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Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 2

370 Monday. 27th. CFA

1829-04-27

Monday. 27th. CFA
Monday. 27th.

Returned to town with Abby in company. Weather cold but not unpleasant. At the Office. Found George had received a letter and was about to start for Washington.1 I think this a good plan. Morning read Blackstone. After dinner, some of Sir Joshua Reynolds with an Account of his Life.2 George came in and had some Conversation with me. He seemed very much disarranged. As usual delay has done him no service. He might as well have gone at first. Evening, reading, the Spectator.

1.

JQA wrote: “I wish you to come on [to Washington] immediately upon receiving this letter; to return with us” (JQA to GWA, 20 April 1829, Adams Papers).

2.

CFA’s copy of the Complete Works of Sir Joshua Reynolds, 3 vols., London, 1824, is in the Stone Library, along with another edition, London, 1798, owned by JQA.

Tuesday 28th. CFA

1829-04-28

Tuesday 28th. CFA
Tuesday 28th.

Morning at the Office. Weather cold and chilly. Reading Blackstone, in the Court of Common Pleas and engaged in making a Writ. My professional business continues still. Conversation with George who goes positively tomorrow. I rode to Quincy after dinner in a sharp piercing East Wind. Gave some directions about the Garden and went up to see my Uncle. The family are very comfortably and prettily settled in their new residence and on the whole I think it more comfortable than the old one.1 Much conversation but there is something sticking at bottom which made them dull, which I could not at all understand. How great a similarity all sense of wrong creates in conduct in all men. George and my Uncle are both quivering under the fear of the merited reproaches which my father can though he will not give them. Returned rather later than I had expected so that it was nine o’clock when I reached my Office. Read the Spectator until ten.

1.

TBA and his family had moved to “the old Ruggles farm and house,” which still stands though greatly altered at Elm and South streets in Quincy and which was occupied by TBA’s two unmarried children until the present century (HA2’s Notes in Adams Papers Editorial Files).

Wednesday 29th. CFA

1829-04-29

Wednesday 29th. CFA
Wednesday 29th.

Morning at the Office. George went positively this morning and left his affairs with me. I commenced making some arrangements to repair that Office in order to go into it.1 Did not pass the time very usefully. In Court a short time. Afternoon. Continued Clarendon and in the evening the Spectator. The East Winds have set in as usual and are exceedingly disagreeable.

371
1.

CFA planned to abandon his office at 10 Court Street and to move into a little room adjoining GWA’s office at 23 Court Street, which, however, had to be painted and repaired (CFA to JQA, 6 April 1829). CFA hoped the new arrangement would save money.