The college of Philadelphia
has lost its character of primacy by indulging motives of favoritism and
nepotism, and by conferring the appointments as if the professorships
were entrusted to them as provisions for their friends. And even that
of Edinburgh, you know, is also much lowered from the same cause. We are
next to observe, that a man is not qualified for a Professor, knowing
nothing but merely his own profession. He should be otherwise well
educated as to the sciences generally; able to converse understandingly
with the scientific men with whom he is associated, and to assist in the
councils of the Faculty on any subject of science on which they may have
occasion to deliberate. Without this, he will incur their contempt,
and bring disreputation on the institution. With respect to the
professorship you mention, I scarcely know any of our judges personally;
but I will name, for example, the late Judge Roane, who, I believe, was
generally admitted to be among the ablest of them. His knowledge was
confined to the common law chiefly, which does not constitute one half
of the qualification of a really learned lawyer, much less that of a
Professor of law for an University. And as to any other branches
of science, he must have stood mute in the presence of his literary
associates, or of any learned strangers or others visiting the
University. Would this constitute the splendid stand we propose to take?

In the course of the trusts I have exercised through life with powers of
appointment, I can say with truth, and with unspeakable comfort, that I
never did appoint a relation to office, and that merely because I
never saw the case in which some one did not offer, or occur, better
qualified; and I have the most unlimited confidence, that in the
appointment of Professors to our nursling institution, every individual
of my associates will look with a single eye to the sublimation of its
character, and adopt, as our sacred motto, '_Detur digniori_? In this
way it will honor us, and bless our country.

I perceive that I have permitted my reflections to run into generalities
beyond the scope of the particular intimation in your letter I will let
them go, however, as a general confession of faith, not belonging merely
to the present case.

Name me affectionately to our brethren with you, and be assured yourself
of my constant friendship and respect.

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CLXXIX.--TO JARED SPARKS, February 4, 1824