Diary of John Adams, volume 2
1778-05-12
Dined, at Mr. Dupré's, at the
From this Hill, We have a fine View of the Country, and of the Kings Castle at Vincennes. My little Son, and the other young Americans, at the Pension, dined with Us.
1778-05-13
Dined at M. Chaumonts, with a great deal of Company. After Dinner took a Walk to Chaillot to see Mr. Lee, who had a large Company of Americans to dine with him, among the rest Mr. Fendell of Maryland and Dr. Smith Brother of Mr. Smith of N. York the Historian.1
James Smith (1738–1812), College of New Jersey 1757; M.D., Leyden 1764; first professor of chemistry and materia medica at King's College (Princeton Univ., Alumni Records; Thomas, Columbia Univ. Officers and Alumni
). JA later said that Smith, whose political position was ambiguous, gave the American Commissioners “a great deal of Vexation” and that he afterward furnished materials for one of the most unbridled published attacks on JA's career as a public man, namely John Wood's History of the Administration of John Adams ... , N.Y., 1802 (JA, Autobiography, under dates of 12, 21 April, 9 May 1778).
1778-05-14
1778-05-15
Dined at Mr. Grands, with all the Americans, in Paris.1
William Greene gives in his travel journal a detailed account of this “very jovial” dinner, a list of the “brilliant company” present, and even an explanation of the name of the Grands' residence in Passy, La Chaise: “One time when [Louis XV] was a hunting, he had occasion to ease himself, a person brought him a necessary chair, he said that house shou'd be called la Chaise, which it has been ever since, and the statue of Louis 15th on horse back stands always in the garden, the place where this happened, it is copper and small, it was put in the middle of the table” (MHS,
Procs., 54 [1920–1921]:108).
1778-05-17
Dined at home. Dr. Dubourg, and Mr. Parker and another Gentleman dined with me.
1778-05-18
Dined at Mr. La Frété's Country Seat, at the Foot of Mount Calvare. The House, Gardens, and Walks are very spacious. It lies upon the Seine—nearly opposite to that Castle whimsically called Madrid, built 313by Francis I.1—The Company Yesterday, were all single Personnes, except Mr. and Mm. La Frété and myself.
Mont Calvaire, also called Mont Valérien, rises above the village of Suresnes, west of the Seine and across from the Bois de Boulogne. For a contemporary view of Mont Calvaire see Jefferson, Papers, ed. Boyd, 12: facing p. 482, with descriptive information and references in same, p. xxxv–xxxvi. Francis I's Madrid is described in Dezallier,
Environs de Paris, 1779, p. 21–22. See also JA's Autobiography under this date.