Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 7
1836-06-19
Abby does not stand travelling well. She was quite unwell today from continued head ach and sore throat. The weather was sultry in the morning which brought on a heavy thunder shower. I went out 10with the young ladies to take a walk along the shore and about the place, which heated me so much as to prevent my going to Meeting as I had proposed. Many of the family went.
There is a good deal of improvement over at Newburgh since I was here, which adds very much to the beauty of the prospect from this side of the River. A judicious clearing of vistas about the place would heighten greatly the effect of the very pretty scenery along here. As it is there is a little too much of foliage.
We received today a letter from home written the day after our departure.1 All well.
At dinner we had Mr. and Mrs. Pell of New York. She was formerly of Boston, an heiress, but has suffered much since her marriage from ill health and loss of children. He seems a good natured man somewhat subdued in his spirits. The table was necessarily large, so large that it weighed upon my conscience to be burdening his hospitality at this time. Mr. DeWint is a good natured man well disposed to all about him, but neither in his family nor in life possessed of that energy which makes regularity, and success. His Wife has many of the Adams characteristics of which the love of money is by no means one. I see no trace of the disposition in any of the family excepting perhaps in my father and myself, and with us it is subsidiary to other views. But a truce to reflection.
I passed the Afternoon lounging and chatting with John Smith on the portico, watching the clouds and the view of Newburgh as it varied under their passage. Evening, we all went to see Mrs. DeWint the mother, who lives in a small house close by. She is a fine old lady with energy sufficient for herself and her son too. She is a sort of Lady Bountiful and has with her a niece, Miss Smaltz who provides all the rose water and little charity fair works for the village. Upon returning home we found it raining and the girls had to make a scamper of it home which was not a little amusing.
The letter is missing.