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This Morning, I went out to Passy, and Dr. Franklin put into my hand the following Resolution of Congress, which he received last night, vizt., By the United States in Congress assembled, May 1. 1783. on the Report of a Committee, to whom was referred a Letter of Feb. 5 from the Honble. J. Adams. Ordered that a Commission be prepared to Mess rs . John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay,...

Septr. 14. Mr. Thaxter took his Leave of me to return to America, with the definitive Treaty of Peace and the original Treaty with the States General.—I had been some days unwell, but soon fell down in a Fever. Sir James Jay, who was my Physician, gave me a vomit, &c. &c. On the 22d of September, I removed from the grand Hotel du Roi, to Mr. Barclays at Auteuil, where I have continued to this...

I am now lodged in Mr. Barclays House, which he hires of the Comte de Rouault . There is a large Garden, full of all Vegetables and Fruits as Grapes, Pears, Peaches. There is besides a large Flower Garden. From the Windows in my Chamber and more distinctly, from those of the Chambers, one Story higher, you have a View of the Village of Isis Issy , of the Castle Royal of Muydon Meudon , of the...

Set out with my Son and one Servant, Leveque, on a Journey to London. We went from Auteuil, thro the Bois de Boulogne, and went out at the Port de Maillot to St. Dennis, where We took Post Horses. We dined at Chantilly, and lodged at Night at St. Just.

Dined at Amiens, and put up, at night, at Abbeville. The Roads are the best I have ever seen in France. They are not paved, or if they are, the Pavement is covered, with Flynt Stones. They Pick up in the neighbouring Fields, a Species of small Flynt Stones, which they lay along in heaps on the Side of the Road, and with these they mend the high Ways from time to time. The Wheels of the...

Went to Calais. Dined at Boulogne sur mer. Put up at Mr. Dessins. “When we arrived at Calais, as soon as we had set down in our Chamber, up comes the master of the House, and with a low bow says, Messieurs je suis vôtre trés humble serviteur; Je suis Dessein (Yorick’s man) et je viens vous rendre mes devoirs; savoir si vous voulez de Vargent &c.” ( JQA to Peter Jay Munro, 19 Nov. 1783, NNMC )....

Went on board the Packet at Nine, put off from the wharf at Ten, but had such contrary Winds and Calms, that We did not arrive at Dover untill 3 O’Clock next Morning. I was 18 hours on the Passage. The Packet was 17. She could not come in to the Harbour, made Signals for a Boat, which carried Us ashore for five shillings a head. I was never before so Sea sick, nor was my Son. My Servant was...

We are lodged at Dover, at the Royal Hotel Inn, kept by Charles Mariee. On the Backside of his house is one of the Dover Cliffs; it is an high Mountain, and at this Place is perpendicular, and there is an Appearance of Danger that the Rocks at Top, might split off by their own Weight, and dash to Pieces some of the small brick Houses at its Foot.—White Stone. I walked round with my Son to the...

Went in a Post Chaise, from Dover through Canterbury, Rochester, &c. to Dartford, where We lodged.

Went to London and the Post Boy carried Us to the Adelphi Buildings in the Strand, to John’s Street. We are at Osbornes Adelphi hotel. I am obliged here to give Thirteen Shillings a day, for a Parler, a bed Chamber, and another Bed Chamber over it for my Son, without any dining Room or Antichamber. This is dearer than my Lodgings at the Hotel du Roi in Paris—half a Guinea for my bed Chamber...

Went to see Mr. Jay who is lodged with Mr. Bingham, in Harley Street, Cavendish Square, No. 30. And in the Afternoon went to see Mr. Johnson, Great Tower Hill, who informed me that a Vessell with 1000 Hogsheads of Tobacco is passed by, in the Channel, from Congress to Messrs. Willinks. I gave Mr. Johnson his Letter, as I had left Mr. Hartleys for him at his House, who is gone into the Country,...

Embarked on Board the ship Active Capt. Lyde commander, with my daughter and 2 servants for London. To go back to the painfull Scenes I endured in taking leave of my Friends and Neighbours will but excite them over again. Suffice it to say that I left my own House the 18 of June. Truly a house of mourning; full of my Neighbours. Not of unmeaning complimenters, but the Honest yeomanary, their...

I have not been able to write a line since Monday when a North east Storm came on and held till Wednesday Mor’g. It was with the utmost difficulty that we could set or lie only by holding by each other with our feet against a table braced with ropes, that we could keep up; and when in bed I was obliged to hold fast by the sides till my hands and wrists aked to keep in: only conceive a great...

Last night at Court one of the Ladies of Honour, told me, that the Supper was given, in a great Measure, for Mrs. Bingham. Cette Super a été donne, en grande Partie, pour elle. There was great Enquiry after her, and much Admiration expressed by all who had seen her, of her Beauty. As the Princess of Orange was enquiring of me concerning her, and her Journey to Spa, Paris, Italy, the Spanish...

May not the Ascent of Vapours be explained, or rather accounted for upon the Principle of the Air Balloon? Is not every Bubble of Vapour, that rises, an Air Balloon? Bubbles are formed at the Bottoms of Canals, Rivers, Ponds, rise to the Top, and mount up. These Bubbles are particles, or small quantities of inflammable Air, surrounded with a thin film of Water. Champaign Wine, Bottled Porter...

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...

1784. August. 3.

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...

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...

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.

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...

£ 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...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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,...

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,...

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,...

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...

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....

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...

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