241[1758] (Adams Papers)
In 1758 my Period with Mr. Putnam expired. Doolittle and Baldwin visited me in the office, and invited me to settle in Worcester. They said as there were two Sides to a question and two Lawyers were always wanted where there was one, I might depend upon Business in my profession, they were pleased to add that my Character was fair and well esteemed by all Sorts of People in the Town and...
242Adams’ Student Notes: Ca. 1758 (Adams Papers)
Nunquam prospere succedunt Res humanae, ubi negliguntur divinae. Sex horas somno, totidem des Legibus aequis; Quatuor orabis, des Epulisque duas. Quod superest ultro sacris largire Camenis. Co. Lit. sec. 85. The student must know how to work into, with Delight these rough Mines of hidden Treasure. En la Ley. There be diverse Laws within the Realm of England. 1. Lex Coronae. 2. Lex et...
243Adams’ Address and Minutes of the Argument: Supreme Court of Probate, February 1768 (Adams Papers)
Samuel Clap Testator, left a Grandson Michael Clap, Son of the Eldest Son of the Testator, whose Name was Michael Clap, deceased. William Clap, the oldest Son Living dis Sarah Randall Widow of Samuel Randal deceased who left by her, four Children, 2 Sons and 2 Daughters, the Names Samuel, Mary, Sarah and Elijah. William Clap the Eldest son living. Disinherited. Samuel Clap, the Executor, and...
244From John Adams to John Wentworth, 12 April 1758 (Adams Papers)
Te Deum &c., I have resigned my school, I have almost recovered my Health, I have received a letter from my Friend, and am scarce able to say it is the kindest Smile of Heaven. But dear Jack I will tell you the Truth for once which our Tribe you know is not very apt to do—when I first read your Letter I resolved very nearly to drop the correspondence. My Vanity could not bear to be feasted...
245[On the Law of Nature and the Moral Sense among Animals and among Men, October–December 1758.] (Adams Papers)
Q uery . Has any Species of Animals, besides Mankind, ever given Proofs that they have any idea of Justice, of R igh t or Wrong. That they have any Discernment of the Difference between Actions and Characters? Have they any moral Sense? Q. Have they any sense of the Advantages of Temperance and of the Disadvantages of the Contrary. Will not horses, when they are hot, drink large Quantities of...
What are the Rules, Criteria, to determine the Merit or Excellence of a Language?—Suppose you was to examine, which was the best, and which the worst of the Languages, Greek, Latin, french and English? How would you decide. One Excellence of a Language, is Conciseness. That Language is to be preferred in which Ideas and Thoughts may be clearly conveyed to the Hearer or Reader in the fewest...
Vulnus alit Venis, et caeco carpitur igni. Alo, alere, alui, alitum, to nourish. Vulnus, a Wound or Hurt. Carpo, carpere, carpsi, carptum, to waste away. Carpor to be troubled . Carpitur, is consumed, wasted. He nourishes a Wound in his Veins, and is consumed with a blind hidden fire.—Warner, Fessenden, Clark, Cranch, Quincy. All of them cherished by their incessant Thinking, the Wound in...
248[A Letter to Richard Cranch about Orlinda, a Letter on Employing One’s Mind, and Reflections on Procrastination, Genius … (Adams Papers)
What is Wisdom? Is it, to write dramatic Poetry, like Milton or Shakespear? Is it to write on Astronomy and Physicks like Newton, or is it to know the human mind like Lock? Does it consist in Genius and Learning? No Genius and Learning have been oftener mad than wise. It is not to Act or think beyond man kind. Say was there most of Cruelty or of Cunning in sealing up this cruel scroll this...
249[A List of Pleadings, October–December 1758.] (Adams Papers)
Bond to give Deed. † Trespass on the Case vs. Sherriff for the Default of his Deputy. † Case by Baron and feme vs. Executor, on a Promise made to the feme while sole later . † Ind ebitatus Ass umpsit for service done at a customary Price. Plea, in abatement, that the service was insufficient. Ind. Ass. for keeping a Horse to Hay. 3. Sci re fa cias vs. Bail. 4. If it was a Writ, I’d lay a Quant
250[Notes on Probate Law, October–December 1758.] (Adams Papers)
Tis absurd, to for a Testator to say, after he has devised his Lands to one in fee, that they shall go over to another. There is no Remainder to an Estate in fee. A fee simple, upon fee but a Testator may very legally and sensibly devise Lands to one in fee, and then say, in Case Death or any other Accident should happen to incapacitate the Devisee to take, then the Lands shall go to another....
Shakespeare, in the Character of Lady Mackbeth, and of Gertrude, the Wife of old Hamlet, and afterwards of King Claudius, and in the Character of Lady Anne in King Richard, has shewn a sense of the Weakness of Woman’s Reason, and strength of their Passions. The Horror of both divine and Human Vengeance, that attends guilty minds is strongly represented in the Characters of Mackbeth and his...
Braintree October–December? 1758. Printed: JA, Earliest Diary The Earliest Diary of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1966. , p. 70–72 Printed : ( JA, Earliest Diary The Earliest Diary of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1966. , p. 70–72 ).
253[Letters to Three Friends on Studying Law, October–November 1758.] (Adams Papers)
My letters, for the future will come to you, not from a School House but from the Cell of an Hermit. I am removed from Worcester to Braintree where I live secluded from all the Cares and Fatigues of busy Life in a Chamber which no mortal Visits but myself except once in a day to make my Bed. A Chamber which is furnished in a very curious manner, with all sorts of Hermetical Utensils. Here, no...
