211784. August. 3. (Adams Papers)
1784. August. 3.
22Aug. 4. (Adams Papers)
Sett off, for London, had a tedious Passage from Helvoet, of near two days. Obliged to put in at Leostoff Lowestoft , and ride from thence 24 miles in a Cart. JA ’s sudden decision to go to London himself and take his family directly to Paris without a pause of some weeks at The Hague, was prompted by the news of Jefferson’s arrival in Europe a month or so before JA expected him; see JA to AA...
23Aug. 7. (Adams Papers)
Arrived at the Adelphi Buildings and met my Wife and Daughter after a seperation of four Years and an half. Indeed after a Seperation of ten Years, excepting a few Visits. Set off the next Day for Paris. On this date the Diary of AA2 , so far as it is known (no MS has been found), begins. The first entry reads: “London, Aug. 7th, 1784. At 12, returned to our own apartments; when I entered, I...
24Aug. 13. (Adams Papers)
Arrived at Paris, at the Hotel de York on the . In the present entry and the next, the blank space (which is in the MS ) is meant to be filled up with the date at the head of the entry.
25Aug. 17. (Adams Papers)
Removed to Auteuil the at the House of the Comte de Rouault, opposite the Conduit. The House, the Garden, the Situation near the Bois de Boulogne, elevated above the River Seine and the low Grounds, and distant from the putrid Streets of Paris, is the best I could wish for. The arrangements with the Comte de Rouault had been made at JA ’s request by Thomas Barclay, who had formerly rented the...
26[Orders Drawn on Messrs. Van Den Yver for Personal and Family Expenses, September 1784–May 1785.] (Adams Papers)
£ s d Auteuil Sept. 10. 1784. Drew an order on M.M. Van den Yvers in favour of my son J.Q.A. for two hundred Louis D’ors or 4800 Livres 4800: 0: 0 Oct. 11. drew an Order on M. Van den Yver in favour of my son J.Q.A. for 4800 Livres 4800: 0: 0 Nov: 15. drew an order on Mr. Van den Yver in favour of my son J.Q.A. for 4800 Livres 4800: 0: 0 Decr. 23. drew an order on M ess rs. Van den Yver in...
27[January 1785] (Adams Papers)
Last Evening the Marquis de la Fayette, lately returned from America, called upon me, in his Way home from Versailles. He gave me, a very pleasing Account of the Commerce, the Union &c. in America, and then began to discourse of another Subject. He interrogated me, whether I had any Correspondents in Holland, whether I received Letters, from Week to Week and from Post to Post from thence? Who...
28January 31. 1785. Monday. (Adams Papers)
Last Evening the Marquis de la Fayette, lately returned from America, called upon me, in his Way home from Versailles. He gave me, a very pleasing Account of the Commerce, the Union &c. in America, and then began to discourse of another Subject. He interrogated me, whether I had any Correspondents in Holland, whether I received Letters, from Week to Week and from Post to Post from thence? Who...
29[March 1785] (Adams Papers)
Saturday. Met Mr. F ranklin and Mr. J efferson at Passy, read the Letter from Mr. Carm ichael at Madrid, with the Letters from C. de Florida Blanca, the Letters from Morocco to Mr. Harrison at Cadiz, and the Letters from Morocco to Dr. F. concerning the Vessell of Mr. Fitzsimmons of Philadelphia, taken by a Morrocco Frigate. I asked for Books and Collections of Treaties. They were brought. I...
301785. March 19. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
Saturday. Met Mr. F ranklin and Mr. J efferson at Passy, read the Letter from Mr. Carm ichael at Madrid, with the Letters from C. de Florida Blanca, the Letters from Morocco to Mr. Harrison at Cadiz, and the Letters from Morocco to Dr. F. concerning the Vessell of Mr. Fitzsimmons of Philadelphia, taken by a Morrocco Frigate. I asked for Books and Collections of Treaties. They were brought. I...
31Auteuil Near Paris March 20. 1785. (Adams Papers)
Sunday. Went early to Versailles, and found the C. De V.—communicated to him my Errand and Papers. He read those in Italian, Spanish and French, and Mr. Charmichaels Letter in English. I asked him, whether the French Treaty with Algiers, was renewed? He said it was upon the Point of expiring, but he could not tell me whether it was renewed as it was not in his Department but in that of the M....
