365110th. (Adams Papers)
Attended at the office as usual, and read Blackstone: passed the evening with Putnam at his lodgings. Began to read Buffon’s natural history of man.
365211th. (Adams Papers)
Attended meeting, with Townsend, the whole day at Dr. Tucker’s: much pleased with this gentleman as a preacher. Little came home with me: in the evening Williams came in: from Salem yesterday. We went with him to Putnam’s, and finished the evening.
365312th. (Adams Papers)
I had some writing, which I wished to do this day, and I therefore did not attend at the office. Williams and Little dined, and past the afternoon with me. Townsend came in, just before dark: I went with him and spent an hour or two at Mr. Atkins’s. This family is very agreeable: Mrs. Atkins, is a sociable, cheerful, sensible old lady; Miss A. is handsome, and a favorite of Town-send’s. I went...
365413th. (Adams Papers)
Williams set out this morning for Cambridge. I at length got me some wood, and had a fire in my chamber, which will enable me hence forth to study more in the evenings. Thompson was with me an hour or two this night.
365514th. (Adams Papers)
I find I am getting fast into the same unmeaning dull sameness, which has frequently abbreviated the space of a day in these pages. Study does not consist merely, in acquiring the ideas of others but, it is necessary by reflection to endeavour to form some for ourselves: But I am fearful, that I have not yet acquired sufficient knowledge, to derive much advantage from my own speculations. Ars...
365615th. (Adams Papers)
Amory, and Thompson went upon a dancing party yesterday. They invited me to join them, but I did not feel disposed. This afternoon I went with Townsend, and attended Mr. Spring’s lecture. I was much better pleased than I expected to be with this gentleman’s preaching. His sentiments are extremely contracted, and illiberal, and he maintains them with the zeal, and enthusiasm of a bigot, but his...
365716th. (Adams Papers)
I finished the second volume of Blackstone, and began upon the third which treats of private wrongs. And this evening I got through Buffon’s natural history of man, which is still more entertaining than the theory of the earth.
365817th. (Adams Papers)
I set out for Haverhill between 3 and 4. this afternoon, and arrived at Mr. White’s, a little after 5. Leonard was at my lodgings last Tuesday, and made me promise I would stay with him the next time I should go to that town. I was inform’d of Mr. Thaxter’s marriage. Last tuesday was the day, when he departed the life of a bachelor, and was ushered into a new kind of existence. His friends had...
365918th. (Adams Papers)
In the forenoon I attended at Mr. Smith’s meeting: he preaches without notes, and like all the preachers, who make a practice of this, that I ever heard, often repeats the same sentiments. In the afternoon I went to hear Mr. Shaw. After meeting I went up there and pass’d part of the evening. Mr. Redington and Captain Marsh and Deacon Eames were there.
366019th. (Adams Papers)
I lodg’d at Mr. White’s again last night; went this morning up to Mr. Shaw’s and past an hour; and between 10 and 11, Set off for Newbury-Port. Got home at about I. Called at the office. Found Amory was gone to Salem for a week. Mr. Parsons says, he will spoil himself in spite of any thing that can be done. Town-send dined with me. We were not much in the office, in the afternoon. Little spent...
366120th. (Adams Papers)
Proceed slowly in the third volume of Blackstone. As this is the most important author of all those that will occur, I make large extracts from him, which takes me up so much time that I cannot read above twenty or thirty pages in a day. Townsend pass’d the evening at my lodgings. Dull weather. This afternoon there was a town-meeting for the purpose of choosing members to represent this Town...
366221st. (Adams Papers)
I this morning requested of Mr. Parsons his opinion, whether it would be most advantageous for me to pursue, the professional study in those hours, when I should not attend at the office; or whether it would be best to devote those of my evenings, which I shall pass at my own lodgings, to other purposes, and a diversity of studies. He answered by observing, that I could not attend to any...
366322d. (Adams Papers)
Weather remarkably mild for the Season: I have been rather unwell for a week or 10 days back, which prevents me from applying myself with so much assiduity as I should wish to. I passed this evening with Thompson and Putnam at Little’s. We were very sociable, and cheerful. At 9 we return’d to our respective homes. The weather before this, had cleared up, though in the afternoon it had...
366423d. (Adams Papers)
The events of the day were quite uninteresting. I had however an opportunity to observe the effects of the Passions. How despotically they rule! how they bend, and master, the greatest and the wisest geniuses! T’is a pity! ’tis great pity! that prudence should desert people when they have the most need of it. Tis pity, that such a mean, little, dirty passion as envy, should be the vice of the...
366524th. (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...
