7119 Fryday. (Adams Papers)
A rainy morning. Went down in the afternoon, to the Point. Spent the afternoon and Evening and lodged with my dear Friend Cranch, in the usuall social friendly Strain. Richard Cranch (1726–1811) , who in 1762 became AA ’s brother-in-law before her marriage to JA . Cranch conducted a glass manufactory at a settlement called Germantown (from the German artisans who worked there), on a point of...
7220 Saturday. (Adams Papers)
After breakfast, rode to my Uncle Hunts, dined there, came Home, went to see my Aunt Owen, drank Tea at Deacon Webbs with Mrs. Nabby Webb . Came home. Spent the evening at the Drs. JA ’s aunt Hannah Adams had married Benjamin Owen of Braintree, 1725; his aunt Bethiah Adams had married Ebenezer Hunt of Weymouth, 1737 ( A. N. Adams, Geneal. Hist. of Henry Adams of Braintree Andrew N. Adams, A...
7321 Sunday. (Adams Papers)
Vernal Equinox. Heard Mr. Wibird preach two excellent Discourses from Eccles. 9.12. Spent the Evening at Mr. Wibirds with Messrs. Quincy, Cranch, Savel, in Conversation upon the present Scituation of publick affairs. Mr. Quincy exerted his Talents in the most Eloquent Harrangue. Mr. Cranch quoted the bishop of Quebecks Letter concerning the french Missionaries among the Indians. Some, he says,...
7422 Monday. (Adams Papers)
A fair but cool morn. Mounted for Boston, arrived about 11 o’clock, went to friend Wm. Belchers, drank a bowl of punch, dined at my Uncle Sympsons, rode to Cambridge, drank Tea with Tom Went-worth. Spent the Evening partly at Hills Chamber, partly at Slewmans Sluman’s , and partly at Trumbles Trumbull’s and partly at Harry Hills. Lodged with John Hill. Nathan Simpson , a blacksmith of Boston,...
7523 Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
A fine morn. Breakfasted with Slewman at Prentices, mounted for Braintree, arrived about 1, dined, went to Dr. Millers, to see friend Sam. Drank Tea there with Mrs. Veasey and Mrs. Mary Miller, stopped in my return at Dr. Marshes, smoked a pipe there, came home, went to my Uncles and spent the Evening. Returned home and went to bed. Samuel Miller, Harvard 1756 , was a son of Ebenezer Miller,...
7624 Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Sat out for Worcester. Dined at Dedham and rode from thence in the rain to Mendon, supped and lodged at Josiah Adamses.
7725 Thurdsday. (Adams Papers)
Rode to Uxbridge. Tarried at my Uncle Webbs and lodged with Mr. Nathan Webb .
7826 Fryday. (Adams Papers)
A delightful morning. Rode to Grafton, dined at Josiah Rawsons. He exerted his rawsonian Talents concerning the felicity of Heaven. I sat and heard for it is vain to resist so impetuous a Torrent. Proceeded to Worcester, drank Tea at Mr. Maccarty’s and spent the evening at Major Gardiner’s.
7927 Saturday. (Adams Papers)
The Stream of Life sometimes glides smoothly on, through flowry meadows and enamell’d planes. At other times it draggs a winding reluctant Course through offensive Boggs and dismal gloomy Swamps. The same road now leads us thro’ a spacious Country fraught with evry delightful object, Then plunges us at once, into miry Sloughs, or stops our passage with craggy and inaccessible mountains. The...
8028 Sunday. (Adams Papers)
Heard Mr. Maccarty, spent the Evening at Coll. Chandlers, in Conversation concerning Lands and Farms &c.
8129 Monday. (Adams Papers)
A little hail and rain fell to Day. We find our Selves capable of comprehending many Things, of acquiring considerable Degrees of Knowledge by our slender and contracted Faculties. Now may we not suppose our minds strengthened, and Capacities dilated, so as fully to comprehend this Globe of Earth, with its numerous appendages? May we not suppose them further enlarged to take in the Solar...
8230 Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
A fair day. Drank Tea and spent the Evening at Mr. Putnams, with Mr. Maccarty, very Sociably.
8331 Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
A cool morning. Drank Tea with the Ladies at the Judges. Spent the Evening at Gardiners with the Coll., Mr. Putnam and Thayer.
84[April 1756] (Adams Papers)
A very rainy Day. A little Snow. On this day JA wrote a remarkable letter to his classmate Charles Cushing, who was then keeping a school in Newbury, on the choice of a profession. Extracts are printed in JA, Works The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: with a Life of the Author, ed. Charles Francis Adams, Boston, 1850–1856; 10 vols. , 1:29–30, 32; a complete text is...
