61John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 1 October 1778 (Adams Papers)
As my thoughts are Principally busied upon the French tongue, & as I wish you to turn yours the same way, earlier than I did, I cannot think of a Subject to write to you upon more agreable & useful both to you & me than this: Pappa who has an opportunity of Conversing with many men of Learning in this Kingdom, among the phisiciens & Lawyers, as well as eclesiasticks, of various orders,...
62John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 20 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
I now Sit down to Write a few Lines To inform you That I am now at a good School which I like very Well. I will now give you an account how We live here at 6 o Clock in the morning We get up and go in to School and Stay till half after 8 When We Breakfast and Play till 9 When We go in & Stay till 12 When We dine after dinner we Play till 2 When We go in and Stay till half after 4 When We Come...
63John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 30 July 1783 (Adams Papers)
Altho’ I have already written you by Mr. Brush who will probably deliver this to you; yet I cannot help writing a few more Lines to justify myself with you, from a reproach; the Idea of which I cannot bear. If the Northern Regions have frozen up that Quick and Lively Imagination, which you are please to say, used to be agreeable to my Friends, they have most certainly not chilled my affection,...
64John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 25 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
Celle ci etant la premiere fois que je ecrire en François ne sera surment pas trop bien Faites mais j’espere que vous le recevére avec le meme plaisir que si elle etoit mieux, si vous considerée le peu de tems que jai eté icí vous ne blamerez pas moi pour ne pas avoir apprit plus de françois. RC ( Adams Papers ); addressed in JA ’s hand: “Mrs. Adams Braintree near Boston.” Text is given here...
65John Quincy Adams to John Thaxter, 13 January 1782 (Adams Papers)
Je viens de recevoir la lettre que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’écrire le 22 du mois passé et je suis bien embarassé pour vous repondre. Car vous écrivez le Francais comme un Parisien, en sorte que j’ai peur de m’engager avec une personne de votre force; Mais il le faut bien, et je vous écrirai comme je pourrai. Je vous enverrais bien quelques morceaux de mon Journal, mais je l’ai...
66John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 4 March 1782 (Adams Papers)
I receiv’d three days agone your favour of Feby. 5th. I have found a good Latin and french Dictionary, but I should be glad to have one Latin and English, because I am obliged at present to translate every thing into French, unless I translate the words twice; by which, (besides it’s being very troublesome), the sense of the Latin will be often lost. I can get any Latin books here that I want....
67John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 1 September 1781 (Adams Papers)
We arrived here on Monday the 16/27 instant having left Amsterdam the N.S. 7th of July And rode the greatest part of the way day and night. The distance is about 2400 English Miles. The first place of any consequence we stopp’d at was Berlin the capital of the king of Prussia’s Dominions; this is a very pretty town, much more so than Paris, or London as Mr. Dana says; but it will be still more...
68John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 12 January 1782 (Adams Papers)
Last night I received your letters of the 14th and 15th. You make me a great number of questions at a time, but I will answer them as well as I can. The Houses are for the most part built of Brick, and plastered over. They are from two to four Stories high. They are glazed with large panes as in France, and in the winter they have double windows which are taken down in the Spring, that is, in...
69John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 21 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Thaxter and brother Charles wrote both to you the day before yesterday and as I had no subject to write upon, I did not write But I can now give you an account of our journey. We dined on Monday at Haerlem and arrived at Leyden at Six oclock. We lodged at the Cour de Hollande and saw Mr. Waterhouse that evening. The next day we went to hear a Medicinal lecture by Professor Horn , we saw...
70John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 1 February 1783 (Adams Papers)
I arrived here a few days agone, and expect to be at the Hague by the latter end of this month where I shall wait for your orders, in case I dont find you there; what to do. I should have written you from Stockholm but when I arrived there I was told you was in Paris, and I did not know where to adress my letters. But just before I left Stockholm I receiv’d a letter from Mr. D ana in which he...
