Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 4
1832-07-15
Fine day though cool for the season. I attended Divine service and heard Mr. Newell of Cambridge preach. His Sermons were interesting, though disfigured by the peculiar manner which gives harshness rather than attraction to his style. I think he preached his morning discourse at Mr. Frothingham’s although I do not find it.1 The text was from Luke 12. 13 to 21 verses—The well known parable of the rich miser. The afternoon was upon righteousness. It is far better for a Congregation to have such a preacher as this, who will at least give them subjects for reflection, than the drowsy nothings of many of the old school. I asked him to come and dine with us, but he had been preengaged. Miss Smith came down.
Afternoon, nothing material. I read several articles in the Biographia Brittanica upon various persons of whose history I wished to know something.2 Afterward a little of the life of Waller which I did not admire.3 Quiet evening at home.
That is, CFA thinks that he had earlier heard William Newell preach on the same text at the First Church, Chauncy Place, but this impression could not be confirmed by reference to the diary records of sermons heard.
JQA’s bookplate is in the edition of the Biographia Britannica published at London, 1747–1763, in 6 vols., now at MQA.
Perhaps CFA was reading the life by Percival Stockdale prefixed to Edmund Waller’s Works in the edition published at London in 1772, which, with JQA’s bookplate, is now at MQA.