While the two men were in France, John Adams was moved to comment in letters to his wife on Jefferson's reckless personal spending habits. His financial incompetence came to haunt him in later life -- he tried to raffle off Monticello before he died to pay off his debts.

At a time when finance and the economy play such a large part in the public discourse, it pays to keep in mind that Jefferson, like many great men, was gifted, but also tragically flawed.