255123d. (Adams Papers)
I left Haverhill this morning at about 9 o’clock; and at 12 arrived at the tavern in Wilmington, where I dined. At about 2 I again set off, and got to Cambridge a little before six. I came through Mystic and called at Mrs. Tufts’s, to see my friend Freeman, but he was gone to Boston. When I got to Cambridge I found great alterations had taken place since I left College, Mr. Reed, and Mr. Burr...
255214th. (Adams Papers)
The weather for this week past has been from day to day alternately very warm and very cold. These sudden transitions, which in this Country are very common, are almost too powerful for our constitutions: to foreigners they are almost intolerable, and I believe even the inhabitants, who from their birth have been used to them, suffer more from them than they are aware. This forenoon I received...
255316th. (Adams Papers)
Rain’d, a great part of the day. Walker went to Boston and brought back my bond properly filled. Dined with Mr. Dana. Returned to the College in the afternoon, and lodged with my brother. The Government have been endeavouring to discover the principal actors in the last Night’s riot. The Sophimores are very much afraid, that some of them will suffer some public punishment, for it.
255428th. (Adams Papers)
This morning My two Cousins left us, to return to Braintree, at about 9. Nancy, and Cousin Betsey, went down to Mr. White’s; So that our house was very considerably thinn’d. Mrs. Shaw spent the afternoon out. In the Evening Charles and myself went and stayd an hour at Mr. Duncan’s. Found Mr. Thaxter there. The weather is uncommonly mild for the Season; I was obliged to make a fire last Fall,...
2555[April 1786] (Adams Papers)
After having had a month of March uncommonly pleasant, and warm, the Present one begins with a Snow Storm. From about 2 o’clock afternoon it has snow’d, steadily till late in the Evening. Our Class recited this morning in Doddridge, but I was not in. My Chamber is so situated that the College bell, does, not sound with sufficient force to wake me, in the morning, and I have not of late been...
255617th. (Adams Papers)
The weather was very stormy, all the morning; but began to clear up, at about noon, and in the afternoon it was pleasant. Mr. and Mrs. Shaw, attended the funeral of the youth that died yesterday morning; my brother went as bearer: Mr. Thaxter, called, in the afternoon, but made only a short stay; he cannot spare but a few minutes at a time, and it is not to be wondered at. The Salem Paper,...
2557John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams 2d, 29 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
I came into Boston this morning, and shall probably spend the week here, in order to pay all my visits, and see all those persons, that it will be necessary to show myself to. Stopping at Milton, I was very much surprized, when Mrs. Warren inform’d me, that Mr. Otis shut up last Saturday Evening: had the news come from any other Person, I should not at that time have believ’d it, for I was...
255824th. (Adams Papers)
The young gentlemen went down to Germantown: it was too hot for me. I spent almost the whole day in the library. Mr. Shaw and Miss Lucy went for Haverhill, in the morning; Mr. Smith, and Mr. Cranch for Boston after dinner.
25597th. (Adams Papers)
It snow’d all day; in the Evening it clear’d up, and grew very cold. Eliza, came in the morning, and on account of the Snow that has fallen, stays here to-night.
256021st. (Adams Papers)
My Aunt and Eliza, went and took a ride in the afternoon. They drank tea at Judge Sargeant’s, and I spent about an hour there. Went home with my Cousin, and stay’d the Evening at Mr. White’s. His Lady is very unwell, and has been so a considerable time. She was recovering, when the fatal accident of her Sister happened; and I fear it has tended to occasion a relapse. She is possess’d of great...
256114th. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Cranch went to Boston in the morning. My aunt and Miss Betsey, are both of them unwell. The weather being rainy and disagreeable Mr. Dingley determined to stay till to-morrow. Mrs. Apthorp, spent the afternoon here.
256219th. (Adams Papers)
Went all to dine with Mr. Jefferson. The two abbés Dr. McMahon and Dr. Ruston, were there. After dinner I walk’d to the Hôtel de Bretagne, and found Mr. West better, though his hand is still very much swelled. Dr. Ruston appears to be a man of learning; very well versed in English reading. Dr. I. MacMahon was apparently an Irish physician living in France whom Franklin met in Paris shortly...
256311th. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Shaw went over to Bradford, in the morning, to preach for Mr. Allen, and Mr. Smith supplied his place here. The forenoon discourse, was from CXIX Psalm. 165. Great Peace have they which love thy law; and nothing shall offend them. In the after noon, it was from Genesis VIII. 22. While the earth remaineth, seed time, and harvest, and cold, and heat, and summer and Winter, and day, and...
25644th. (Adams Papers)
We were to have had a Class meeting, by Rights: but no one thought to obtain Leave. As we have no metaphysical Tutor, here at present, we supposed, that, for the ensuing fortnight we should have no reciting. But the government have determined that we should continue to attend Mr. Reed in S’Gravesande’s. This is not an agreeable Circumstance; a Person who does not belong to the University, and...
2565John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 6 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
Last Wednesday Mr. W. Vaughan, got me introduced into the house of Commons, and I was there, from about 2. in the afternoon till 1. the next morning. The Subject, was a very dry, uninteresting one to me, it was the Westminster election, and the time, till 10 at night was taken up in hearing the Council counsel , on one side for Mr. Fox, and the electors of Westminster who petitioned, and on...
