30114th. (Adams Papers)
Eliza, spent the day at Mr. White’s. Mr. Thaxter was here in the Evening. The weather very mild: a farmer, who was here in the Course of the day, said the river was very ticklish.
30125th. (Adams Papers)
Snow’d all the morning, but the air so mild, that it melted generally as it fell to the ground. Two Sermons from I. Corinthians X. 31. Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. The text in itself is good, but like most other texts of Scripture, has been shamefully abused. There was in this Sermon, as in many I have heard since I have been here,...
30136th. (Adams Papers)
Mrs. Saltonstall, Mrs. Harrod, and Betsey Duncan drank tea here. Mr. Thaxter remained part of the Evening. He is I think as much attached as I ever saw any body: and is an instance, of what has often been observed that men, free from any passion, can reason, upon them, much better than they can practice, when called to. Many times have I heard him declare his disgust at fondness shown by...
30147th. (Adams Papers)
Fine Weather, all day and very mild, yet the river is not so weak but what Teems and slays cross’d it. This day Week, I am, to go to Cambridge. The nearer any Circumstance approaches; the greater is our Impatience of it. What two months ago, I did not think of once in a week; now comes to my mind almost every hour. Studied Watts in the Night.
30158th. (Adams Papers)
Mr. White’s family, and Miss Sally McKinstry, drank tea here. This young Lady has been all the Winter at Boston; she is very genteel, and was it not for a little twist in the Position of her eyes, would be uncommonly handsome. Notwithstanding this blemish her Countenance, is pleasing, and frequently dimpled with a smile. She is sociable, but unfortunately I cannot be so with a stranger, and...
30169th. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Shaw went over to Bradford, to Mr. Allen’s Lecture. The river still remains in a dangerous situation; but freezes so much in the night, that the mildness of the day is not sufficient to break up the Ice.
301710th. (Adams Papers)
Clear, but cold Weather. Went, and took a walk with Eliza, just before dusk, as far as the ship yard, we pass’d the Evening, at Mr. White’s. Mrs. Moody and Miss Codman were there. The Latter is a Lady from Boston; not handsome, and appears to be in a poor State of Health. Mrs. Moody, is a widow, who, is fond of appearing young, and is what the french call une jeune femme de 20 à 60 ans. Miss...
301811th. (Adams Papers)
Dined at Dr. Saltonstall’s, with Mr. Shaw, Mr. Thaxter and Master Parker. Spent the Afternoon at Mr. White’s. Mr. Thaxter was here in the Evening.
301912th. (Adams Papers)
Went all day to hear Mr. Smith. I had never heard him before. His text for the whole day was from Solomon’s song II. 14. O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see, thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely. The discourse in the forenoon, was entirely taken up in a description of the...
302013th. (Adams Papers)
The Day was employ’d in paying visits, and packing up my trunks. I went to Mr. White’s, Major Bartlett’s, Mr. Osgood’s, Mr. Duncan’s, and Mr. Dodge’s. The weather very mild.
302114th. (Adams Papers)
At 7 in the morning, we mounted our horses, and went about half a mile up the River where a passage for a Boat was cut through, yesterday, as the Ice was so much weaken’d as made it dangerous to cross over it. We went in to Mr. Allen’s, for about half an hour, and then proceeded before dinner as far as Wilmington. We arrived at Cambridge, a little after Sun set, much fatigued as the roads were...
3022[March 1786] (Adams Papers)
Between 9 and 10 in the morning, I went to the President’s, and was there admitted examined, before, the President, the four Tutors three Professors, and Librarian. The first book was Horace, where Mr. James the Latin Tutor told me to turn to the Carmen saeculare where I construed 3 stanza’s, and parsed the word sylvarum , but called potens a substantive. Mr. Jennison, the greek Tutor then put...
302315th. (Adams Papers)
Between 9 and 10 in the morning, I went to the President’s, and was there admitted examined, before, the President, the four Tutors three Professors, and Librarian. The first book was Horace, where Mr. James the Latin Tutor told me to turn to the Carmen saeculare where I construed 3 stanza’s, and parsed the word sylvarum , but called potens a substantive. Mr. Jennison, the greek Tutor then put...
302416th. (Adams Papers)
Rain’d, a great part of the day. Walker went to Boston and brought back my bond properly filled. Dined with Mr. Dana. Returned to the College in the afternoon, and lodged with my brother. The Government have been endeavouring to discover the principal actors in the last Night’s riot. The Sophimores are very much afraid, that some of them will suffer some public punishment, for it.
302517th. (Adams Papers)
This morning I finished the business of my admission. I carried the bond to Mr. Gannett the Steward. He then certified that I had complied with the Law. This certificate I went with to the President’s, who thereupon signed an Admittatur , which I had to carry again to the Steward, to be filed with the College Papers. The Steward told me then I was to all intents and Purposes, generally, and in...
302618th. (Adams Papers)
Went with Charles Storer, and heard, the debates in the House of Representatives; and afterwards, the pleadings, at the Supreme Court. Dined at Deacon Storer’s with Mr. Jackson. As Dr. Tufts was detained in Town, he let me have his horse, to go out to Braintree with. I set out between 3 and 4, with Mr. Cranch. I stopp’d and drank tea at my Uncle Adams’s. Got home, just before dark.
