1380121st. (Adams Papers)
We recite this week, and the next to Mr. Read; The juniors have now a leisure week; Mr. Hale having resign’d, and no other tutor being chosen in his stead. Every tutor when he resigns his office, has a right to nominate a person, for his successor; Mr. Hale nominated Mr. Paine the former Butler but they say he is too Popular among the scholars, to be chosen, there are four other gentlemen in...
138027th. (Adams Papers)
Went into Paris early in the morning. Called at the Hôtel d’Orleans, Rue St. Anne . Mr. Wilson, and Mr. Warburton, were going for England at Noon. Hotel d’Orleans, Palais Royal : Dr. Ruston found West there, and accompanied him, to the Diligence, Rue Montmartre; at 12 o’clock they all went off. I walk’d with Mr. Jarvis in the Palais Royal, and afterwards went and dined with him, at the hotel...
13803Monday August 27th. 1781. (Adams Papers)
This day at about 10 o’clock A.M. we arriv’d at St. Petersburg having left Narva yesterday morning at about 9 ½ o’clock. The roads in general are very good, the country in some part is sandy; but there it is almost all paved, the distance is about 145 Wersts.
13804From John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 17 January 1822 (Adams Papers)
The proposal contained in your Letter of the 12th. instt. does equal honour to your head and to your heart—It shall be carried into effect; but I shall take upon myself a suitable portion of the expense necessary to that purpose—I shall immediately write to your uncle concerning it. The sum received for the Claim given you by your Grandfather, was three hundred and seventy dollars and forty...
13805From John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 5 January 1793 (Adams Papers)
The bearer of this Letter, M r: D’Hauteval, is a french Gentleman from the Island of S t: Domingo, where he had lately the misfortune to lose a plantation of great value, by the devastation of the insurgent negroes. He has been about two months in this town, where I have frequently had the pleasure of meeting him in Company, and where his amiable manners have entitled him to as much esteem, as...
1380627th. (Adams Papers)
In the afternoon I went into Paris with the Ladies; left them before the Jardin des Tuileries. Walk’d to the Hotel de Bretagne; West was out. Walk’d some time in the Palais Royal; and met Mr. Ruston, and soon after Mr. West. His arm is much better but still swolen.
13807John Quincy Adams to James Madison, 1 March 1829 (Madison Papers)
Your friendly Letter of the 24th. ulto is received, and the remark which you make in it respecting General Hamilton, as well as your own position, in the affairs of this Union from 1804 to 1814, induce me to request an appeal to your own recollections with regard to some of the facts involved in this controversy. And first let me premise that Mr Plumer’s testimony in the pamphlet which you...
13808From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 8 February 1805 (Adams Papers)
I have two or three letters from you which I am afraid will never be answered in the manner all your letters deserve to be answered; but I know you will make all the proper allowances for my situation, and the shortness of my Time.—There is however a question or two which I can no longer delay to answer.—And first; respecting the enlargement of the Meeting-House, I have to say that I cannot...
1380911th. (Adams Papers)
We recite again to Mr. Read this week, and shall probably the whole of this Quarter. I finished the first part of my forensic. We had in the Evening, a meeting of the A. B. We had no Oration, Abbot 2d. being necessarily detained. Little and Cranch gave us a Forensic. I read my N: 3. (p: 38.) Several other Pieces were read, after which we determined to admit Abbot, Gordon, and Dodge, of the...
13810To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 25 May 1813 (Adams Papers)
I had yesterday the satisfaction of receiving your favour of 1. March, after the interval of nearly a year during which I had not enjoyed the same pleasure. I well know how irksome it is to sit down and write, with so many restraints upon the pen, that we must be in perpetual anxiety, not what to say, but what to omit—But one of the comforts that I always derive from your letters, and which...
1381111th. (Adams Papers)
This Day, the King made his grand review, on the Plaines de Sablons. Mr. A. and the Ladies dined at the Sweedish Ambassadors; I had so much to do, that I could not. Early in the morning I had a remise, and went first to Dr. Franklin, to take his Commands and ask for a Passport; which I could not get, because, M: de la Motte his secretary, was gone to the Review. Went to Mr. Jefferson’s who was...
138128th. (Adams Papers)
It snow’d all the forenoon; but as the weather kept continually moderating, in the afternoon it began to rain, and before the weather cleared up, the snow was almost gone. I went with Townsend, and drank coffee at Mr. Thompson’s. His son goes to Boston to-morrow. I gave him my letter for Cranch: after we went from there, we called in at Putnam’s lodgings and found Captain Noyes there. Mr....
