Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 8
1838-11-14
A beautiful day. Office. After dinner to Quincy. Tea at Mrs. Adams’ and delivered a Lecture. Sleep at Quincy.
140I passed the morning at the Office in the usual course of things. My time flies with even greater rapidity than ever and to as little purpose.
After dinner my father accompanied me to Quincy in as fine a day as I ever knew at this season of the year. We reached there at five and went to Mrs. Adams’ to take tea. They had sent me word in the morning that the Lyceum expected a Lecture from me although there had never been a distinct assent on my part. Still as I was anxious that my father should hear me I agreed to take the summons and accordingly we went to the hall where I read the Lecture delivered before the Historical Society last winter.1 Returned home to my father’s where we slept.
“The Hall was crowded and more than half the auditory were women. The most perfect silence was observed and the deepest attention paid throughout the reading, which occupied an hour and a quarter” (JQA, Diary, 14 Nov.). The lecture was that delivered on 23 January.