32[May 1785] (Adams Papers)
Tuesday. At Versailles, the C. de Vergennes said he had many Felicitations to give me upon my apointment to England. I Answered that I did not know but it merited Compassion more than felicitation.—Ay why?—Because, as you know it is a Species of Degradation in the Eyes of Europe, after having been accredited to the King of France to be sent to any other Court.—But permit me to say, replies the...
33Auteuil May 3. 1785. (Adams Papers)
Tuesday. At Versailles, the C. de Vergennes said he had many Felicitations to give me upon my apointment to England. I Answered that I did not know but it merited Compassion more than felicitation.—Ay why?—Because, as you know it is a Species of Degradation in the Eyes of Europe, after having been accredited to the King of France to be sent to any other Court.—But permit me to say, replies the...
34Auteuil May [9 or 16] 1785. (Adams Papers)
Monday. The Posts within the Limits of the United States, not yet surrendered by the English, are Oswegatchy in the River St. Lawrence Oswego Lake Ontario Niagara and its dependencies Presqu’Isle East Side of Lake Erie. Sandusky Ditto. Detroit. Michilimakinac. St. Mary’s. South Side of the Streight between Lakes Superiour and Huron. Bottom of the Bay des Puantz St. Joseph. bottom of Lake...
35[List of Visits Paid and Returned in London, June–July? 1785] (Adams Papers)
Le Comte de Lusi. Minister of Prussia. Great Pultney Street. r De Tribolet Hardy. Secretaire de Legation de S.M. Prussienne. r Mr. De Jeanneret de Dunilac late Chargé D’Affairs of his Prussian Majesty at the British Court. South Moulton Street Oxford Street. No. 49. r Lord Mahon. Downing Street. r The Earl of Abbington. r. The Earl of Effingham. r. Mr. Cottrell Assistant Master of the...
36[March 1786] (Adams Papers)
March 26. Sunday, dined in Bolton Street Piccadilly, at the Bishop of St. Asaphs. Mr. and Mrs. Sloper, the Son in Law and Daughter of the Bishop; Mrs. and Miss Shipley the Wife and Daughter; Mr. and Mrs. Vaughan, Mr. Alexander and Mrs. Williams, Mr. Richard Peters and myself, were the Company. In the Evening other Company came in, according to the Fashion, in this Country. Mrs. Shipley at...
37Grosvenor Square Westminster March 27. 1786. (Adams Papers)
March 26. Sunday, dined in Bolton Street Piccadilly, at the Bishop of St. Asaphs. Mr. and Mrs. Sloper, the Son in Law and Daughter of the Bishop; Mrs. and Miss Shipley the Wife and Daughter; Mr. and Mrs. Vaughan, Mr. Alexander and Mrs. Williams, Mr. Richard Peters and myself, were the Company. In the Evening other Company came in, according to the Fashion, in this Country. Mrs. Shipley at...
38Wednesday [29 March.] (Adams Papers)
Dined at Mr. Blakes. Mr. Middleton and Wife, Mr. Alexander and Mrs. Williams, Mr. Jefferson. Coll. Smith and my Family. William Blake (1739–1803) , a wealthy and well-connected South Carolina planter, lived much of his life in England but contrived to save most of his property in America; his wife was the former Anne Izard ( S.C. Hist. and Geneal. Mag. , 2:231–232 [July 1901]; 9:81–82 [April...
39London Thursday March 30. (Adams Papers)
Presented Mr. Hamilton to the Queen at the Drawing Room. Dined at Mr. Paradices. Count Warranzow Woronzow and his Gentleman and Chaplain, M. Sodorini the Venetian Minister, Mr. Jefferson, Dr. Bancroft, Coll. Smith and my Family. Went at Nine O Clock to the French Ambassadors Ball, where were two or three hundred People, chiefly Ladies. Here I met the Marquis of Landsdown and the Earl of...
40[April 1786] (Adams Papers)
Mr. Jefferson and myself, went in a Post Chaise to Woburn Farm, Caversham, Wotton, Stowe, Edghill, Stratford upon Avon, Birmingham, the Leasowes, Hagley, Stourbridge, Worcester, Woodstock, Blenheim, Oxford, High Wycomb, and back to Grosvenor Square. Edgehill and Worcester were curious and interesting to us, as Scaenes where Freemen had fought for their Rights. The People in the Neighbourhood,...
