Diary of John Quincy Adams, volume 1

171 14th. Friday. JQA

1783-02-14

14th. Friday. Adams, John Quincy
14th. Friday.

After having rode this day about 8. miles Swedish, we arrived at about 9. o'clock, P.M. At Helsingborg Hälsingborg which is the last town in Sweden.

15th. Saturd. JQA

1783-02-15

15th. Saturd. Adams, John Quincy
15th. Saturd.

Having left Helsingborg this morning at about 10' o'clock, we pass'd the Sound and at about 11. we arriv'd at Elseneur Helsingör which is the first Danish town. We stay'd there about 2 hours to refresh ourselves and have our trunks examined and set out from there at about 1' o'clock afternoon, and arrived at Copenhagen at about 7. o'clock. Copenhagen is distant from Elseneur 5 German Miles; we took up our lodgings at Vassal's in the Strand, and I found here the Count, who has already been here a fort'night, and who has engaged a place in a Vessel, which is to sail next Tuesday for Kiel. As I have nothing of any consequence to do here and as there is nothing very extraordinary to be seen here, I believe I shall go at the same time if there is any more Place in the Vessel.

16th. JQA

1783-02-16

16th. Adams, John Quincy
16th.

This morning I went with the Count and Mr. Schiebe to see the royal Cabinet of curiosities which is vast; but not much in order; there are some very curious things in it; but there are others which are not worth looking at. There are two pieces of silver just as they came out of the mines in Norway, one of which is worth 5,000 Rxdallers, Danish and the other about 3,000. One would think seeing such enormous masses that the mines are very rich and that money is plenty, but it is quite the contrary, there is not scarce any specie in Copenhagen, all goes by bank bills, which are falling, and depreciating because they cannot be realized: if you carry one of these bills to the bank; suppose it to be a bill of 100. Rxdallers you will receive 10 Rxdallers Specie and all the rest in smaller bills.

17th. Mond. JQA

1783-02-17

17th. Mond. Adams, John Quincy
17th. Mond.

This forenoon We went to see a Gentleman who has a Cabinet of Curiosities, in Painting, sea shells and insects. His Cabinet is pretty well furnish'd but not entirely in order. In the evening we 172all went to the play but stay'd there only a few minutes because it was so full. The King goes almost every Night to the play, but was not there this evening because the Prince Frederick's consort is unwell, and the King never stirs out of the Palace without having Prince Frederick, with him.1

1.

Christian VII (1749–1808) became progressively more insane during his reign, and in 1784 his son, Prince Frederick (1768–1839), was made regent until his father's death, when he assumed the throne as Frederick VI. The Prince Frederick mentioned here is Christian's half-brother (1753–1805), who married Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1774 (La grande encyclopédic: inventaire raisonné des sciences, des lettres et des arts, 31 vols., Paris, [1886–1902]; Almanach royal, 1784).