Adams Family Correspondence, volume 3

John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 17 March 1780 JA JQA

1780-03-17

John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 17 March 1780 Adams, John Adams, John Quincy

John Adams to John Quincy Adams

My dear Son Paris March 17. 1780

I have received your Letter,1 giving an Account of your Studies for a day. You should have dated your Letter.

Making Latin, construing Cicero, Erasmus, the Appendix de Diis et Heroibus ethnicis, and Phaedrus, are all Exercises proper for the Acquisition of the Latin Tongue; you are constantly employed in learning the Meaning of Latin Words, and the Grammar, the Rhetorick and Criticism of the Roman Authors: These Studies have therefore such a Relation to each other, that I think you would do well to pursue them all, under the Direction of your Master.

The Greek Grammar and the Racines I would not have you omit, upon any Consideration, and I hope your Master will soon put you into the Greek Testament, because the most perfect Models of fine Writing in history, Oratory and Poetry are to be found in the Greek Language.

Writing and Drawing are but Amusements and may serve as Relaxations from your studies.

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As to Geography, Geometry and Fractions I hope your Master will not insist upon your spending much Time upon them at present; because altho they are Useful sciences, and altho all Branches of the Mathematicks, will I hope, sometime or other engage your Attention, as the most profitable and the most satisfactory of all human Knowledge; Yet my Wish at present is that your principal Attention should be directed to the Latin and Greek Tongues, leaving the other studies to be hereafter attained, in your own Country.

I hope soon to hear that you are in Virgil and Tully's orations, or Ovid or Horace or all of them.2

I am, my dear Child, your affectionate Father, John Adams

P.S. The next Time you write to me, I hope you will take more care to write well. Cant you keep a steadier Hand?3

RC (Adams Papers); docketed in JQA's mature hand: “J. Adams. 17. March 1780”; also docketed in an unidentified hand. Tr in CFA's hand (Adams Papers); at head of text: “No. 267,” indicating that the letter was copied for inclusion in JA–AA, Familiar Letters , but in the end it was excluded.

Undated, but sent on 16 March, preceding; see the notes there on JA's allusions in this reply.

See, further, JA to Pechigny, 16 May, below.

See the facsimile of JQA's letter reproduced as an illustration in this volume, and compare JQA's next letter to his father, 21 March, also illustrated.

John Quincy Adams to William Cranch, 17 March 1780 JQA Cranch, William

1780-03-17

John Quincy Adams to William Cranch, 17 March 1780 Adams, John Quincy Cranch, William

John Quincy Adams to William Cranch

My Dear Cousin Passy March 17th 1780

As there is a very good opportunity of writing to you by a Gentleman from South carolina who is about embarking for America I must write one short Letter to all my Freinds.

I am in one of the schools which I was in when I was here before and am very content with my situation. I will give you an account of our hours. At 7 o clock A.M. we get up and go in to school and at 8 o clock we breakfast which consists of bread and milk. At 9 go into school again, stay till one when we dine, after dinner play till half after two, go into school and stay till half after 4 and then we have a peice of dry bread. At 5 we go into School and stay till 7 when we sup, after supper we amuse ourselves a little and go to bed at 9 o clock.

I am your affectionate freind and Cousin, John Quincy Adams

RC (Adams Papers); docketed by JQA in later life (presumably when the letter was returned by Cranch to JQA): “Adams J.Q. 17. March 1780. to William Cranch.” Text has been slightly repunctuated for clarity.

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