153617th. (Adams Papers)
Thompson did not attend this day at the Office. Phillips called to see us this afternoon. He has been to Portsmouth, and is now upon his return to Boston: he expects to read law in Mr. Dawes’s office. I walk’d into Newbury this evening with Stacey. The evenings grow long to my great regret. At present I can employ the evening from dusk till nine o’clock in walking; and as I am not over fond of...
1536221st. (Adams Papers)
This morning I left Braintree in company with my brother Tom, who was going to Haverhill; and in order to have company, so great a part of the way, I determined to go there with him. We stopp’d a short time at Cambridge, and I went to Dr. Rand’s to take a Letter from Miss Newhall, as I had promised her at Commencement. She was gone out but had left the Letter. We dined in Wilmington, and got...
15363October. 17. 1783. (Adams Papers)
Diné chéz M: l’Abbé de Chalut.
15364John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 25 January 1796 (Adams Papers)
I believe there have been two or three opportunities of writing to the Hague since I received your favour of the 23 d: ult o: which have escaped me. This circumstance is not to be attributed entirely to indolence or inattention on my part: in fact I have been very unwell, and for the last three weeks have scarcely taken a pen in hand. My previous correspondence from hence I think will bear no...
1536527th. (Adams Papers)
Went into the library, and took out one Volume of Wolff’s mathematics. Charles went to Boston: this evening Cranch returned from Braintree: we had a class meeting this evening, and voted to present a petition for a private Commencement to the overseers, who are to meet next Tuesday. I was desired, with Barron and Packard to draw up the petition. The meeting was adjourned to monday night....
1536624th. (Adams Papers)
I went in the forenoon, and exhibited my complaints to Dr. Swett, but he told me, they were not worth speaking of; and so I will e’en let them take their chance. This afternoon Townsend, and I, went down to Mr. Tracey’s, upon a disagreeable piece of business, but which we got through quite comfortably. Ben Hooper called on me in the evening. I have again begun upon Gibbon’s roman history, and...
1536711th. (Adams Papers)
Thompson watch’d last evening; in consequence of which he felt not much disposed to study closely this day, and was but little at the office. Walk’d in the evening with Putnam. For protection against fires and other disorders, the town of Newburyport required the services of two night watchmen, chosen by the constables from a list of all able-bodied townsmen ( Currier, Newburyport John J....
15368To James Madison from John Quincy Adams, 7 March 1801 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
7 March 1801, Berlin. No. 184. Conveys news, received in letters from England, of George III’s illness, Pitt’s fall from power, and the suspension of public business. Suggests that these events and Prussian firmness in support of neutral league may postpone issue of war. Speculates on British plans to accommodate Czar Paul on question of Malta. Believes British overly hopeful that Danes will...
1536917th. (Adams Papers)
This morning the different parts for Commencement were distributed by the president, in the following order. 1. A Latin Salutatory Oration, by Little. 2. An English Poem by Harris. 3. A Syllogistic disputation upon the question—“Whether thought be the essence of the soul”? by Hammond , respondent. Whitney, Phelps, Mason , and Lovell opponents. 4. A Forensic disputation, upon the...
1537014th. (Adams Papers)
I was about an hour with Dr. Kilham at his shop, Immediately after dinner; I took up one of the volumes of Junius’s Letters, and carried it with me to the office; I read the whole afternoon, and was interrupted only by the shadows of the evening. I called upon Little, and brought him home with me, to my lodgings: we pass’d a very sociable evening together: after he was gone I took up again my...
15371September 1. 1788. (Adams Papers)
Rain. Pass’d the evening with Stacey.
15372From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, October 1826 (Adams Papers)
There are four Deeds of the Executors to John Quincy Adams, executed, acknowledged, and left at the Office of the Register of Deeds at Dedham, to be recorded, which when recorded you will receive from the Register, and carefully keep There is one Bond, and four Mortagages, executed and acknowledged by me, to the Executors, and one Power of Attorney to my Co-Executor Josiah Quincy—all left also...
15373From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 21 April 1810 (Adams Papers)
I have already drawn for three hundred pounds Sterling, of the credit, for which Mr: Gray gave me a letter upon his correspondents here. He will call upon you for the money; which does not quite amount to the balance I left in your hands for the purpose—I have written to you that I shall in all probability be compelled to draw upon you for more, but as by the course of exchange I draw at great...
153747th. (Adams Papers)
North-east winds, still chill the blood, and with a dull cold principle affect our spirits. This evening, immediately after prayers, the Martimercurean band paraded; the members belonging to our Class appeared for the last Time. They performed the manual exercices, and the different evolutions, very well. Supp’d at Bradish’s with Bridge and Foster: the former has obtained leave to be absent at...
15375Aug. 27th. (Adams Papers)
This forenoon I went to see the Pictures which are exposed to view in the Gallery of the Louvre; there are some good paintings there amongst a great number of indifferent ones. After dinner I went to see the experiment, of the flying globe. A Mr. Montgolfier of late has discovered that, if one fills a ball with inflammable air, much lighter than common air, the ball of itself will go up to an...
