> I have several colleagues who believe the following quotation is correctly
> attributed to Jefferson, but I can't find it in my books or on the websites
> with search engines.  Can you confirm either way?
>
> "I believe in luck and the harder I work the more I have of it."


I have looked for this alleged quote for years, but could never find it
authenticated.  It is, in my opinion, possible that Jefferson wrote it.  It
is not long enough, nor complex enough, to display enough style that might
permit an intelligent guess.  Unfortunately, therefore, I am not able to
confirm whether it is genuine or not.  Offhand, I tend to doubt that it is
genuine because it has a certain humorous, almost sassy, irony that is not
typical of Jefferson, and the sentiment it expresses is not terribly
profound.  It is difficult for me to think that Jefferson would make a
thoughtful statement about luck (or anything else, for that matter) without
being profound.

In one respect, the alleged quote has a certain informality that is not very
typical of Jefferson, again in my opinion.  His stating a "principle" and
making his own experience the basis for his statement is also not typical of
Jefferson.  I would suggest that if Jefferson had expressed this idea, he
likely would have done so more grandly like the following.

I believe in luck.  But I believe that it comes to those who work hard and
well at whatever they wish to accomplish.

But that is pure speculation, though informed by my own experience with
Jefferson writings.  He very well could have written the quote in question.