71John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 23 July 1783 (Adams Papers)
It is indeed a long time since I have receiv’d any Letters from my friends in America, and I must own I have been a little behind hand within these two years; in writing to them. However, I hope they will consider that I have been all that time, almost at the world’s end, or to make the best of it, in such an out of the-way place, as made it very inconvenient for me to write: But I should...
72John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 23 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
I am afraid you will think I was negligent in not writing more than I did by so good an opportunity as my brother Charles, but I hope you will excuse me as a journey of two thousand of our miles of which I had not the least thought a week before I set out was the only reason for it, so that I had not time to write before I left Holland, as all my time was employed in getting ready to go. We...
73John Quincy Adams to Elizabeth Cranch, 17 March 1782 (Adams Papers)
Some days agone I received a letter from you dated May last. The true reason why I have not written to you since I have been in Europe, is, that as you expect that my letters would be very entertaining, by the variety of the subjects, that I have had to write upon, I do not wish to disappoint you by writing letters that would give you no pleasure. But as you have begun, I can no longer excuse...
in my last letter to you of Septr. the 30th I promised you to sketch a plan for learning French and in a letter to Tommy I promised him a list of books such a list will fullfill my Promise to both I will therefore send a Copy of this letter to each of you. The grammers in common use in america are Boyer Chambaud & Tandam every one of which is imperfect and inaccurate in addition to these I...
75John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 8 April 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have been wanting to write to you this sometime but there has been nothing worth writing, and even now I know not what to write. We have not long since, heard of the taking of St. Eustatia, it cast a great damp upon the spirits of the dutchmen here; however the latest news from America make up for it for in the English news papers there is paragraph which makes mention that by the latest...
7626th. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Stay’d at home all day. Mr. Artaud dined at Mr. Rimbert’s. In the afternoon Mr. D. went and took a ride.
7716th. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
Stay’d at home all day. Mr. D. went to the court Comedy to see a Russian play. Stormy windy weather.
7830th. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
In the forenoon Mr. D went to Mr. Wolff’s. In the afternoon I went and took a ride with him. Fine weather. In the margin: “Mrs. B. brought to bed.”
796th. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
Stay’d at home all day. Mr. D rode out in the afternoon. Pretty good weather.
8020th. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
This forenoon Mr. Wolff came to see Mr. D. Mr. D. went and took a ride in the afternoon. I went with Mr. Artaud to the shops. Mr. Artaud went into the country. Clear weather, but windy.
8110th. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
Finish’d Cicero’s oration pro Marcello. In the afternoon I went to the shops with Mr. Artaud. Mr. D rode out. Fine weather.
82[January 1782] (Adams Papers)
Began to read Hume’s history of England. David Hume, The History of England, from the Invasion of Julius Caesar to the Revolution in 1688, 8 vols., London, 1763, which JQA borrowed from the English or British Library of St. Petersburg, where he found “a good collection of English Authors” (Dana to JA , 25 Jan. , Adams Papers ). JQA ’s notes (copied quotations) from his reading of Hume appear...
83Wednesday 16th of August 1780. (Adams Papers)
This morning Pappa went out and came back again at about eleven o clock. At about two o clock Commodore Gillon came to our lodgings and went out to dinner with Pappa but my brother Charles and myself dined at our lodgings. At about four o clock Pappa came back without Commodore Gillon. Pappa drank tea at our lodgings. After tea Brother Charles and myself went to take a walk and got back at...
84Wednesday 6th of September 1780. (Adams Papers)
Half Holiday. At about ten o clock Mr. Le Roi came here and invited us to go and dine with him. We told him we would. At about half after twelve I went to Pappa’s lodgings but found he was gone out, and then I went to Mr. Le Roi’s, he was gone out and got home soon after. We dined at his house. After dinner we went with him to take a long walk out of the city and we drank tea there, after tea...
85Sunday 20th of August 1780. (Adams Papers)
This morning Commodore Gillon came here at about nine o clock and We all went to a gentleman’s house who lives in the Country. We walk’d out of the City and then we found a coach with four horses waiting for us which Commodore Gillon had hired for us. At about a quarter after eleven o clock we arrived there. We went to walk with that Gentleman Whose name is Hooft and who is a Burger master of...