1537621st. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Williams this forenoon closed the subject of Pneumatics, with an account of the different kinds of air. Was employ’d, the chief part of the day in writing my part for Commencement, and have not yet finished it. As I am conscious, of having no talent at rhetorical composition; this allotment has given me a vast deal of anxiety. As my part is of the same kind with that of Freeman, whose...
15377From John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 31 August 1813 (Adams Papers)
When Mr Gallatin and Mr Bayard arrived here, they brought us letters from many of our friends, and among them one from your brother George, which gave me much pleasure—But I was sorry there was none form you; and the more so because George’s letter was in answer to one which I had written him last September; and at the same time I had also written one to you—Now I have the satisfaction of...
1537827th. (Adams Papers)
A List of the Present, junior Sophister Class William Lovejoy Abbot. *Abiel Abbot *John Quincy Adams. Jonathan Amory Samuel Angier *William Amherst Baron Barron *Benjamin Beale *James Bridge. *Josiah Burge John Chandler. Thomas Chandler *Gardner Leonard Chandler Caleb Child *William Cranch *Joshua Cushman Peter Eaton *Oliver Fiske John
1537924th. (Adams Papers)
This evening, just after tea, at Chandler 1st’s chamber, we were all called out by the falling of a fellow, from the top to the bottom of the stairs. He was in liquor, and tumbled in such a manner, that his head was on the lower floor, and his feet two or three steps up. When we first went out, the blood was streaming from his head, his eyes appeared fixed, and he was wholly motionless. We all...
15380John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 5 December 1789 (Adams Papers)
No, my dear Madam, I have not tasted of the waters of Lethe, nor have the Laws of Nature, been obliterated from my heart, by too close an attention to those of Nations. The reasons which have hitherto prevented me from writing since I left you, are various; but would not be very interesting in the detail, for which reason I shall, omit the unnecessary tediousness of a justification, and offer...
1538111th. (Adams Papers)
A very warm day. I loitered away my time, as I have, every day for these three weeks. Classmates dropping off. Very few will be left by the 21st. This evening the sodality went serenading and at 3 in the morning they play’d in our entry. Richard Whitney of Petersham, Worcester C, was 20, the 23d. of last February. His circumstances are low and he will find it very difficult to get through...
15382From John Quincy Adams to John Adams Smith, 22 July 1815 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favour of the 13 May, and assure you that it would give me great satisfaction to contribute in any suitable manner in my power to promote your views of laudable ambition—I am precluded however by several insuperable considerations, from the possibility of complying with your request that I would recommend your appointment, as Secretary of Legation to this Court.—The first...
1538317th. (Adams Papers)
I never was so impatient in my Life, as I am now for other Letters from Europe. Leonard White, went to Boston in the morning, but did not bring back any Letters. Was employ’d great part of the Day in writing off yesterdays Lecture. JQA ’s curiosity was aroused after Billy Cranch had received “a hint of a certain Circumstance” in a letter from his mother the previous day, the same day JQA had...
1538414th. (Adams Papers)
Thanksgiving day. Mr. Hilliard, preached a very long sermon, but none of the best. He appeared to have laboured much, and I thought quite without success. Indeed he thought perhaps there was no reason for giving thanks considering the Situation of the Country, and this makes him the more excusable. Bridge and I went down after meeting to Judge Dana’s; dined, and passed the afternoon and...
15385From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 10 July 1820 (Adams Papers)
In looking over my file of Letters received, I find that the latest date I have from you is of 10. November 1819—I am not sure that I have written since then to you—so let this pass for N. 1. of the year 1820—I have lately had at least the satisfaction of hearing from you indirectly, by your Correspondence with your Mother and your brother; but shall be glad to hear from you more immediately....
15386Sunday July 1st. 1787. (Adams Papers)
Attended Mr. Wibird all day: in the afternoon, four children were baptised. We remain’d after meeting to hear the singing. Read some of Bolingbroke’s metaphysical speculation in the evening. Dull times.
1538726th. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
Mr. D. unwell. Pentecost day. Mr. Artaud went out in the afternoon. Stay’d at home all day. Cloudy weather in the forenoon but clear’d up after dinner.
15388From John Quincy Adams to William Cranch, 17 August 1826 (Adams Papers)
Your affectionate letter of the 9th. instt. came to hand two days since, and on the same evening I delivered to your sister Greenleaf the one for her which it enclosed— The loss of fathers such at least as were yours and mine, is and must be irreparable. Yet it is “Nature’s commonest theme,” and speaking from my own experience it is one of the choicest, as it is among the rarest ingredients of...
15389From John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 26 October 1822 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letter of the12th. instt. In the Letter to which it was the answer, it was not my intention either to grieve you, or to threaten you with the loss of your visit to Washington, during the next vacation—It was only to encourage you by the success of your former exertions and to exhort you, by my own anxious wish for your own credit and reputation, to persevering and...
1539014th. (Adams Papers)
After several attempts to see Mr. van Berkel, he was at length found at home, and declined taking back the horse, though he de clared he had never discovered any fault in him. The son said he was sorry his father persisted in refusing. At about 4 afternoon I again mounted the horse, and rode him ten miles as far as Mr. Hall’s tavern, which is a very elegant one; and where I found Mr. de...