13813Sunday October 1st. 1786. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Paine, preached here, in the forenoon from Acts IV. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other, and in the afternoon from I of Corinthians XVI. 14. Let all your things be done with Charity. The morning discourse was doctrinal, and therefore not so pleasing a Subject as the other; which was excellent. His arguments in favour of Charity, were such as naturally arise from the Subject, but...
13814From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 16 November 1818 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the first instant did not come to hand until last Monday—That of the 9h. enclosing Mr. Whitney’s Sermon upon the decease of our dear and ever to be lamented Mother, for which I beg you to thank him in my name, reached me yesterday, together with a Letter from my Son George—I am yet almost without any account of the particulars of her illness—A line from Harriet Welsh, received...
13815To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 8 March 1805 (Adams Papers)
During the last days of the Session of Congress which has just expired, I found it impossible to continue the correspondence which I had previously maintained even so far as to enclose from day to day the public documents as they were printed—From 10 O’Clock in the morning untill 7 in the Evening the Senate was constantly in Session, with the interval of only half an hour each day for a slight...
13816Wednesday June 1st. 1785. (Adams Papers)
Small wind. The Season for Calm weather is coming forward, and I am afraid we shall have a long passage; in the afternoon we saw a ship and pass’d within a mile from her but the weather being dark and foggy we could not see her distinctly. Towards night the wind freshened.
13817From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 5 July 1826 (Adams Papers)
I have received with pleasure your Letter of the 28th. ulto. and should have been glad to have found in it an acknowledgment of the receipt of mine of the 20th. which enclosed one to the Committee of the Proprietors of the Athenaeum—Your Promotion both civil and military, will necessarily abridge your leisure time, and I hope it will also accustom you to the habit of the despatching business,...
138184th Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
This morning our Guide told us that the Chaises had several things to be mended and that we could not go to day. At about 12 o clock I with Mr. Dana Mr. Allen Mr. Thaxter and S C Johonnot went to see the Cathedral but the man was gone to dinner and the door was shut. The Gentlemen went again after dinner but I did not go with them. I here will say a little about this Town. The streets are very...
1381912th. (Adams Papers)
Saturday evening. I was as usual, all the evening at my own lodgings: I spent my time in reading Gibbon’s roman history, 2d volume, and now at 12 at night, upon compulsion I am to say something for myself. And I know nothing better than to testify, that at Mr. Parsons’s office, I have lost a great part of this week, by conversing with him and with Townsend. Mr. Parsons is now gone to Boston,...
13820From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 8 November 1814 (Adams Papers)
The Evening before last, Mr Russell received, enclosed in a letter from Mr Beasley a scrap of an English Newspaper, containing the President’s Speech, or Message, at the commencement of the Session of Congress, and immediately under it a paragraph asserting that the Letters from Liverpool affirmed in the most positive terms, that the American fleet on Lake Ontario was totally destroyed, and...
138212d. (Adams Papers)
I dined with Walker at Mr. Thaxter’s. My brother’s both dined at Mr. White’s. In the afternoon, we rode again in sleighs upon the river as far as we went yesterday. We had a number of songs, somewhat in the Collegiate stile; but in order to be exemplary return’d home quite early in the evening. Mr. Thaxter lives very agreeably, and has retracted his theory with respect to matrimony: and indeed...
13822From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 12 July 1816 (Adams Papers)
Mr Tarbell informs me that he and his Lady have determined to return to the United States, and that they expect to sail next Monday for from Liverpool. I have now barely time to tell you that we are all well, and to send you a Newspaper, and the last number of the Quarterly Review—We have received Letters from my father and brother, and from you, to the 27th. of May—If the intervals between my...
1382330th. Thursd. (Adams Papers)
This day I din’d at Mr. Greigg’s a merchant of this Place. In the evening I went to the assembly, which is much more brilliant here than I have seen it any where: in Stockholm they are much more so, but there were no assemblies there while I was in town on account of the mourning for the Death of the Queen Dowager, which is at present finish’d: this is said to be for opu lence the second City...
13824[January 1785] (Adams Papers)
Horace, Opera , London, 1744, p. 149 (inscribed “J.Q. Adams, Paris, March 15, 1785,” in MQA ), Bk. II, Satire III, lines 14–15: “You must shun the wicked Siren Sloth the quotation continues or be content to drop whatever honour you have gained in nobler hours” ( Horace, Satires, Epistles and Ars Poetica, transl. Fairclough Horace: Satires, Epistles and Ars Poetica with an English Translation ,...