86January 1st. 1783. (Adams Papers)
We found here Mr. Schiebe a gentleman who left Stockholm about a week before us. Norrkiöping is distant from Stockholm eighteen swedish miles or 120. English. Its situation is exceeding fine, at present every thing is covered with Snow; but it is in the midst of a plain which is bordered all round at about 6. or 8 English Miles from the town by high mountains from which you at first discover...
87Tuesday 14th. (Adams Papers)
The French consul was here last night (he is to go to Coronna with us). He told us that he would send a man this morning to tell us if it was possible to go to Coronna this day. At 10 o clock a Messenger came to our lodgings after our things. The Muletiers came and carried our things down to the boat. At 4 o clock the Consul came and told us we should set out to Morrow morning at 5 o clock in...
88Friday 17th. (Adams Papers)
This morning I went to see the tour de fer (as the French call it and the spaniards Tour d’hercule). It is 100 foot in height and perhaps 2000 years old. There is an inscription which I have not seen for I could not go in which runs thus “Marti et Augusto sacrum. Dedicated to Mars and Augustus." Pappa supposes that it was built by Augustus Caesar just after he had routed Brutus, and Cassius,...
8926th. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
This day the Count Greco, Mr. Gummer and Mr. Peyron dined here. In the evening I went with Mr. Artaud to Mr. Rimbert’s; spent the evening and supped there.
9019th. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
This forenoon Mr. D went to take a walk. After dinner he went with Mr. Artaud to the shops. Mr. Hoogwerst came to pay us a visit.
9118th. Monday. (Adams Papers)
This morning we set off from Varsala in a boat and went 5. miles as far as Kůmlinge. Fine weather.
9230th. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
This morning I went and took leave of the Baron Albedyhll the Swedish chargé d’affaires here, and he gave me a couple of letters for Stockholm. At about noon I took leave of Mr. D. and of Mr. Artaud and set out upon the road for Wibourg Vyborg . We arrived at about 11. o’clock P.M. at the third station and as it was extraordinarily dark we stay’d there till 7 o’clock the next morning. For 30...
939th. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
This forenoon I went with Mr. D. to the French minister’s hotel. Mr. Normandes the Spanish Chargé d’affaires came to pay a visit to Mr. D. In the afternoon I went to the Shops with Mr. Artaud, but found them all shut-up because of the Esther holidays. We went to see some of their diversions. We went also to Mr. Rimbert’s, to see how Mr. Montreal does. Mr. D. went to carry his letter to be sent.
9423d. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
This day Mr. Blondot dined with us. In the afternoon Mr. Hoogwerst came to pay us a visit. Stay’d at Home all day. Our German master gave us the second lesson. He comes every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Fine weather.
9522d. Friday. (Adams Papers)
This evening at about 11.o’clock we arrived at Stockholm. We found all the taverns in the town shut up, and could not get one opened. From Åbo to Swed: miles Nussis Nummis 2. Tursanparo 1. Laertes 1 1/2 Botila 1 1/4 Helsings 1 3/4. à Varsala (par eau) by water 2. Bränden. Brandö
9613th. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Artaud dined out. Mr. D. went to take a ride in the afternoon. Finished the 2d. Volume of Robertson’s history of Charles 5th. 479. pages, and begun the third. Cloudy weather, and Rain.
97Thursday 19th 1781. (Adams Papers)
This morning we set away from Hannau at 4 o’clock A.M. and arriv’d at Hunfeld (which is distant 75 Miles,) at about 8 o’clock P.M. The roads this day were for the most part mountainous but in some places there was a very good made road. The mountains in general, which we have pass’d over this day are pretty well cultivated.
983d. Friday. (Adams Papers)
In the forenoon Mr. D went and took a walk. After dinner Mr. Colombi came to see us. I went to the postoffice with Mr. Artaud. Windy weather. Finished the first volume of Watson’s history of Phillip the II. 443 p: and begun the 2d.