85April 1756. 1 Thurdsday. (Adams Papers)
A very rainy Day. A little Snow. On this day JA wrote a remarkable letter to his classmate Charles Cushing, who was then keeping a school in Newbury, on the choice of a profession. Extracts are printed in JA, Works The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: with a Life of the Author, ed. Charles Francis Adams, Boston, 1850–1856; 10 vols. , 1:29–30, 32; a complete text is...
862. Fryday. (Adams Papers)
Cool and very windy. Drank Tea, and Spent the Evening at Coll. Chandlers.
873 Saturday. (Adams Papers)
Dined, Spent the afternoon and drank Tea at Coll. Chandlers.
884 Sunday. (Adams Papers)
Heard Mr. Davis of Holden all Day. Spent the Evening at Mr. Putnams.
895 Monday. (Adams Papers)
A warm pleasant Day. Drank Tea at Mrs. Paines, came home, lodged with Dr. Upham.
906 Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
A fair Day. Drank Tea at Coll. Chandlers, and fixt a Letter for Cushing, Wentworth, Dalton, Lock Locke , my Father, and Dr. Savel. Fix: to set down in writing ( OED The Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford, 1933; 12 vols. and supplement. , fix, vb., 5b). None of the six letters enumerated here, the first four of which were addressed to Harvard classmates, has been found.
917 Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
A fair Morning. Mr. Thayer set out for Coll. Harvard College .
928 Thurdsday. (Adams Papers)
Heard Mr. Maccarty preach the Lecture, drank Tea with him, and spent the Evening at Mr. Putnams.
939 Fryday. (Adams Papers)
Drank Tea at Coll. Chandlers, spent the Evening at home with My Friend Eliot, lodged with him.
9410 Saturday. (Adams Papers)
A raw cold day. The man to whom Nature has given a great and Surprizing Genius, will perform Great and Surprizing Atchievments, but a Soul originally narrow and confined, will never be enlarged to a distinguishing Capacity. Such a one must be content to grovel amidst pebles, and Butterflies thro the whole of his Life. By dilligence and Attention, indeed, he may possibly get the Character of a...
9511 Sunday. (Adams Papers)
Heard Mr. Maccarty preach all Day. Spent the Evening at Mr. Paines, and supped upon fresh Fish with the Coll., Mr. Putnam, Major Gardiner and his Lady. Talking about Law and Pollitics.
9612 Monday. (Adams Papers)
Signs of Rain. Cleard off about 10. A most beautiful Day. Drank Tea with Coll. Chandler, and spent the Evening, at Major Gardiners, with the Coll., Messrs. Maccarty, Paine, Putnam, Green.
9712 [i.e. 13] Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
A fine morning. A Charming warm Day. Every thing looks gay and lively. The Grass begins to spring, and the sprightly sunbeams gleam upon the houses. The windows are opened, the insects begin to buz, and every thing wellcomes the Joyful Spring.—Went to the Drs. Farm.
9813 [i.e. 14] Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
A pleasant morning. Wheeler drank Tea here. I went with him in the Evening, to Capt. Stearns.
9914 [i.e. 15] Thurdsday. (Adams Papers)
Wheeler and I breakfasted at Mr. Maccarty’s. Went to Mr. Dyers. Very warm. Drank Tea and spent the Evening at Mr. Putnams, in conversation concerning Christianity. He is of Opinion that the Apostles were a Company of Enthusiasts. He says we have only their word, to prove that they spoke with different Tongues, raised the Dead, and healed the Sick &c. Joseph Dyer, “an excentric Character ......
10015 [i.e. 16] Fryday. (Adams Papers)
A Stormy Day.
10116 [i.e. 17] Saturday. (Adams Papers)
A Stormy Day.
10217 [i.e. 18] Sunday. (Adams Papers)
A Stormy Day. For these 3 days past there has been a severe N.E. Storm. Heard Mr. Maccarty. Spent the Evening at Major Gardiners.
10318 [i.e. 19] Monday. (Adams Papers)
The Storm continues.
10419 [i.e. 20] Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
A lovely Day after the Storm. Drank Tea at Major Chandlers. Walked with the Coll. to his Saw-mill Farm.
10520 [i.e. 21] Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Charming Weather. The Fields begin to look verdant. The leaves begin to shew themselves on the apple Trees, and Blossoms on the peach Trees. Drank Tea at Mr. Putnams. Spent the Evening at the Majors.
10621 [i.e. 22] Thurdsday. (Adams Papers)
Cloudy, black morning. Cleared away very pleasant about 9. Dined at Capt. Stearns’s, with the Officers of the Militia in this Place. Spent the Evening at Mr. Greenes.
