I think Nancy is correct.  There is not a scintilla of evidence that  
Jefferson  was asexual. It is undeniable that Martha and Thomas  
Jefferson had an active and apparently satisfying sex life, and his  
attraction to Maria Cosway tells us he was not of a celibate  
inclination.   Are we to assume then that for the remaining two- 
thirds of his life he was a chronic masturbator? Ask yourself, are  
you prepared to live for half a century without a sexual  
relationship, or without lying in bed cuddling the man or woman you  
are sleeping with? If the answer is yes, you should consider life in  
the Roman clergy. It's better than tenure.

-- Stephan


On 4 May 2008, at 22:17, Anne Pemberton wrote:

> Nancy,
>
> I fail to see how noting that he was a sexual person is "trashing  
> him".
>
> As a widower, we would expect a healthy male to make some  
> provisions for sexual outlets. There were all sorts of taboos back  
> then for "taking matters in hand". NOT providing such an outlet  
> could have made TJ a rather dour man who was not capable of the  
> leadership that he exhibited.
>
>

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