310130th. (Adams Papers)
The weather cleared up, in the afternoon. A number of the Class have had leave to be absent till the end of the week, on account of Election day. My Cousin, set off, at about 4 afternoon to go on foot to Braintree, We had a Lecture from Mr. Wigglesworth at three.
310231st. (Adams Papers)
Election day. This is a day of great festivity throughout the Country. The last Wednesday in May, is appointed, for declaring the choice, of the Governor, Lieutt. Governor &c. It is the only day in the year, in which the Student here is left at his Liberty to do whatever he pleases; and it is most frequently the Case, as it has been this day, that one Party is playing in the yard from 8 in the...
3103[June 1786] (Adams Papers)
We had this forenoon a Lecture from Mr. Williams. Upon the reflection and the refraction of light. It is not usual for him to give Lectures on Thursdays, as many of both the Classes, are always absent on that day; as was the Case to day, not above half being present. But he has been so long prevented, by the weather, from giving any, that he is obliged to take the first fair day that happened:...
3104Thursday June 1st. 1786. (Adams Papers)
We had this forenoon a Lecture from Mr. Williams. Upon the reflection and the refraction of light. It is not usual for him to give Lectures on Thursdays, as many of both the Classes, are always absent on that day; as was the Case to day, not above half being present. But he has been so long prevented, by the weather, from giving any, that he is obliged to take the first fair day that happened:...
31052d. (Adams Papers)
We had another Lecture from Mr. Williams to day, with an explanation of the different optical Instruments, that are most commonly made use of. But there was such, a flocking to see through the microscope, and the magic Lantern, and the camera obscura, that something got broke, and Mr. Williams, shew nothing more after it. Weather very warm, several of us, bath’d in the River this afternoon.
31063d. (Adams Papers)
We had a Lecture this morning upon Electricity; we received two small shocks, which however, gave me such a stroke in the joints at my elbows that I could not write after it; The weather very warm indeed. Fahrenheits’ thermometer I am told was at 87: 80 is the common summer heat. We did not recite in Doddridge, this morning.
31074th. (Adams Papers)
Attended meeting all day. It was very uncomfortable, the weather being so warm, and we are crowded there so thick. The Parson for our Comfort was very short. In the forenoon he preach’d from I Ep: John V. 11. And this is the record, That God, hath given to us eternal Life, and this Life is in his Son, and in the afternoon from, I Corinthians VII. 31. And they that use this world, as not...
31085th. (Adams Papers)
We had a Lecture from Mr. Williams, concerning heat, proper Lecture for the weather. Je fus le soir à l’assemblée de nôtre petite Societé, ou nous eûmes, Burge, Chandler, Harris, et moi une petite dispute impromptue, sur la Question, si l’Europe est plus favorable au genie que l’amerique. Moi, je soutins, le contraire, et je le soutiendrai toujours. Après avoir fait quelques autres petites...
31096th. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Williams gave us another Lecture upon heat; and introduced a new System of his own. But the heat being increased in the Chamber, by a small fire, which was necessary for making the experiments, and by the breath of an hundred Persons, as sembled in it, became almost insupportable, Thompson fainted completely, and was carried away to his chamber.
31107th. (Adams Papers)
We had this morning a continuation of Mr. Williams’s System; by which, he pretends to account for the aurora borealis, in a manner different from any that has yet been started. His Hypothesis appears to be very plausible, and I hope, that if it is not wholly true, it may lead on to further discoveries concerning a Phenomenon, which has not yet been well accounted for. I declaim’d in the Chapel...