13825To James Madison from John Quincy Adams, 24 December 1815 (Madison Papers)
The Pamphlet which I do myself the honour of transmitting to you with this Letter was some time since sent me by its author, with the request that I would forward it to you. This Gentleman who resides at Berlin and is Librarian to the King of Prussia is by birth a Spaniard. His Father was formerly in high diplomatic Office as Minister of Spain successively at several European Courts. Nearly...
1382623d. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
This afternoon I went and paid a visit to the Baron de la Houze the French Minister here; he offer’d to send any letter I should write to my Father with his Dispatches to Mr. De Vergennes. Matthieu de Basquiat, Baron de la Houze , French minister plenipotentiary to Denmark, 1779–1792 ( Repertorium der diplomatischen Vertreter aller Länder Repertorium der diplomatischen Vertreter aller Lander...
1382726. (Adams Papers)
Diné chés M: Franklin.
1382824th. (Adams Papers)
I returned, and once more took my seat in the office: but did little this forenoon. Thompson was unwell, and did not attend. I went with Putnam to club at Little’s; there were only three of us. Thompson being indisposed, and Stacey out of town. I was this day inform’d that Pickman has lain aside all thoughts of practising Law, and has already opened a Store in Boston. The determination was...
13829Wednesday 22d. (Adams Papers)
In our Carriage at 6 o’clock, went 9 posts before dinner. Dined at Boulogne. Arrived at Calais at about 7 ½ o’clock having rode 13. posts. Lodged at Monsr. Dessein’s: Hotel d’Angleterre. Pierre Quillacq, or M. Dessein (or Dessin) as he was called, gained a great reputation from Laurence Sterne’s allusions to him and his hotel in A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy ( AA2, Jour. and...
13830John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson, 10 January 1797 (Adams Papers)
How painful it is to me, my amiable friend to feel the assurance that my Letters for which you wait with so much anxious expectation, when they arrive, can bring to you none but unacceptable news, and that they can relieve you from suspense only by the confirmation of disappointment. My Letters of November 19. December 5. 13. 20. and 31. are most probably before this time all in your hands....
1383127th. (Adams Papers)
Better than I have been for these ten days past: all the time again at the office, or at my own lodgings. It is of great advantage to us to have Mr. Parsons in the office. He is in himself a law-library, and a proficient in every useful branch of science. But his chief excellency is, that, no student can be more fond of proposing questions than he is of solving them. He is never at a loss, and...
13832Februarius. 1783. (Adams Papers)
11. Depart de Gottenbourg a 8. heures du matin. Nous arrivames á Copenhague le 15. à 8 heures du soir. Times of departure and arrival vary slightly from the main entries (above). JQA ’s return to The Hague from Copenhagen, sketchily presented in this and the following two entries in his Diary, was marked with numerous delays, which characterized his entire journey from St. Petersburg. Arriving...
13833From John Quincy Adams to Charles Francis Adams, 12 June 1824 (Adams Papers)
Your Letters of 21. February and 6. April, have remained long unanswered—They are both upon Subjects important to your feelings and prospects, and therefore highly important to me—But independent of the occupations which press so heavily upon my time, the tenour of the first of them, written so soon after you had left us, required some deliberation from me to answer it in the Spirit of the...
1383414th. (Adams Papers)
This was a day of humiliation and prayer at Mr. Carey’s: on account of his sickness; and to implore the assistance of providence in choosing a colleague to supply his place. Mr. Webster of Salisbury preached in the forenoon; and performed very well. But Dr. Tucker in the afternoon was very interesting and pathetic; in showing how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together...
1383517th. (Adams Papers)
I have continued reading in Sullivan’s lectures. The book is entertaining, and the author so far as he goes appears to be master of his subject. In general he is perspicuous and intelligible, but the Treatise is rather historical than professional: it was a posthumous work, and therefore probably much more imperfect, than it would have been, had the author himself given it to the public. The...
13836From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 7 November 1815 (Adams Papers)
After I had closed my last Letter to you dated 1st. October, I received on the same day your favour of the 30th. August, and some day’s afterwards the collection of Pamphlets on the late Trinitarian controversy, they were brought as far as Liverpool by Mr. Cary, who survived the Passage across the Atlantic, but who was not destined to reach London alive. he died at Royston on the road from...
13837Thursday September 4th. (Adams Papers)
Left Newbury-Port this morning with Bridge: we dined at Putnam’s in Dan vers. Very indifferent entertainment. After mistaking our road, and going to Winisimet ferry, we finally got to Cambridge a little before 9 o’clock. Lodg’d at Bradish’s.