25664th. (Adams Papers)
In the afternoon I went into Paris alone: went to the Griffon, Rue de Bussy and bought some Stationary. To the Hôtel de Nassau Rue de la Harpe, to see Mm. la Comtesse d’Ouradou, but she was not within. Bought me a Couple of Trunks. Went to Mr. Jefferson’s: he tells me, that the Count, thinks of not going in the next Packet. I fear Mr. Williamos, after failing me, himself, has been endeavouring...
25675th. (Adams Papers)
I have this week been reading Cecilia, a novel of some reputation; it was written by a Lady, and does not exhibit that knowledge of human nature, which is the greatest excellency, perhaps of novels. Some of the characters however are well drawn; they are generally exaggerated, and appear rather too strongly marked for perfect imitations of nature. The characters of Miss Larolles and of...
256827th. (Adams Papers)
The day was spent like the preceding ones. There was some company here in the afternoon. I give as much of the little lei sure time I have, as I can conveniently to some lectures upon History and general Policy a new publication of Dr. Priestley, whose literary powers may be truly called athletic. There are several other late performances, which I am desirous of reading, but more particularly...
256911. (Adams Papers)
C. Ital: Blaise et Babet et Isabelle et Gertrude. This was the third time JQA had seen this musical comedy in less than three weeks. Isabelle et Gertrude, ou, les sylphes supposés , Paris, 1765, by Charles Simon Favart, with music by Adolphe Blaise ( Brenner, Bibliographical List Clarence Dietz Brenner, A Bibliographical List of plays in the French Language, 1700-1789 , Berkeley, 1947. ).
257017th. (Adams Papers)
The young gentlemen who graduated yesterday were. Benjamin Abbot Solomon Adams Thomas Adams Thomas Bancroft Oliver Barron Stephen Baxter Joseph Brigham Joseph Cabot George Caryl Edward Clarke Oliver Dodge James Gardner Adam Gordon William Hill Charles Jackson Abner Lincoln Henry Phelps John Phillips James Prescott
2571Saturday Septr. 20th. (Adams Papers)
The enthusiasm of the People of Paris for the flying Globes is very great, several Propositions have been made from Persons, who to enjoy the honour of having been the first Travellers through the air, are willing to go up in them and run ten risques to one of breaking their necks: one of the queerest propositions, is the following one taken from the Journal de Paris of Yesterday. Je partage...
25727th. (Adams Papers)
Thompson did not attend this day at the Office. Phillips called to see us this afternoon. He has been to Portsmouth, and is now upon his return to Boston: he expects to read law in Mr. Dawes’s office. I walk’d into Newbury this evening with Stacey. The evenings grow long to my great regret. At present I can employ the evening from dusk till nine o’clock in walking; and as I am not over fond of...
257321st. (Adams Papers)
This morning I left Braintree in company with my brother Tom, who was going to Haverhill; and in order to have company, so great a part of the way, I determined to go there with him. We stopp’d a short time at Cambridge, and I went to Dr. Rand’s to take a Letter from Miss Newhall, as I had promised her at Commencement. She was gone out but had left the Letter. We dined in Wilmington, and got...
2574October. 17. 1783. (Adams Papers)
Diné chéz M: l’Abbé de Chalut.
257527th. (Adams Papers)
Went into the library, and took out one Volume of Wolff’s mathematics. Charles went to Boston: this evening Cranch returned from Braintree: we had a class meeting this evening, and voted to present a petition for a private Commencement to the overseers, who are to meet next Tuesday. I was desired, with Barron and Packard to draw up the petition. The meeting was adjourned to monday night....
257624th. (Adams Papers)
I went in the forenoon, and exhibited my complaints to Dr. Swett, but he told me, they were not worth speaking of; and so I will e’en let them take their chance. This afternoon Townsend, and I, went down to Mr. Tracey’s, upon a disagreeable piece of business, but which we got through quite comfortably. Ben Hooper called on me in the evening. I have again begun upon Gibbon’s roman history, and...
257711th. (Adams Papers)
Thompson watch’d last evening; in consequence of which he felt not much disposed to study closely this day, and was but little at the office. Walk’d in the evening with Putnam. For protection against fires and other disorders, the town of Newburyport required the services of two night watchmen, chosen by the constables from a list of all able-bodied townsmen ( Currier, Newburyport John J....
257817th. (Adams Papers)
This morning the different parts for Commencement were distributed by the president, in the following order. 1. A Latin Salutatory Oration, by Little. 2. An English Poem by Harris. 3. A Syllogistic disputation upon the question—“Whether thought be the essence of the soul”? by Hammond , respondent. Whitney, Phelps, Mason , and Lovell opponents. 4. A Forensic disputation, upon the...
257914th. (Adams Papers)
I was about an hour with Dr. Kilham at his shop, Immediately after dinner; I took up one of the volumes of Junius’s Letters, and carried it with me to the office; I read the whole afternoon, and was interrupted only by the shadows of the evening. I called upon Little, and brought him home with me, to my lodgings: we pass’d a very sociable evening together: after he was gone I took up again my...
2580September 1. 1788. (Adams Papers)
Rain. Pass’d the evening with Stacey.