Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 2
1828-04-29
Wrote a letter to my father as usual. No news from George yet. Took a little medicine this morning. I do not know whether I need it or not but I am a little hypochondriac and do it to raise my spirits. Finished the subject of real actions. Afternoon, at my room. Copied some Executive Record. Commenced Novanglus and Massachuttisensis1 and in the evening Voltaire’s Louis 14th. On the whole better content with myself than usual.
Two copies of Novanglus, and Massachusettensis; or, Political Essays, Published in the Years 1774 and 1775, on the Principal Points of Controversy, 234between Great Britain and Her Colonies, Boston, 1819, are in the Stone Library. The work contained a preface by JA, the author of the “Novanglus” papers, written in reply to Daniel Leonard’s “Massachusettensis” papers, 1774–1775. See JA, Diary and Autobiography
, 2:161. CFA was reading the work at the suggestion of his father, who thought it would help counter the Tory bias of Thomas Hutchinson’s History (JQA to CFA, 7 April 1828, Adams Papers).
1828-04-30
Morning at the Office. Read Blackstone attentively this morning. Nothing from home. Went to Medford with Mr. Brooks today. The weather was fine and bids fair to open the season. Found Mr. and Mrs. Frothingham at Medford, and had a tolerably pleasant dinner. Abby was suffering from a bad cold. The day passed with little or nothing to render it remarkable.