The Youth of Jefferson / Or, a Chronicle of College Scrapes at Williamsburg, in Virginia, A.D. 1764

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

23283

Title

The Youth of Jefferson / Or, a Chronicle of College Scrapes at Williamsburg, in Virginia, A.D. 1764

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Set in Williamsburg, 1764, this satirical chronicle follows the romantic misadventures of Jacques, a melancholy lover, and his boisterous friend Sir Asinus. Blending historical context with college life antics, the novel offers a humorous, lighthearted look at youthful folly, unrequited love, and the spirited social scene of colonial Virginia.

Summary up to 500 words

Published in 1854, John Esten Cooke's *The Youth of Jefferson* offers a fictionalized, satirical chronicle of college life at the College of William and Mary in 1764. While the title references the future President Thomas Jefferson, who appears only briefly as a correspondent, the narrative focuses on the invented protagonists Jacques and Sir Asinus. Jacques is portrayed as a sensitive, poetic young man perpetually pining for his beloved, Belle-bouche. His companion, Sir Asinus, serves as a caricature of a fop, oscillating between high-minded declarations of liberty and absurdly conservative political reversals, such as publicly abjuring revolutionary sentiments to support King George III and the Stamp Act. The plot unfolds through a series of episodic chapters detailing the characters' interactions within the vibrant, often chaotic world of the college town. Jacques navigates the treacherous waters of courtship, dealing with rivals like the gallant Mowbray and the brilliant Philippa, while Sir Asinus engages in duels, political debates, and farcical schemes involving rats, leaking roofs, and stolen garters. The narrative is punctuated by letters from the characters, offering a meta-fictional glimpse into their correspondence and furthering the satire of collegiate life. Cooke employs a tone that is both affectionate and mocking, capturing the 'dream-life' of young lovers against the backdrop of the American Revolution's brewing tensions. While the historical figure of Jefferson appears briefly as a correspondent planning a grand tour, the true subject is the universal experience of youth: the pain of unrequited love, the absurdity of social posturing, and the joy of friendship. The novel concludes with a resolution to the romantic entanglements and a celebration of the characters' enduring camaraderie, leaving the reader with a sense of the spirited, if sometimes ridiculous, nature of early American intellectual society.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Biography
• Fiction