11:54 PM >> Meriwether Lewis on Turning Thirty

All I have to say is what an individual. What many great individuals there were among our founding fathers. They were brilliant, talented people with one hell of a damned agenda to make this world a better place. Do these people, these drives still exist.

Meriwether writes on August 18, 1805:
"This day I completed my thirty first year...I reflected that I had as yet done but little, very little indeed, to further the hapiness of the human race, or to advance the information of the succeeding generation. I viewed with regret the many hours I have spent in indolence, and now soarly feel the want of that informaiton which those hours would have given me had they been judicoiusly expended.

"...I dash from me the gloomy thought and resolved in future, to redouble my exertions and at least indeavour to promote those two primary objects of human existence, by giving them the aid of that portion of talents which nature and fortune have bestoed on me...in future, to live for mankind, as I have heretofore lived for myself."