Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 2

Thursday. 11th.

Saturday 13th.

Friday 12th. CFA

1828-12-12

Friday 12th. CFA
Friday 12th.

Morning pleasant. Passed the day at the Office and in Court. I generally devote the hour after breakfast to that purpose after which I read Law. Richardson and my brother George called this morning and passed an hour. Received a letter from my Mother, which amounted to exceeding little. After dinner, read Minot’s account of the Insurrections in Massachusetts in 17861 which afforded me much new matter never before under my notice. In the evening I went to the Tremont Theatre. Saw the Opera of the Barber of Seville in English, so that I have now seen it in all it’s forms. I liked it least as I saw it this evening but the intrinsic merit of the music and the piece is such as to make it in any shape delightful. We have not sufficient talent to support it fully with us. Mons. and Mad. Vestris danced afterwards and displayed beauty indeed. Their performance at New York when I saw them was nothing to this. It is astonishingly fascinating.

1.

George Richards Minot, The History of the Insurrection in Massachusetts in the Year Seventeen Hundred and Eighty-Six and the Rebellion Consequent Thereon, Worcester, 1788. JA’s copy is in the Boston Public Library ( Catalogue of JA’s Library , p. 169).