Lewis Henry Boutell, in his "Jefferson as a Man of Letters," says:
"That Jefferson, in justifying the action of the colonists, should
have thought more of the metaphysical rights than historical facts,
illustrates one of the marked features of his character. He was often
more of a doctrinaire than a practical statesman. He reminds us of the
words which Burke applied on a certain occasion to Chatham: 'For a wise
man he seemed to me at that time to be governed too much by general
maxims.'"