agrees that an anointed prince was prophesied and promised:  but denies that the character and history of Jesus had any analogy with that of the person promised.  He must be fearfully embarrassing to the Hierophants of fabricated Christianity; because it is their own armor in which he clothes himself for the attack.  For example, he takes passages of scripture from their context (which would give them a very different meaning), strings them together, and makes them point towards what object he pleases; he interprets them figuratively, typically, analogically, hyperbolically; he calls in the aid of emendation, transposition, ellipsis, metonymy, and every other figure of rhetoric; the name of one man is taken for another, one place for another, days and weeks for months and years; and finally he avails himself of all his advantage over his adversaries by his superior knowledge of the Hebrew, speaking in the very language of the divine communication, while they can only fumble on with conflicting and disputed translations.  Such is this war of giants.  And how can such pigmies as you and I decide between them?  For myself, I confess, that my head is not formed tantas componere lites.  And as you began yours of March the 2nd, with a declaration, that you were about to write me the most frivolous letter I had ever read, so I will close mine by saying, I have written you a full match for it, and by adding my affectionate respects to Mrs. Adams, and the assurance of my constant attachment and consideration for yourself.

Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER CXXXI.—­TO JOHN TAYLOR, May 28,1816

TO JOHN TAYLOR.

Monticello, May 28,1816.

Dear Sir,

On my return from a long journey and considerable absence from home, I found here the copy of your ’Enquiry into the Principles of our Government,’ which you had been so kind as to send me; and for which I pray you to accept my thanks.  The difficulties of getting new works in our situation, inland and without a single bookstore, are such as had prevented my obtaining a copy before; and letters which had accumulated during my absence, and were calling for answers, have not yet permitted me to give to the whole a thorough reading:  yet certain that you and I could not think differently on the fundamentals of rightful government, I was impatient, and availed myself of the intervals of repose from the writing-table, to obtain a cursory idea of the body of the work.

I see in it much matter for profound reflection; much which should confirm our adhesion, in practice, to the good principles of our constitution, and fix our attention on what is yet to be made good.  The sixth section on the good moral principles of our government, I found so interesting and replete with sound principles, as to postpone my letter-writing to its thorough perusal and consideration.  Besides much other good matter,