Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 4
1832-12-27
Morning cloudy with occasional rain. Went to the Office. Nothing particularly new. Engaged in my regular occupations, the monotony of which destroys all the interest of a Diary. Pursued the study of Lingard and owing to the weather, did not take my walk.
Afternoon, rather idle. Read an Essay upon Criticism by Villemain with which I was very much pleased. I do not now wonder at his reputation as a Writer. To begin with him where I did is doing an injustice to his character.1 I finished the Afternoon by looking over Voltaire’s Account of the English Revolution.2 It is written with vivacity but with the same French mind. He sees things only by halves. He cannot understand the true character of the English Puritan. He sees nothing but fanaticism. Yet there was conscientiousness, morality, faith in God, and immense firmness of purpose. All good qualities in their way and strongly in contrast with the unprincipled looseness of their opponents, in whom Loyalty was the principal merit and a sense 430of honour according to the worldly notion apart from morality or religion. Voltaire is however more fair to Cromwell’s character, Dr. Lingard yet more so.
Quiet evening. Malvina, and Conversation. Afterwards, German.
“Discours sur les avantages et les inconvénients de la critique” is also in the first volume of Villemain’s Mélanges philosophiques, historiques et littéraires.
Probably the section relating to England in his Siècle de Louis XIV.
1832-12-28
Fine day. I went to the Office and was engaged in my usual way. Read Lingard and had two or three interruptions on Account of bills. This is the season for the making up of all the yearly Accounts. And a shower of Papers falls upon one, who has only to deem himself lucky that he has wherewith to meet them. Took a walk as usual.
Afternoon, for the sake of refreshing my Memory, I took down a volume of Cicero, and read the Oration for Milo. It is admirable. I find I relish his style more and more. The flowing measure of his periods, the power of his phrases, the adroit management of the strong points of the case. All wonderful. It has been always a question whether Milo was really the attacked party in the scuffle, but who can doubt it when he reads Cicero’s defence? As my Wife was out, I accomplished the whole of it at a sitting and afterwards read the rest of Voltaire’s Summary of events during the time of the troubles. A singular mixture of penetration and absurdity.
At eight I went down to Mrs. Frothingham’s. She had a few friends belonging to the family. Mrs. Hall of Medford, Mr. and Mrs. F. Parkman, Mr. and Mrs. Story and Miss Gray, W. G. Brooks, Gorham Brooks and his Wife, P. C. B. Jr. and ditto. Returned at ten. Heard of the loss of the frigate Constellation in the Mediterranean.1 Bad enough. Hammered over some German.
An unconfirmed report of the sinking of the Constellation off Rhodes was carried in the newspapers on the 29th, but information received within the two days following seemed to justify the denial of the whole story (Boston Daily Advertiser & Patriot, 29 Dec, p. 2, cols. 4–5; 31 Dec, p. 2, col. 2).
1832-12-29
Fine day notwithstanding a little flurry of snow that fell early in the morning. I went to the Office as usual. Time taken up in drawing off my Accounts for the beginning of the year. My father’s funds never were so much in the Minority.1 My fifth number appeared in the Advocate with a recommendation of special attention from the Editor.2 I think I have already expressed an opinion that it was the 431best of the series. Whether they succeed or not in attracting attention, my duty is done. And in all future time, I shall endeavour to follow in that line which my conscience points out to me to be right, without any consideration of the mere results to myself. It may be that my interests may not be served by any such Quixotic course. But I feel as if there were other considerations than these to sway a man even on this earth. Difficult as it is to look constantly to the point of duty, yet I know no reason why I should not even consider it my interest to attempt it. Read some of Lingard and took a walk.
Afternoon, began the History of the Ligue by Anquetil.3 A portion of the French Annals of great interest as displaying the manner by which the Reformation affected that people in contradistinction to the English.
As my Wife was out in the evening, I also read a part of the second Philippic of Cicero. Powerful it is indeed. The Attention coming to it fresh again relishes it much more. Mr. E. Price Greenleaf took tea with us. He has much pleasant conversation. Principally upon South Carolina which State is going perfectly mad. God only knows the consequences. Called for my Wife at Mrs. Gorham’s at nine o’clock. Read German afterwards.
The meaning would seem to be that never before was the income for the quarter so much less than the expenditures.
The editor’s note inviting “special attention to the 5th No. of our valuable correspondent ‘F’” is at p. 2, col. 2, the article itself at cols. 3–5. Copy for No. 5 in CFA’s hand, differing substantially from the printed text, is in the Adams Papers along with copy for Nos. 6–9 and notes for additional numbers (Microfilms, Reel No. 319). Publication of the series stopped for a time with No. 5 but was afterward resumed (CFA, Diary, 21–22 May 1833).
Editions of Louis Pierre Anquetil, L’esprit de la Ligue ... les 16 et 17 siècles, published in 3 vols. at Paris in 1771 and in 1783 are at MQA. The edition of 1771 has JQA’s bookplate and an inscription on the half-title of each volume: “George Washington Adams from his Grandfather 1825.” Also at MQA is CFA’s set of Histoire de France by the same author, 15 vols., Paris, 1817.