University of Virginia Library

5475. MONROE (James), Distaste for law.—

You wish not to engage in the drudgery
of the bar. You have two asylums from
that. Either to accept a seat in the Council,
or in the Judiciary department. The latter,
however, would require a little previous drudgery
at the bar to qualify you to discharge your
duty with satisfaction to yourself. Neither of
these would be inconsistent with a continued
residence at Albemarle. It is but twelve
hours' drive in a sulky from Charlottesville to
Richmond, keeping a fresh horse always at
the half-way, which would be a small annual
expense.—
To James Monroe. Washington ed. ii, 71.
(P. 1786)