13838Aprilis. 1783. (Adams Papers)
5. Depart de Hambourg arriveé à Breme Bremen le. 6. Nous y restames jusques au 12. À 3. heures de l’aprés midi que nous partimes pour Amsterdam. Nous voyageames nuit et jour jusques au 16. que nous y arrivames a 11. heures avant midi. J’y restai jusques au 20. Alors j’en partis et j’arrivai à la Hay le 21. à 9. heures du matin.
1383924th. (Adams Papers)
Weather was so cloudy all day, that we had no philosophical lecture. Tuesday evening we had a meeting of the ΦBK. Admitted Abbot, Bancroft, and Lincoln, and yesterday morning, we met again at Packard’s chamber, and voted to admit Barron, Gardner and Grosvenor. Our Class having no college exercices to attend to, and many of them having now finished their parts for Commencement, are generally...
13840John Quincy Adams to Elizabeth Smith Shaw, 8 July 1795 (Adams Papers)
About three months have elapsed since I received information by Letters from America, of the distressing trial you were called to endure, and the heavy affliction you sustained so soon after my departure from my native land. The intelligence affected me sensibly not only from the disposition to sympathize with your sorrows, but because I felt the loss myself of a friend, whose affections were...
1384121st. (Adams Papers)
I read through Wright’s short treatise upon the feudal tenures. I found nothing in it, but what I had before read upon the subject in other writers. In the beginning of the next week, I shall take up Coke upon Littleton, Which seems to be the great magazine for law knowledge but it is one of those unlucky folio’s, which appear so formidable to many students in the profession. I set myself...
13842To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 27 January 1808 (Adams Papers)
I have already written you a very long letter in answer to your favour of the 8th: instt:—and after writing it, upon reading it over concluded the best disposition I could make of it would be to burn it—Accordingly the flames have consumed it, and I must begin again. Your answers and observations upon my inquiries respecting the impressment of our seamen by the British are of the highest...
1384327th. (Adams Papers)
Recite in Ferguson this week. Mr. Williams, this forenoon concluded his course of astronomical lectures, by explaining the or rery, and the cometarium. I have not received from these lectures either the entertainment or the instruction, which I expected from them. Except having acquired a clearer notion of the figures of the different planets by viewing them through the telescope, I believe I...
1384414th. (Adams Papers)
Return’d a copy of my theses to the president, who informed me, that they would all be ready to send to Boston in a day or two. Cranch and Amory, and Beale, went over to Mystic with Learned, who took his final leave of College. The weather was very warm all day; but in the evening, a beautiful thunder shower refreshed the air very greatly. Pass’d the evening at Foster’s chamber.
13845From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 27 September 1812 (Adams Papers)
I wrote a few days ago to your Grandmama, and desired her to inform you, and your brother John, of the heavy misfortune that had just befallen us, in the loss of your Sister, who after a very severe illness of four weeks, left this world, I trust for a better, on the morning of the 15th. of this Month.—I need not tell you how much distressed your Parents are at this afflicting dispensation of...
13846From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 19 March 1806 (Adams Papers)
I have received two letters from you, since I wrote you last; but I presume you will know the reason which has prevented me from answering the first of them before the coming of the last.—As the Session advanced the business to which my attention became necessary accumulated so much that I had scarcely time to go home and come to the Capitol from day to day—And besides all the subjects which...
1384717th. (Adams Papers)
Chandler 1st. went off this morning; there are about 20 of the scholars, who have not yet been able to get home. They are however going off, one by one. Attended meeting all day. Mr. Hilliard preached in the morning, a sermon, which I have heard him deliver before. Thanksgiving sermon I suppose took up all his Time this week. Mr. Burr preach’d in the afternoon, and saved the Parson, the...
138484th. (Adams Papers)
Breakfasted with Forbes, and at ten o’clock set off for Boston in company with Clark: as soon as I got into town I went to the chapel, where Mr. Dawes was delivering the anniversary Oration; but he had almost finished, when I got there. He closed very prettily: after which his ode to independence, set to music by Mr. Selby was perform’d: from thence I went immediately to the old brick meeting...
1384929th. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
In the afternoon Mr. D. took a ride. Stay’d at home all day. Very windy weather.
13850From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 20 August 1826 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letters of the 13th. and 14th from Lebanon, and rejoice with exceeding joy at the recovery of your health—From other Letters received here I learn that you intended to remain at Lebanon, only a very few days, and I scarcely know whether this will find you there My Letter of the 17th. which I hope you will receive this day will inform you of Mr Boyleston’s affectionate...