This is from John Adams' later autobiography, but is based on contemporaneous notes, so we'll count it. It gives a great, and frank, assessment of his and Jefferson's strengths and weaknesses, plus a digression on the power of oratory and the power of shutting up, which many public figures could learn from today. The gist is "talk less, write more," if I may borrow from "Hamilton." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices