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Subject Area: Political Theory
Topic: The American Revolution and Constitution

TO JAY FROM HIS FATHER. - John Jay, The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay, vol. 1 (1763-1781) [1890]

Edition used:

The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay, ed. Henry P. Johnston, A.M. (New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1890-93). Vol. 1 (1763-1781).

Part of: The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay, 4 vols.

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TO JAY FROM HIS FATHER.

Dear Johnny:

Your observation on ye Study of ye Law, I believe, is very just, and as its your inclination to be of that Profession, I hope you’ll closely attend to it with a firm resolution that no difficulties in prosecuting that Study shall discourage you from applying very close to it, and if possible, from taking a delight in it.—The dictionary you ’ve bought is doubtless necessary for you, but as to other Books, I suppose you have them in ye College, or doubtless on application to your uncle or Aunt Chambers, they would let you have ye reading of such of his Books as you may want. It’s paying very dear for them to buy them at York. I’m glad you’ve wrote to Doctr: Johnson. We all remember our love to you & I always am

Dear Johnny
Yr. affec. Father

Peter Jay.1

Augt. 23d, 1763. [
Rye, N. Y.]

1764.

[1 ]This letter, indicating the time when Jay made choice of the legal profession, is the earliest of any special personal interest found among his papers. He was then in his nineteenth year, a student in the Senior Class at King’s, now Columbia, College, where he graduated with the highest honors in 1764. His father, Peter Jay, member of a well-known Huguenot family in New York City and a successful merchant there, appears to have followed his youthful course with keen interest and at a later date sympathized with and encouraged him in his public attitude. The Jay homestead was, at this time, at Rye, N. Y., the family having removed from the city in 1746.