Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 2
1828-07-22
Morning occupied in writing and reading a little of Miller’s Gardener’s Dictionary1 before going to Boston. At the Office, wrote my usual letter to father. In it, I made some inquiries as to his plans about his trees which I showed to George and he made it a pretext for insinuating things of me both unkind and entirely untrue.2 I was considerably offended. I am at times much inclined to contempt of his character and certainly felt it today but in consideration of his situation have heretofore checked it. Afternoon, Executive Record and review of the Oration for Roscius. Returned to Quincy in a violent rain and I did not escape wetting. Evening, reading Voltaire’s Peter the First and Miller.
JQA’s copy of Philip Miller’s Abridgement of the Gardener’s Dictionary, London, 1763, is in the Stone Library.
In an effort to make GWA correspond punctually, JQA had just written him: “Since my return here last October Charles has not missed writing me every week, even when he was so ill that he could scarcely hold a pen. I have been equally punctual with him. . . . Why cannot you be so too” (JQA to GWA, 10 July 1828, Adams Papers). Doubtless GWA felt both jealous of his brother and guilty.