254[A Letter to William Crawford, Describing a Visit to Boston, October–November 1758.] (Adams Papers)
Am returned from Boston, and according to my Promise sett down begining to write you a Discription or a History of what I saw, and heard, &c. I distrust my Capacity, without an Invocation, but am afraid to make one, for I know the Muses are not fond of such Work. Take it then in the plain Language of common sense. My Eyes were entertained with Objects, in every figure and Colour of Deformity,...
255From John Adams to William Crawford, October – November 1758 (Adams Papers)
Braintree, October–November? 1758. Printed: JA, Earliest Diary The Earliest Diary of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1966. , p. 99 . Printed ( JA, Earliest Diary The Earliest Diary of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1966. , p. 99 ).
256From John Adams to Samuel Quincy, October – November 1758 (Adams Papers)
Braintree, October–November? 1758. Printed: JA, Earliest Diary The Earliest Diary of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1966. , p. 66–67 Printed : ( JA, Earliest Diary The Earliest Diary of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1966. , p. 66–67 ).
257[A Letter to William Crawford Telling “How I Live,” October 1758.] (Adams Papers)
How it is with you I know not, but if I am rightly informed, I am yet alive and not dead. And to prove it to you, I will tell you how I live. I sleep, 12 or 13 Hours, Smoke 10 or 12 Pipes, read 5 or 6 Pages, think of 19 or 20 Ideas, and eat 3 or 4 Meals, every 24 Hours. I have either mounted above or sunk below, I have not Penetration enough to say which, all Thoughts of Fame, Fortune, or even...
258From John Adams to William Crawford, October 1758 (Adams Papers)
Braintree, October? 1758. Printed: JA, Earliest Diary The Earliest Diary of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1966. , p. 91 , with identifying note on the recipient at p. 92 . Printed : ( JA, Earliest Diary The Earliest Diary of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1966. , p. 91 ).
259From John Adams to Tristram Dalton, October 1758 (Adams Papers)
Braintree, October? 1758. Printed: JA, Earliest Diary The Earliest Diary of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1966. , p. 65–66 . Printed : ( JA, Earliest Diary The Earliest Diary of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1966. , p. 65–66 .)
260From John Adams to John Wentworth, October 1758 (Adams Papers)
I resume with Pleasure my long neglected Pen upon this opportunity by Mr. Belcher to inform you that I am still alive, and well; that I am removed from Worcester to Braintree where I expect to live and die; and altho’ I have for a long time neglected to write you, I have never forgot to think frequently of you and to wish you all the Happiness that you deserve; no small Quantity truly! The...
261From John Adams to John Wentworth, October 1758 (Adams Papers)
Braintree, October? 1758. Printed: JA, Earliest Diary The Earliest Diary of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1966. , p. 64–65 . It is difficult to believe that this draft or retained copy was copied off and sent to Wentworth, because its first paragraph announces the same momentous personal news announced in the opening paragraph of the letter preceding, which is known...
262[October 1758] (Adams Papers)
Yesterday arrived here from Worcester. I am this Day about beginning Justinians Institutions with Arnold Vinnius’s Notes. I took it out of the Library at Colledge. It is intituled, D. Justiniani Sacratissimi Principis Institutionum sive Elementorum Libri quatuor, Notis perpetuis multo, quam hucusque, dilligentius illustrati, Cura & Studio, Arnoldi Vinnii J.C. Editio novissima priori Progressu...
263Braintree Octr. 5th. 1758. (Adams Papers)
Yesterday arrived here from Worcester. I am this Day about beginning Justinians Institutions with Arnold Vinnius’s Notes. I took it out of the Library at Colledge. It is intituled, D. Justiniani Sacratissimi Principis Institutionum sive Elementorum Libri quatuor, Notis perpetuis multo, quam hucusque, dilligentius illustrati, Cura & Studio, Arnoldi Vinnii J.C. Editio novissima priori Progressu...
264Fryday. Oct. 6. (Adams Papers)
Rose about sun rise. Unpitched a Load of Hay. Translated 2 Leaves more of Justinian, and in the afternoon walked to Deacon Webbs, then round by the Mill Pond home. Smoaked a Pipe with Webb at the Drs. and am now about reading over again Gilberts section of feudal Tenures.
265Saturday [7 October]. (Adams Papers)
Read in Gilbert. Rode with Webb to Mr. Cranche’s. Dined and drank Tea with him, and then home. Saturday night.
266Sunday [8 October]. (Adams Papers)
Read a few Leaves in Baxters Enquiry into the Nature of the human Soul. He has explaind with great Exactness, the Resistance, which Matter makes to any Change of its State or Condition, whether of motion or of Rest. The Vis Inertiae, the positive Inactivity of matter not barely its Inactivity, but its AntiActivity. For it not only is destitute of a Power of changing its state from Rest to...
267Monday Octr. 9. (Adams Papers)
Read in Gilberts Tenures. I must and will make that Book familiar to me.
268Tuesday [10 October]. (Adams Papers)
Read in Gilbert. I read him slowly, but I gain Ideas and Knowledge as I go along, which I dont always, when I read.
269Wednesday [11 October]. (Adams Papers)
Rode to Boston. Conversed with Ned Quincy and Saml., Peter Chardon &c. By the Way Peter Chardon is a promising Youth. He aspires, and will reach to a considerable Height. He has a sense of the Dignity and Importance of his Profession, that of the Law. He has a just Contempt of the idle, incurious, Pleasure hunting young fellows of the Town, who pretend to study Law. He scorns the Character,...
270Thurdsday [12 October]. (Adams Papers)
Examined the Laws of this Province concerning Pads, Cattle, fences &c. and read in Gilbert. This small volume will take me a fortnight, but I will be master of it. Pad: “A path, track; the road, the way. Orig. slang , now also dial.” ( OED The Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford, 1933; 12 vols. and supplement. ).