Papers of John Adams, volume 14
2? March 1783]1
on calling this Moment for my Man Manuel to comb me I am told he is gone to shew my Nephew the Fair—2 I fear they will have so many fine Things & Raree shows to see and admire, that my Head will remain in statu quo ’till afternoon, & consequently our intended Visit to Ct. Sarsfield be postponed. Thus does Tyrant Custom sometimes hold us by a Hair, and thus do ridiculous Fashions make us dependent on Valets, & the Lord knows who—
adieu my Dr Sir / Yours sincerely
RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “His Exy. Mr Adams / Hotel du Roy”; endorsed: “Card / Mr. Jay”; filmed at [1782–1783]. Dft (NNC:John Jay Papers).
The month of this letter is derived from Jay's draft, which he endorsed “To Mr. Adams, March 1783.” The 2d is the likely day it was written because of Jay's reference to “the Fair” at the end of the first sentence. If the fair was the annual carnival, it would have ended by 5 March, Ash Wednesday, the date from which all entertainments were closed for Lent.
Jay's valet, whom he had brought with him from Spain, was Manuel de Egusquisa; his nephew was Peter Jay Munro (Jay, Unpublished Papers
, 2:11, 684). JQA was a friend and correspondent of Munro. The Adams Papers editorial files record 26 letters from JQA to Munro between 26 Oct. 1783 and 10 Nov. 1784, all of them at NNMus; but see also
AFC
, 8:300, 301.