A morsel of genuine history is a thing so rare as to be always valuable.

Jefferson’s remark underscores an Enlightenment-era skepticism about received narratives and a preference for verifiable evidence. Read literally, it laments how seldom historical accounts are wholly trustworthy—distorted by partisan motives, imperfect memory, or the temptations of rhetoric. The phrase “morsel” suggests that even small, well-attested facts are precious because they can anchor broader understanding and correct mythmaking. In a Jeffersonian frame, the line also aligns with a statesman’s practical need for reliable information: sound judgment in politics and civic life depends on accurate knowledge of the past, yet such accuracy is hard-won. The quote thus elevates critical inquiry and documentation as civic virtues.