Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 2
1827-05-19
I performed all my exercises tolerably well today with the exception 131of my Voyages, which I had no time to read a part of. I received a letter from Abby in low spirits. My method of writing has at last affected her so much that I find it necessary to change it and this day wrote laughable things. But I am afraid she will grow suspicious of my quizzing her. She is a little too fearful of me, but in time that will wear off. I am now so involved in her fate that my own will materially depend upon it. I trust to a directing Providence.
I read Tacitus after it, and in the evening after a ride I was dull in the parlor as the ladies only hummed songs.
1827-05-20
I was employed in arranging Newspapers and in making up the deficiencies of the week. In my Executive Record and in Voyages. I also wrote to Richardson.1 On the whole was very well occupied, particularly as the evening was included, owing to the going to Church of the ladies. A New and extraordinary incident. News quite deficient and my spirits merely tolerable.
Letter missing.
1827-05-21
Rainy and cold. The weather makes me sleepy so that it was late before I arose and was therefore obliged to make up my Executive Record during the day which prevented my reading Coke. I altered my draught of a letter to Mr. Brooks and read Tacitus. On the whole was tolerably well employed. Billiards in the evening with the ladies.
1827-05-22
Occupied during the day very attentively upon my duties. I received a letter from Abby in the serious style which I answered immediately. Otherwise little or nothing occurred of much moment. Life here in summer is pleasant but monotonous. In the evening Billiards.
1827-05-23
Morning occupied as usual. Having finished my law I thought I would take some leisure during the afternoon and so I went fishing. Returned to dinner and in the evening Billiards and the family.
1827-05-24
Morning as usual. Occupied very much all day. I employed the afternoon in writing the final copy of the letter to Mr. Brooks, of which 132I took a Copy for myself.1 This is a matter which I am delighted to get over, but I shall wait the answer with some doubt. It is an exposition of my situation so far as I am able to judge of it. I did not send it today. In the evening Mr., Mrs. Frye, Miss Buchanan and the Miss Roberdeaus spent the evening here, which was very much as usual.
Writing to his future father-in-law, CFA tried to answer objections which he thought might be made to his engagement to Abigail. He admitted having proposed precipitously, but “Time, want of communication, no acquaintance with the friends she confided [in], and . . . the rumor of assiduous rivals were ideas . . . constantly . . . before my imagination. . . .” As to his ability to support a wife, CFA candidly reviewed his financial, prospects. JQA’s fortune was “tolerably handsome but of a nature not very serviceable to himself”; if defeated in the approaching presidential election, he would be obliged to bear the expense of setting up a new domestic establishment at Quincy. In that event, all his sons would have to make financial sacrifices; “for myself,” CFA declared, “I am sure that I would be the last person to wish to trouble him at a time when he would require any thing but annoying solicitation.” To quiet fears that he might follow the family tradition and quit the law for politics, CFA wrote that he disliked public life. So long as GWA continued in politics, CFA would be content with his profession. Should his brother fail, however, CFA might feel compelled to seek public office, so that the character of the Adams “name should not be said to deteriorate in the generation to which I belong” (CFA to P. C. Brooks, 24 May 1827, LbC, Adams Papers).