Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 7
1836-12-31
Very cold day. I went to the Office and passed my time much as usual. Finished the draught of my Quarterly Account and had a talk with Mr. Walsh, then to the Athenaeum where I looked over the publications, and got a book or two. Then home. Read Livy. Afternoon, Plutarch’s Essay upon the management of public affairs parts of which are admirable, and Burnet.
I received a letter from my Mother today in answer to mine. She takes it very ill as I feared she would but I hope it will do final good.1 My situation as it respects her is one of not a little delicacy, and I do not act as I do without considerable reflection on my duties as well to her as to others.
T. K. Davis came in to tea and spent the evening. Various conversation. After which I sat the old year out quite unconsciously, so interested was I in my father’s old pamphlet, the Review of Ames’ Works.2 Thus has passed another year of this fleeting existence, and become only food for memory. May that memory never have any thing more painful to record, I would hope and pray in all fear.
In CFA’s letter of 22 Dec. to LCA he had written that it would contribute to ABA’s well-being if in the future LCA would write “light, amusing, encouraging letters” to her rather than letters “a little too full of anxiety.” LCA, in her reply (27 Dec., Adams Papers), wrote: “Do not think that I am angry it is not the fact but I am grieved to think that all my best feelings are forever misconstrued and that those things which should properly understood do me honour cause me the most grievous pain.”
American Principles. A Review of Works of Fisher Ames, Boston, 1809.