366625th. (Adams Papers)
I thought I was too unwell to pass two hours in a cold meeting house this forenoon, and staid at home. In the afternoon I ventured out, and went with Townsend to Dr. Tucker’s meetinghouse; but finding there was no service there, we went to church. Parson Bass, is not much of an orator, and was rather negligent in treating common place topics, in common place language. Drank tea at Mrs....
366726th. (Adams Papers)
I took an additional cold, yesterday, and am still more unwell than I have been. I pass’d the evening at my lodgings; reading Gibbon, and translating a piece from the french.
366827th. (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...
366928th. (Adams Papers)
Finished the third volume of Blackstone, and began upon the fourth, which is upon public wrongs. Took something of a long walk with Thompson. He, and Little and Putnam passed the evening with me. Mr. and Mrs. Smith came into Town this evening, and brought me a bundle. Mr. Parsons after making much difficulty has finally consented, that we should pass the evenings till 8 o’clock at the office,...
367029th. (Adams Papers)
Thanksgiving day: between 8 and 9 o’clock this morning I set out for Haverhill and got to Mr. Shaw’s a little before eleven. I attended meeting: Mr. Shaw preach’d a long sermon, and a good one. Mr. Parker and his wife dined with us: I did not admire them, the woman particularly; she has a hard masculine countenance, and black eyes, which express as much softness as those of a tyger. But she is...
367130th. (Adams Papers)
I passed the forenoon with Leonard, who has been making two or three unsuccessful attempts to make phosphorus; his glass vials melt in the process. Dined at Mr. Duncan’s. Mrs. Thaxter has got two or three wrinkles on her forehead. I went to see the house in which they are to live. Pass’d the afternoon with him. His honey moon is not yet past. I was at Mr. White’s in the evening.
3672[December 1787] (Adams Papers)
I dined at Mr. White’s; after dinner I went to Mr. Shaw’s, stay’d about an hour, and just before Sun-set, departed for Newbury-Port. I got into the town just as the clock struck seven. Pass’d the evening with Putnam; and came home at about 9. I found Dr. Kilham, at home: he return’d from Boston on Thursday; and although his conduct during the late session of the general court, upon the subject...
3673Saturday December 1st. 1787. (Adams Papers)
I dined at Mr. White’s; after dinner I went to Mr. Shaw’s, stay’d about an hour, and just before Sun-set, departed for Newbury-Port. I got into the town just as the clock struck seven. Pass’d the evening with Putnam; and came home at about 9. I found Dr. Kilham, at home: he return’d from Boston on Thursday; and although his conduct during the late session of the general court, upon the subject...
36742d. (Adams Papers)
I attended Mr. Carey’s meeting this afternoon, and in the evening I went to Mr. Carter’s. Mrs. Smith and Miss Betsey return to Boston to-morrow. Mr. Smith went yesterday. Miss Emery, and Miss Sally Jenkins, were at Mr. Carter’s this evening.
36753d. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Moore breakfasted with us. Mr. Parsons is quite unwell, and has been so for two or three days past. This evening White called at the office; he came from Haverhill this day. He passed the evening, and lodged with me. Townsend, Thomson and Putnam were like wise here in the evening. I feel neither the inclination nor the power to expatiate, upon the events of the day, which were very...
36764th. (Adams Papers)
White returned this morning to Haverhill. At the office all day. Mr. Parsons still very unwell—somewhat vapourish: fears he has the distemper which is now very prevalent in the town.
36775th. (Adams Papers)
I pass’d the evening with Little and Townsend at Miss Cazneau’s. We play’d Commerce, and whist: but it was dull work. Miss Cazneau, has nothing in her person to recommend her, but a very good shape; her complexion is very dark, and not very clear. No feature of her face is peculiarly agreeable, and her eyes are rather unfavourable to her. A capricious, passionate, imprudent character is...
36786th. (Adams Papers)
Spent the evening with Thompson and Little, at Putnam’s lodgings. We conversed upon a diversity of subjects. Law, Physic, History, poetry, religion and politics, by turns engaged our attention. These meetings renew the recollection of those happy scenes, which we have all gone through in college; and in this manner, I now pass some of my most agreeable hours. But after I came home this...
36797th. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Parsons, has recovered in a great measure from his illness: so that he was the chief part of this day in the office. I spent the evening in part with him. Play’d Backgammon, and draughts. At the former of these games he beats me; at the latter I beat him. I should suppose him to be a great proficient, at those games which require reflection, and a train of reasoning, which is very much the...
36808th. (Adams Papers)
Amory went to Ipswich this afternoon. He cannot yet get entirely over his old habits. He intends however to come back this evening. I went with Townsend to see Mr. Atkins, but did not find him at home. His Mother and Sister have both been ill of the putrid throat distemper, and are not yet wholly recovered. Townsend came home, and sat an hour with me. We conversed upon several topics, but...