Adams Papers Digital Edition

Papers of John Adams, volume 21

TRANSLATION

To Jean Luzac
John Adams to John Stockdale, 12 September 1794 Adams, John Stockdale, John
To John Stockdale
Mr: Stockdale Quincy near Boston 12. Septr: 1794.

I embrace with pleasure the opportunity by my Sons of presenting you many thanks for your kind Letter1 and obliging present, of an elegant sett of your new edition of the history of Republic’s

I know not whether experience of the evils, physical, moral & political of simple Governments, will recommend to the public my poor speculations in favor of mixed forms, so as to give you a profit by the sale of the Book; but I know the Devil ought to have mankind, if they do not soon put a stop to the progress of Cleon’s & Clodius’s, Rienzi’s & wat Tyler’s.2

I have written since I came to America, Discourses on Davila; you may make another volume of them, if you will, under the same Title with the other three.

With compliments to your / Family, I am your / Friend & Sert:

LbC in TBA’s hand (Adams Papers); APM Reel 116.

 310 1.

Of 3 March, above.

 2.

JA grouped together the ancient Greek politician Cleon, Roman tribune Publius Clodius Pulcher, medieval politician Cola di Rienzo, and English rebel leader Wat Tyler. Writing to CA a day earlier, JA listed Cleon and Clodius as “popular Destroyers of Republicanism” and described di Rienzo and Tyler as “Heroes of democratical Memory” ( AFC , 10:229–230).