10722 [i.e. 23] Fryday. (Adams Papers)
A pleasant Day. I can as easily still the fierce Tempests or Stop the rapid Thunderbolt, as command the motions and operations of my own mind. I am dull, and inactive, and all my Resolution, all the Spirits I can muster, are insufficient to rouse me from this senseless Torpitude. My Brains seem constantly in as great Confusion, and wild disorder, as Miltons Chaos. They are numb, dead. I have...
10823 [i.e. 24] Saturday. (Adams Papers)
A cloudy morn. All my Time seems to roll away unnoticed. I long to study sometimes, but have no opportunity. I long to be a master of Greek and Latin. I long to prosecute the mathematical and philosophical Sciences. I long to know a little of Ethicks and moral Philosophy. But I have no Books, no Time, no Friends. I must therefore be contented to live and die an ignorant, obscure fellow. A...
10924 [i.e. 25] Sunday. (Adams Papers)
Astronomers tell us, with good Reason, that not only all the Planets and Satellites in our Solar System, but all the unnumbered Worlds that revolve round the fixt Starrs are inhabited, as well as this Globe of Earth. If this is the Case all Mankind are no more in comparison of the whole rational Creation of God, than a point to the Orbit of Saturn. Perhaps all these different Ranks of Rational...
11025 [i.e. 26] Monday. (Adams Papers)
The Reflection that I penned Yesterday, appears upon the review to be weak enough. For 1st. we know not that the Inhabitants of other Globes have sinned. Nothing can be argued in this manner, till it is proved at least probable that all those Species of rational Beings have revolted from their rightful Sovereign.—When I examine the little Prospect that lies before me, and find an infinite...
11126 [i.e. 27] Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
We had a few soft, vernal Showers to Day.
11227 [i.e. 28] Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
A cool but pleasant morning. Dined at Mr. Paines. Drank Tea at Mr. Putnams. Walked with him to his Farm. Talked about all Nature.
11328 [i.e. 29] Thurdsday. (Adams Papers)
Fast day. Heard Mr. Maccarty. Spent the Evening at Mr. Putnams. Our proper Business in this Life is, not to accumulate large Fortunes, not to gain high Honours and important offices in the State, not to waste our Health and Spirits in Pursuit of the Sciences, but constantly to improve our selves in Habits of Piety and Virtue. Consequently, the meanest Mechanick, who endeavours in proportion to...
11429 [i.e. 30] Fryday. (Adams Papers)
A hazy, dull Day. Reading Milton. That mans Soul, it seems to me, was distended as wide as Creation. His Powr over the human mind was absolute and unlimited. His Genius was great beyond Conception, and his Learning without Bounds. I can only gaze at him with astonishment, without comprehending the vast Compass of his Capacity.
115[May 1756] (Adams Papers)
A rainy Day. If we consider a little of this our Globe we find an endless Variety of Substances, mutually connected with and dependent on Each other. In the Wilderness we see an amazing profusion of vegetables, which afford Sustenance and covering to the wild Beasts. The cultivated Planes and Meadows produce grass for Cattle, and Herbs for the service of man. The milk and the Flesh of other...
11630 [April, i.e. 1 May] Saturday. (Adams Papers)
A rainy Day. If we consider a little of this our Globe we find an endless Variety of Substances, mutually connected with and dependent on Each other. In the Wilderness we see an amazing profusion of vegetables, which afford Sustenance and covering to the wild Beasts. The cultivated Planes and Meadows produce grass for Cattle, and Herbs for the service of man. The milk and the Flesh of other...
117May. 1756. 1 [i.e. 2] Sunday. (Adams Papers)
Last night we had rain all night accompanied with a very high Wind, and the storm continues. Heard Mr. Camel Campbell of Oxford. About noon cleard away. I think it necessary to call my self to a strict account, how I spend my Time, once a week at least. Since the 14th of April I have been studying the 1st Part of Butlers Analogy. Spent the Evening at home with Mes srs . Camel, Green. Copious...
1183 Monday. (Adams Papers)
I was mistaken one Day in my reckoning. A pleasant Day. Spent the Evening and supped at Mr. Maccartys. The Love of Fame naturally betrays a man into several weaknesses and Fopperies that tend very much to diminish his Reputation, and so defeats itself. Vanity I am sensible, is my cardinal Vice and cardinal Folly, and I am in continual Danger, when in Company, of being led an ignis fatuus Chase...
1194 Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
Let any man, suppose of the most improved understanding, look upon a watch, when the Parts of it are separated. Let him examine every Wheel and spring seperately by itself. Yet if the Use and Application of these springs and Wheels is not explained to him, he will not be able to judge of the Use and Advantage of particular Parts, much less will he be able, if he sees only one wheel. In like...
1205 Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
A very cold Day. Drank Tea at the Colonels. Spent the Evening at the Majors.