JEFFERSON, JOSEPH, comedian, born in Philadelphia, of theatrical lineage; was on the stage at the age of 3; made his first success in New York as Dr. Pangloss in 1857, and in London in 1865 began to play his most famous role, Rip van Winkle, a most exquisite exhibition of histrionic genius; B. 1829.

JEFFERSON, THOMAS, American statesman, born at Shadwell, Virginia; took a prominent part in the Revolution, and claimed to have drawn up the Declaration of Independence; he secured the decimal coinage for the States in 1783; was plenipotentiary in France in 1784, and subsequently minister there; third President, 1801-1807, he saw the Louisiana purchase and the prohibition of the slave-trade; after his retirement he devoted himself to furthering education till his death at Monticello, Va.; he was a man of extremes, but honest and consistent in his policy (1743-1826).

JEFFREY, FRANCIS, LORD, a celebrated critic and lawyer, born in Edinburgh; trained for and called to the bar in 1794; with a fine cultivated literary taste devoted himself principally to literary criticism, and being a Whig in politics was associated with the originators of the EDINBURGH REVIEW (q. v.), and became its first editor in 1802, which he continued to be till 1829, contributing to its pages all along articles of great brilliancy; he was distinguished also at the bar in several famous trials; became Lord Advocate of Scotland in 1830, M.P. for Edinburgh in 1832, and finally, in 1834, one of the judges in the Court of Session; lie was a dark-eyed, nimble little man, of alert intelligence and quick in all his movements; died at Craigcrook, near Edinburgh (1773-1850).

JEFFREYS, BARON, of infamous memory, born in Wales; became Chief-Justice of England in 1863; was one of the advisers and promoters of the tyrannical proceedings of James II.’s reign, and notorious for his cruel and vindictive judgments as a judge, to the indignation of the people; tried to escape on the arrival of William; was discovered lurking in a public-house at Wapping, and apprehended and committed to the Tower, where he died (1648-1689).

JEHOVAH, the name of God in the Hebrew Scriptures as self-existent, and the Creator and Lord of all things, in the regard of the Jews too sacred to be pronounced, and which in the Authorised Version is often rendered by the word LORD in small capital letters.

JEHOVIST, the presumed author of the Jehoistic portions of the Pentateuch.  See ELOHIST.

JEKYLL, DR., AND MR. HYDE, the good nature and the bad struggling for the ascendency in the same person, generally to the defeat of the former.

JELF, RICHARD WILLIAM, Principal of King’s College, London; was educated at Oxford, became Fellow of Oriel, canon of Christ’s Church, and Principal of King’s College; is remembered chiefly for his rigid orthodoxy and for the part he played in depriving Maurice of his professorship at King’s College (1798-1871).