Reason

Examine selected books in the “Reason” (Philosophy) section and view the pages of Niccolò Macchiavelli’s The Prince, which describes ways in which a ruler might obtain and maintain political power.

Robert Stephanus [Robert Estienne] (1503–1559)
Biblia. R. Stephanus Lectori. En tibi Bibliorũ vulgata editio, in qua iuxta Hebraicorum versuum rationem singula capita versibus distincta sunt,… Geneva: R. Stephanus, 1555. Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress
(S. 1465) (28)

First Bible with Numbered Verses

The modern form of the Bible with the text arranged in numbered verses was first fully introduced by Robert Estienne in his Bible published in Geneva. Estienne, a noted French printer and scholar, also published a concordance to the Bible in the same year. Jefferson owned this 1555 edition of the work.

[Sir John Dodderidge (1555–1625)]
The Lawes Resolutions of Women’s Rights: or, the Laws Provision for Women.… London: John More, 1632. Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress
(S. 1999) (32)

Laws Concerning Women

English Common Law often provided the basis for judicial law in colonial America. But because of the lack of uniformity in the courts and legislative bodies from colony to colony, laws were subject to wide interpretation. By the later part of the eighteenth century, laws, even regarding women, became more specific. Thomas Jefferson owned this 1632 British volume attributed to Sir John Dodderidge, “which comprehends all our Lawes concerning Women, either Children in government or nurture of their Parents or Gardians, Mayds, Wives, and Widowes, and their goods, inheritances, and other estates.”

Niccolò Machiavelli (1469–1527)
Opere di Niccolò Macchiavelli, coll aggiunta della inedite. vols. 4 and 5. London and Paris, 1768. Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress
(S. 2351) (7, 7.1)

Machiavelli’s Politics

Although he occasionally mentioned Niccolò Machiavelli’s classic political works, Jefferson’s politics owed nothing to the Florentine’s most famous theory—achieving worldly success through deceitful scheming. Nevertheless, Jefferson was well read in all aspects of politics, as evidenced by the numerous titles by Machiavelli in his library. Jefferson divided this multi-volume set of the great Florentine’s political works, locating each volume in its appropriate subject category. This volume, containing Machiavelli’s Discourses and The Prince, falls in the chapter on “Politics,” tucked away between Xenophon and Voltaire.

John Adams (1735–1826)
A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America. 2 vols. London, 1787. Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress
(S. 3004) (37, 37.1)

Adams’s Defense of the U.S. Constitution

John Adams prepared these volumes of essays concerning the nature of the American Constitution while serving as the first U.S ambassador to England. Each “letter” tackles a historical or conceptual problem. He explores ancient forms and structures of government, the Bill of Rights, the nature of the legislature, and the three-pronged structure of government. Concerning separation of powers, he commented: “Without three divisions of power, stationed to watch each other, and compare each other’s conduct with the laws, it will be impossible that the laws should at all times preserve their authority, and govern all men.” Adams sent these volumes to Jefferson when Jefferson was serving in Paris as Minister Plenipotentiary. Jefferson attempted to have the work translated into French and printed in Paris, although he ran into some opposition to the idea because of the strong Anglophilic leanings Adams expressed in the text.

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