Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 3
1830-11-17
The morning was fair and uncommonly mild. Our season here has been altogether of a soft nature so far, particularly when I come to compare it with the two preceding years. I went to the Office as usual and passed my morning in rather a desultory way, having only a little while to devote to German. I made a little progress in the verbs notwithstanding. The difficulties which meet one at the outset of languages rather deter one from pursuing them, but I trust a little in my usual perseverance. Took my walk at one o’clock.
After dinner I sat down again to Cicero but I read over his sections about Wit so superficially that it disgusted me and I turned over to the beginning of the second book again to review thoroughly. And this time I very much got the Sense of the Author, so far as I progressed. The great method of understanding foreign Authors, is as Wyttenbach1 advises by constant reviewing. Thus the sense and force that may escape at one time will be caught at another. Evening, reading Corinne with my Wife. After which, I finished the sixth book of Paradise Lost and reviewed it. Read a little of Mr. Drake, and two Numbers of the Tatler.
Probably Daniel Albert Wyttenbach (1746–1820), celebrated classical scholar.
1830-11-18
This was at last a clear day, and it was mild and beautiful indeed. Hitherto we have experienced hardly any frost to touch the ground which is very uncommon. I went to the Office and was occupied all the morning in arranging my room and clearing it from a mass of very superfluous papers which have accumulated. I find this the principal plague at my Office. The habit acquired by my brother George of amassing all his pieces of waste paper has deluged me with them ever since I have had any thing to do with them. My own inclinations also tend that way a little so that my task is made harder.
I went into State Street to see Mr. Quincy and give him the Papers relative to the Execution of my Grandfather’s Will,1 which he looked over and returned to me. Thus vanished the morning. I took my usual walk. I continued my review of the second book de Oratore, which I found much easier than before and became reconciled in the course of it to Wells and Lilly’s Edition, notwithstanding the lettering and printing.2
Evening a portion of Corinne with my Wife and after it a little of Wordsworth’s Poetry to diversify.3 He is too simple for my taste, next 365to what the common people would call natural. I then read the seventh book of Paradise Lost containing the History of the Creation. After which I finished by a little of Mr. Drake and two Numbers of the Tatler.
JQA and Josiah Quincy (1772–1864), coexecutors of the estate of JA, filed with the clerk of court their report No. 6 for the period 1 Jan. – 16 Nov. 1830 (Adams Papers, Microfilms, Reel No. 181).
Wells & Lilly, Boston booksellers and publishers, brought out in 1815 in 20 vols. an edition of M. Tullii Ciceronis opera omnia ex recensione novissima Io. Augusti Ernesti. It is probable that CFA’s comment on “the lettering and printing” was intended as no more than a contrast between this 12mo edition and the 4 to Oxford edition he had used earlier; see entries for 27 Sept., note; 29 Sept., above.
CFA may very well have read from one of the numerous anthologies of English poetry; however, there is in MQA an edition of Wordsworth’s Poetical Works, 4 vols., Boston, 1824, which had been GWA’s and became CFA’s.