99Wednesday July the 25th 1781. (Adams Papers)
On Monday at about 1 o’clock P.M. we set away from Leipsig for Berlin, Where we arriv’d this day at about 11 o’clock A.M. The distance is 120 English Miles; The soil, all the way is thin and sandy, and some part of the way foresty. We rode all night on Monday. At about half past eleven at Night, being in the middle of a Forest and the road being at the bottom of a hill, The postilon run our...
100Sunday 9th. (Adams Papers)
Cloudy weather. We din’d at Palentia Palencia which is a city as Large as Corunna. At about 7 oclock P.M. we arrived at Torre quemada Torquemada which is 7 Leagues from Parades de naba.
101Thursday 13th. (Adams Papers)
Rose at about day break and set away ½ an hour before sun rise. Passed through several villages and dined at Pan Courbo. Before dinner we went along in a Plain between two ridges of mountains the soil of which is excellent and after dinner we went along another plain betwixt two ridges of rocks some of which were 150 200 and 300 foot in height some right strait up, some hanging over our heads,...
1023d. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
Mr. D went and took a ride in the afternoon. Stay’d at home all day. Fine weather.
10328th. Friday. (Adams Papers)
This day I went with Mr. Artaud and Mr. D. to the Comedy at the Court. We had the Misanthrope with a ballet. Mr. Artaud went afterwards to Mr. Rimbert’s. Went and took a walk with Mr. D. in the summer garden. Cloudy weather in the morning, but cleared up at about noon. Mr. D received a letter from Holland. Letter unidentified, but apparently not from either JA or Thaxter.
10418th. Thursday. (Adams Papers)
Stay’d at home all day. In the evening Mr. Hoogwerst came here. Mr. Artaud din’d at Mr. Rimbert’s. Cloudy weather, and a heavy shower of Rain in the evening.
1058th. Thursday. (Adams Papers)
This forenoon Mr. D went and took a walk. Mr. Artaud din’d at Mr. Rimbert’s. In the afternoon Mr. D. went to the summer garden. Stay’d at home all day. Fine weather.
10622d. Monday. (Adams Papers)
This forenoon I went to the English Library and took out the 2 last volumes of Clarissa and Nichols’s collection of Poems. In the afternoon I wrote a letter to Mr. Thaxter in Holland. Mr. D. wrote to my Father. Windy Rainy weather. Finish’d Cicero’s oration pro Milone. John Nichols, A Select Collection of Poems: With Notes, Biographical and Historical, 8 vols., London, 1780–1782. JQA copied...
10712th. Monday. (Adams Papers)
This afternoon Mr. D went and took a walk in the summer garden. Stay’d at home all day. Rainy weather all the forenoon.
108[March 1782] (Adams Papers)
Mr. D went to take a walk in the forenoon. Stay’d at home all day. Cloudy weather. In the Forenoon Mr. Wolff came to pay a visit to Mr. D. Went to a bookseller’s for a book for Mr. D. In the afternoon I went with Mr. Artaud to the shops, and bought some things. Cloudy weather. Several persons dined and supped here this day. Mr. D. receiv’d some letters from America. Stay’d at home all day....
109Friday 18th of August 1780. (Adams Papers)
This morning Mr. Deneufville’s son came here with his father’s carriage and at about ten o clock Pappa, Mr. Deneufville son, brother Charles, and myself went to see the admiralty. We saw all the magazines of cables, ropes compasses, Blocks, sails, Flags, &c. After this we went on board one of the Dutch Men of war of seventy four Guns which was on the camels which are machines made to lift the...
110Friday 8th of September 1780. (Adams Papers)
Nothing very remarkable to day. Reading another Volume of the Spectator I found this which I shall take down. Here follow, on about four pages in the Diary, an allegory beginning, “There were two Families,” which JQA cites as coming from “Spectator Vol 3d. Page 62–63–64.” This appeared in The Spectator No. 183, 29 Sept. 1711 ( ed. Bond The Spectator , ed. Donald F. Bond, Oxford, 1965; 5 vols....