Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 4
1831-05-02
Morning cloudy but warmer than it has been. After making some progress in reading Demosthenes which is uncommonly easy, I went to the Office and spent the morning in making up my Accounts for the Month and in balancing my Books. My time was so much occupied in this business that I did not know very well how I could pursue my Articles the first of which signed Cimon appeared in the Paper this Morning.1 Having in some degree engaged to furnish more I am somewhat puzzled about time. Conversation with Mr. Peabody. My Tenant Mr. Tenney called here and paid his rent regularly. I afterwards went to obtain the payment from the Republican Institution and was stopped by the requiring a Certificate of Administration.
Returned to my Office, but learning from Mr. I. P. Davis that one of the English Reviews had a notice of my Article in the N.A. I went to the Athenaeum to read it and for the purpose of getting some books. The Notice is not disagreeable.2
Afternoon, reading, Cicero’s Oration for Sextius which I did not complete. These latter Orations shine out in some parts. Evening at home, read Moore’s Life of Byron’s and after it, Grimm’s Literary Correspondence of which I have heard much.3 Closed with the Spectator.
Under the heading “The Resignation of the Cabinet,” CFA’s article in the Boston Patriot, signed “Cimon,” was placed in a featured position in the issue (2 May, p. 2, col. 1). By a minute analysis of the published correspondence and statements issued by the Administration, he undertook to demonstrate that what has been made available is “untenable as an explanation of the events ..., but that it is evidently made up for the purpose of concealing from the 40public the actual truth,” which is that it is a “fraud upon the Nation.” In consequence, he asked, “Has the ship an incompetent Commander? a faithless Pilot? or dishonest Officers?”
In The Athenaeum, Journal of ... Literature, Science and the Fine Arts, for 12 March 1831 (p. 174), the brief report on the January issue of the
North American Review
notes, among the contributions selected for mention, “an interesting article on Graham’s History of the United States.”
F. M. de Grimm [and D. Diderot], Correspondance littéraire, philosophique et critique, 1753–1790. At this time CFA was using a copy borrowed from the Athenaeum (see below, entry for 10 May). However, there is an edition (16 vols., Paris, 1829–1831), with CFA’s bookplate, at MQA.