41[Notes on a Tour of English Country Seats, &c., with Thomas Jefferson, 4–10? April 1786.] (Adams Papers)
Mr. Jefferson and myself, went in a Post Chaise to Woburn Farm, Caversham, Wotton, Stowe, Edghill, Stratford upon Avon, Birmingham, the Leasowes, Hagley, Stourbridge, Worcester, Woodstock, Blenheim, Oxford, High Wycomb, and back to Grosvenor Square. Edgehill and Worcester were curious and interesting to us, as Scaenes where Freemen had fought for their Rights. The People in the Neighbourhood,...
42Saturday Ap. 15. (Adams Papers)
Dined with Mr. Brand Hollis in Chesterfield Street. His Mantle Trees are ornamented with Antiques. Penates. Little brazen Images of the Gods. Venus, Ceres, Apollo, Minerva &c. Hollis is a Member of the Antiquarian Society. Our Company were Price, Kippis, Bridgen, Romilly, and another besides Jefferson, Smith and myself. Thomas Brand (1719–1804) , who had in 1774 assumed the name Hollis upon...
43Ap. 18. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
Yesterday dined here, Mr. Jefferson, Sir John Sinclair, Mr. Heard, Garter King at Arms, Dr. Price, Mr. Brand Hollis, Mr. Henry Loyd of Boston, Mr. Jennings, Mr. Bridgen, Mr. Vaughan, Mr. Murray, Coll. Smith. William Vans Murray (1760–1803) , a young Marylander studying at the Middle Temple. He had formed a close friendship with JQA , was liked by all the Adamses, and became a valued political...
44London April 19. 1786. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
This is the Anniversary of the Battle of Lexington, and of my Reception at the Hague, by their High Mightinesses. This last Event is considered by the Historians, and other Writers and Politicians of England and France as of no Consequence: and Congress and the Citizens of the United States in General concur with them in Sentiment. I walked to the Booksellers, Stockdale, Cadel, Dilly, Almon,...
45London April 20 1786 Thursday. (Adams Papers)
Went with Mr. Jefferson and my Family to Osterly, to view the Seat of the late Banker Child. The House is very large. It is Three Houses, fronting as many Ways—between two is a double row of Six Pillars, which you rise to by a flight of Steps. Within is a Square, a Court, a Terrace, paved with large Slate. The Green House and Hot House were curious. Blowing Roses, ripe Strawberries, Cherries,...
46Sunday. Ap. 23. (Adams Papers)
Heard Dr. Priestley at Mr. Linseys in Essex Street. Theophilus Lindsey (1723–1808) , minister of the Essex Street Chapel; the first avowedly Unitarian place of worship in London ( DNB Leslie Stephen and Sidney Lee, eds., The Dictionary of National Biography, New York and London, 1885–1900; 63 vols. plus supplements. ; Thomas Belsham, Memoirs of the Late Reverend Theophilus Lindsey ..., London,...
47Monday [24 April.] (Adams Papers)
Viewed the British Musaeum. Dr. Grey who attended Us spoke very slightly of Buffon. Said “he was full of mauvais Fois. No Dependence upon him. Three out of four of his Quotations not to be found. That he had been obliged to make it his Business to examine the Quotations. That he had not found a quarter of them. That Linnaeus was quoted from early Editions long after the last Edition was public...
48[June 1786] (Adams Papers)
On Saturday night returned from a Tour to Portsmouth, in which We viewed Paines Hill in Surry, as We went out; and Windsor as We returned. We were absent four days. Paines Hill is the most striking Piece of Art, that I have Yet seen. The Soil is an heap of Sand, and the Situation is nothing extraordinary. It is a new Creation of Mr. Hamilton. All made within 35 Years. It belongs to Mr....
49London June 26. 1786. (Adams Papers)
On Saturday night returned from a Tour to Portsmouth, in which We viewed Paines Hill in Surry, as We went out; and Windsor as We returned. We were absent four days. Paines Hill is the most striking Piece of Art, that I have Yet seen. The Soil is an heap of Sand, and the Situation is nothing extraordinary. It is a new Creation of Mr. Hamilton. All made within 35 Years. It belongs to Mr....
50[July 1786] (Adams Papers)
Last night, Coll. Smith and his Lady, took their Leave of Us, and went to their House in Wimpole Street. Yesterday visited Desenfans’s Collection of Pictures. A Port in Italy by Claude Lorraine, is the best Piece that remains. A Sampson sleeping in the Lap of Dalilah, while the Philistines cutt of his Locks, is said to be by Rubens, but Mr. Copely who was present doubts it. Supposes it to be...