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feeling of a single individual。 Perhaps I may misquote him； it being
fifty years since I read his book。
The leisure and solitude of my situation here has led me to the
indiscretion of taxing you with a long letter on a subject whereon
nothing new can be offered you。 I will indulge myself no farther
than to repeat the assurances of my continued esteem and respect。
BONAPARTE AND PLATO
_To John Adams_
_Monticello； July 5； 1814_
DEAR SIR Since mine of Jan。 24。 yours of Mar。 14。 was
recieved。 It was not acknoleged in the short one of May 18。 by Mr。
Rives； the only object of that having been to enable one of our most
promising young men to have the advantage of making his bow to you。
I learned with great regret the serious illness mentioned in your
letter： and I hope Mr。 Rives will be able to tell me you are entirely
restored。 But our machines have now been running for 70。 or 80。
years； and we must expect that； worn as they are； here a pivot； there
a wheel； now a pinion； next a spring； will be giving way： and however
we may tinker them up for awhile； all will at length surcease motion。
Our watches； with works of brass and steel； wear out within that
period。 Shall you and I last to see the course the seven…fold
wonders of the times will take？ The Attila of the age dethroned； the
ruthless destroyer of 10。 millions of the human race； whose thirst
for blood appeared unquenchable； the great oppressor of the rights
and liberties of the world； shut up within the circuit of a little
island of the Mediterranean； and dwindled to the condition of an
humble and degraded pensioner on the bounty of those he had most
injured。 How miserably； how meanly； has he closed his inflated
career！ What a sample of the Bathos will his history present！ He
should have perished on the swords of his enemies； under the walls of
Paris。
‘Leon piagato a morte Cosi fra l'ire estrema
Sente mancar la vita； rugge； minaccia； e freme；
Guarda la sua ferita； Che fa tremar morendo
Ne s'avilisce ancor。 Tal volta il cacciator。'
Metast Adriano。
But Bonaparte was a lion in the field only。 In civil life a
cold…blooded； calculating unprincipled Usurper； without a virtue； no
statesman； knowing nothing of commerce； political economy； or civil
government； and supplying ignorance by bold presumption。 I had
supposed him a great man until his entrance into the Assembly des
cinq cens； 18。 Brumaire （an。 8。） From that date however I set him
down as a great scoundrel only。 To the wonders of his rise and fall；
we may add that of a Czar of Muscovy dictating； _in Paris_； laws and
limits to all the successors of the Caesars； and holding even the
balance in which the fortunes of this new world are suspended。 I own
that； while I rejoice； for the good of mankind； to the deliverance of
Europe from the havoc which would have never ceased while Bonaparte
should have lived in power； I see with anxiety the tyrant of the
ocean remaining in vigor； and even participating in the merit of
crushing his brother tyrant。 While the world is thus turned up side
down； on which side of it are we？ All the strong reasons indeed
place us on the side of peace； the interests of the continent； their
friendly dispositions； and even the interests of England。 Her
passions alone are opposed to it。 Peace would seem now to be an easy
work； the causes of the war being removed。 Her orders of council
will no doubt be taken care of by the allied powers； and； war
ceasing； her impressment of our seamen ceases of course。 But I fear
there is foundation for the design intimated in the public papers； of
demanding a cession of our right in the fisheries。 What will
Massachusets say to this？ I mean her majority； which must be
considered as speaking； thro' the organs it has appointed itself； as
the Index of it's will。 She chose to sacrifice the liberty of our
seafaring citizens； in which we were all interested； and with them
her obligations to the Co…states； rather than war with England。 Will
she now sacrifice the fisheries to the same partialities？ This
question is interesting to her alone： for to the middle； the Southern
and Western States they are of no direct concern； of no more than the
culture of tobacco； rice and cotton to Massachusets。 I am really at
a loss to conjecture what our refractory sister will say on this
occasion。 I know what； as a citizen of the Union； I would say to
her。 ‘Take this question ad referendum。 It concerns you alone。 If
you would rather give up the fisheries than war with England； we give
them up。 If you had rather fight for them； we will defend your
interests to the last drop of our blood； chusing rather to set a good
example than follow a bad one。' And I hope she will determine to
fight for them。 With this however you and I shall have nothing to
do； ours being truly the case wherein ‘non tali auxilio； nec
defensoribus istis Tempus eget。' Quitting this subject therefore I
will turn over another leaf。
I am just returned from one of my long absences； having been at
my other home for five weeks past。 Having more leisure there than
here for reading； I amused myself with reading seriously Plato's
republic。 I am wrong however in calling it amusement； for it was the
heaviest task…work I ever went through。 I had occasionally before
taken up some of his other works； but scarcely ever had patience to
go through a whole dialogue。 While wading thro' the whimsies； the
puerilities； and unintelligible jargon of this work； I laid it down
often to ask myself how it could have been that the world should have
so long consented to give reputation to such nonsense as this？ How
the soi…disant Christian world indeed should have done it； is a piece
of historical curiosity。 But how could the Roman good sense do it？
And particularly how could Cicero bestow such eulogies on Plato？
Altho' Cicero did not wield the dense logic of Demosthenes； yet he
was able； learned； laborious； practised in the business of the world；
and honest。 He could not be the dupe of mere style； of which he was
himself the first master in the world。 With the Moderns； I think； it
is rather a matter of fashion and authority。 Education is chiefly in
the hands of persons who； from their profession； have an interest in
the reputation and the dreams of Plato。 They give the tone while at
school； and few； in their after…years； have occasion to revise their
college opinions。 But fashion and authority apart； and bringing
Plato to the test of reason； take from him his sophisms； futilities；
and incomprehensibilities； and what remains？ In truth； he is one of
the race of genuine Sophists； who has escaped the oblivion of his
brethren； first by the elegance of his diction； but chiefly by the
adoptio