302719th. (Adams Papers)
Heard Mr. Wibird, preach all day from Romans VIII. 1st. There is therefore now no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. The Ladies complain’d that it was an old one, which, had been delivered so many Times, that, they had it, almost by heart: indeed it is said Mr. Wibird has written but very few Sermons; and preaches them over and...
302820th. (Adams Papers)
The whole forenoon, I was with my Cousin, down at our house, packing up, furniture, though many articles, are yet to be got. Mr. Cranch went to Boston in the forenoon, and Mr. Tyler, said he was very much mortified, he was obliged to attend the town meeting, but he should be at home in the Evening. It was however so late before he return’d that I could not have the Pleasure of his Company in...
302921st. (Adams Papers)
Cold, disagreeable Weather, all the morning. In the afternoon it storm’d. My Aunt and myself, sat out to go and see Mrs. Warren, in Milton, but it began to storm before we got far; so we turn’d about and went down to Uncle Quincy’s. We drank tea with him. I believe he would be much happier than he is, if he was married.
303022d. (Adams Papers)
At about 10 o’clock, Lucy and I, set out from Braintree. She came with me to Boston, to purchase, the remainder of the furniture that I shall want. We stopp’d at Milton, and saw Mrs. Warren; she was much affected at the news she lately received, of the Death of her Son Charles, in Spain a few Weeks after his arrival there. Nothing else was to be expected when he sailed from here, but however...
303123d. (Adams Papers)
I did not hear the Bell Ring this morning, and was tardy at Prayers. Every time a Student is tardy at prayers he is punished a penny; and there is no eluding that Law, so that a Student must prefer not attending prayers at all; to being ½ a minute too Late. After prayers we went in to Mr. James to recite in Terence. The manner of reciting this is, the Persons at the head of the Class, read an...
303224th. (Adams Papers)
No reciting, for any of the Classes, on Fridays, for the whole, Day. I wrote some Problems out of Ward to carry to Mr. Williams, next Monday Morning. After Prayers, I declaim’d, as it is term’d. Two Students every evening Speak from Memory, any Piece they chuse, if it be approved by the President. It was this Evening my turn, with the 2d. Abbot, and I spoke, from As you like it. All the...
303325th. (Adams Papers)
We had no reciting to day. Saturday mornings commonly the two elder Classes, recite to their own Tutors in Doddridge’s Lectures on Divinity; but our Tutor did not hear us. The weather, warm and Pleasant. In the Afternoon Mr. Cranch, and my Cousin, came, and brought me the remainder of my furniture; I did but little to day, because the weather being so fine, we were almost all day walking,...
303426th. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Patten, a young Clergyman from Rhode Island, preach’d in the forenoon, from Proverbs III. 17. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are Peace. I never felt so disagreeably, in hearing any Preacher. He look’d as if he had already, one foot in the grave, and appeared plainly, to suffer while he spoke. His diction was flowery, but he spoke, in a whining manner, lowering his...
303527th. (Adams Papers)
We recited this day in Euclid, to our own Tutor, Mr. Read, as we shall do all the week. We began, at the 4th. Book, and the way of reciting is, to read the Proposition, and then without the book demonstrate it: but it is by no means a popular, book, and many of the Students, will do nothing with it. At 9 we attended Mr. Williams. He gave each of us two or three problems, to draw the Diagrams:...
303628th. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Williams, this day, gave us, the first Lecture, upon Experimental Philosophy. It was upon the Properties of Matter, as Extension, Divisibility, Solidity, Mobility, figure , and Vis Inertiae. After the Lecture was over, he told us, the Regulations, which were, that the Door should be lock’d at the beginning of the Lectures; that there should be no whispering, nor spitting on the floor, and...
303729th. (Adams Papers)
This forenoon we had a Lecture from Mr. Wigglesworth, the Professor of Divinity, upon the Question, whether Some Persons, had not carried their Ideas of the Depravity of human Nature, too far? He appeared to reason very coolly, and without prejudice upon it. He supposed that although mankind, are greatly depraved; yet that the Scriptures, show, he is not so, absolutely in capable of doing any...
303830th. (Adams Papers)
My Trunks, which I have been so long expecting, came, at last this morning, from Haverhill. White, and my Brother, went to Boston; this day our Class finished reciting in Euclid. A Lesson was set us in Gravesande, for next Quarter; when we go, in to Mr. Read. It would have been best to have gone in to Gravesande before Mr. Williams, began his Lectures; but the Class was considerably delayed...
303931st. (Adams Papers)
No reciting, this day. I was not in at Prayers, in the morning. Mr. Williams gave us, his second Lecture, upon those Properties of Matter, which though not essential to it, was in a greater or smaller degree common to all. Such were Attraction, which was of 2 kinds, Cohesion, and Repulsion, and Gravitation. The Substance of the Lectures I have taken down on Separate Paper, so that I shall not...
3040[April 1786] (Adams Papers)
After having had a month of March uncommonly pleasant, and warm, the Present one begins with a Snow Storm. From about 2 o’clock afternoon it has snow’d, steadily till late in the Evening. Our Class recited this morning in Doddridge, but I was not in. My Chamber is so situated that the College bell, does, not sound with sufficient force to wake me, in the morning, and I have not of late been...