It is reminiscent in its way with a sentiment expressed by Abraham Lincoln
in his last public speech, about Reconstruction (April 11, 1865):

"[I]mportant principles may, and must, be inflexible."

Or as Thomas Paine wrote in _The Rights of Man_ (1792):

"A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in
temper is always a virtue, but moderation in principle is always a vice."

The question has yielded some very interesting posts!

All my best,

--Eric

Eric D. M. Johnson
Proprietor
The Village Factsmith Historical Research & Consulting
http://www.factsmith.com/
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Robin Gabriel" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2005 10:52 AM
Subject: TJ quotation citation


>I was recently at a presentation where the speaker used an unfamiliar
> Jefferson quotation and I have had no luck tracking down its citation. A
> Google search led to 359,000 sites, but alas none of them on the first 5
> pages gives me a citation. I have also checked the Jefferson Cyclopedia
> and
> staff at Monticello.
>
> Does anyone recognize this quotation and can you tell me from where it
> comes:
>
> "In matters of principle, stand like a rock; in matters of taste, swim
> with
> the current."
>
> Thanks,
> Robin Gabriel
> Director of Education
> Monticello
>
> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
> at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
>

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