Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 6
1835-12-11
Morning very cold. Went to the Office and passed my time as usual. Read a little, made up Diary and looked over Accounts. Mr. Sharp called in and I settled with him for his work which amounted to far more than I had expected. But in such cases there is only loss of dignity in remonstrating. The information my father gives me of the loss of the antique portion of the collection makes me somewhat sorry I contracted so great an expense.1
Mr. Walsh came in and we had some talk. I then called upon Mr. Brooks, but could not find him, for the purpose of reading to him a part of my father’s last letter. Home where I read Persius, short and sententious but very cutting. Afternoon, reading Levesque and Gallatin’s Essay on Currency and Banking—A very hard style.
280Evening reading Beatrice to my Wife. Afterwards Beaumont and Fletcher. Finished Beggar’s Bush which does not strike me. Parts of the two Noble Kinsmen founded upon Chaucer’s Tale of Palamon and Arcite.
It was in the expectation that he would receive from JQA upon his return to Washington “the Casket ... of ancient medals and coins” that CFA had planned the coin cabinet he had had constructed (above, entry for 27 July). However, in his letter of 30 Nov., JQA wrote: “I find to my great consternation that the box of antient coins, for which I paid no small price, and which I had promised to give you, has disappeared. ... It is remarkable that the book containing the descriptions and engravings of the coins is also missing.” There is no indication that either casket or book was ever recovered. The ancient coins which later formed a sizable portion of CFA’s collection were evidently all of his own collecting.