961, pp. 480–482.
http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-16-02-0278
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