Adams Papers

From Jeremy Bentham to John Adams Smith, 22 December 1817

Ford Abbey Dec ’22 1817.

[M A diplomatus]

Scarce has your prophecy been utterd, which was fulfilled.

Your new Master I see is arrived and arrived, and arrived in style. Lay me, I beseech you in all due fear at the feet of his Excellency and with a smile <beg for me> tell him how proud I shall <should> feel of learning of the honour of his protection.

that done, with that seriousness<which [. . .]> your opinion of my <a belief as [. . .] well I hope> sincerity <say to> will, if it be what I hope it is for the natural accompaniment of the expression of it I <find him> have the satisfaction of regarding him as tell him, of <his character> correspondence in any degree to<that> the idea I have learnt to figure to myself of a Statesman of the American United States, and that statesman a son of Dr. Rush, how happy I <[. . .]> should be in pressing him to my bosom, in the character of a fellow labourer in the service of United America, and a confidential friend. Useful or not useful, you will I flatter myself <[. . .]> feel yourself not much committed if you venture to recommend me as a safe one.

His predecessor your worthy Uncle in one of those several walks which were so instructive and so delightful to me was by I forget what circumstance led into the confession that his countrymen were a cold and grave people: but before I had done with him I made him pursue his confession so much further as to acknowledge what I myself had the satisfaction of preceiving by still more unequivocal tokens that I had thawed some of his ice.

As to Mr. Rush, pour commencer as they say in France, and to prepare the way to a better acquaintance do me the favour to present to him in my name a copy of each of the two works in which I have appeared in the character of a Philo-Yankee: they will either accompany or soon follow these presents.

Dear Sir

I leave to thank you for your favor of the 11th instant, received here but a day or two [. . .]: it affords me a <pleasing> [. . .] proof of your kind attention to my [. . .].

As to your continuance here in office, scarcely did it produce in my mind any fresh sensation: for some how or other I had always counted upon it as certain.

I conclude with an almost impertinent question: I should be sorry it were a troublesome one. The talent which your Uncle gave me and which you borrowed of me has it been wrapped up all this time in his nephew? When we meet which I hope will be the beginning of February or earlier, <[. . .]> will there not be some produce from it to shew?

Should my letters to his countrymen <ever> be fortunate enough ever to make their appearance in the form <and be the> for which they were prepared and to every such extent as that of which you gave me hopes, the National Intelligencer as well I suppose be of course among the first <[. . .]> of the periodicals in which they make their appearance. If in that paper they had actually made their appearance before Mr. Rushs departure from the United States, <[. . .]> they must of course have come under his eyes.

GBLUc: Jeremy Bentham Papers.

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