Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 8
1839-05-20
Fine day. Morning reading. Division of time. Evening at the house.
I made arrangements today for the ordinary division of my studies. I propose to begin with an examination of the subject of currency in 238order to furnish a Review of the work of Mr. Tucker which shall answer. It is a little singular that I should have undertaken to write two Pamphlets upon the subject having done so little in the way of examination of what had been written before. Yet if I had read all I have since I should not probably have expressed my own thoughts so distinctly nor enunciated the propositions which I still believe to be the only safeguards of our Banking system. Read today Mr. Locke’s paper upon lowering the value of interest and raising coin1 and several chapters of Tucker. In the Afternoon, began Lucan’s Pharsalia.2
My division of time is now designed to be as follows. In the morning, composition and study of Tucker. One hour of German. After dinner, Lucan, and resuming Grimm.3 But this I do not suppose I shall be able to fall into immediately. Evening at my father’s. Walk in the fields with my boys.
“Considerations of the Consequences of Lowering the Interest and Raising the Value of Money,” 1691, is in vol. 5 of Locke’s Works at MQA.
There are three editions in Latin of Lucan’s Pharsalia at MQA: London, 1751, Zweibrücken, 1783, and London, 1820; the last was CFA’s copy.
CFA had read in Baron Frédéric Melchior de Grimm’s Correspondance several times over the years, finding Grimm satisfying as a critic; see vol. 6:120–121; entry for 9 Nov. 1837, above.