Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 5
1833-07-12
The Season is at present delightful—Not too warm and yet comfortable. I passed another day in the quiet enjoyment of life at Quincy. Although drowsy from my fatigue of yesterday with broken sleep last 126night, I read two or three Odes of the second Book of Horace, a Chapter of Neale, and executed the rest of the comparison with Minot. I have gained from it but little.
My mind has been floating uncertainly upon a scheme for reviewing the third Volume of Hutchinson. I do not as yet imagine any thing definite. A sketch of the man is what I want to begin with. But for this I must look after materials.
In the Afternoon, I finished the first volume of Crevecoeur, and read over my Grandfather’s Correspondence with Tudor about James Otis which is among his best and most characteristic things.1 I then went down to the Water and took an agreeable bath. This is the third in succession. And I feel as if it had done me good.
My father spent the day at Cambridge on College duty. He did not get back until evening. Read the Observer.
In MQA are two copies of Novanglus and Massachusettensis (Boston, 1819) containing as an appendix “Letters from the Hon. John Adams, to the Hon. Wm. Tudor ... on the Events of the American Revolution” (see vol. 3:387–388).
1833-07-13
The day was still fine although increasing in heat above those preceding. I rode to town this morning and was mainly occupied in Accounts and little Commissions besides a visit to the Athenaeum where I found nothing. My mode of spending time is somewhat useless in the City, and yet my neglect of going exposes me to considerable censure. Having just enough of business to do, to bring many persons to see me who not finding me at my Office, are provoked, while I have so little when there as not to pay me for consuming the most valuable hours of the day.
Returned to Quincy to dine. Afternoon, I read several of my Grandfather’s letters upon James Otis, and made up the rest of my Diary. But the time after dinner particularly in Summer is not the Season for application. It goes without any means of turning it to much account. After tea, I took a bath which was as pleasant as any of the preceding. Then home where I read several Articles in the North American Review, one upon the Blind apparently from Dr. Howe which is somewhat curious.1 The philanthropy of the Age is well directed in this case, although one may well be doubtful whether it can go so far as the most sanguine appear to anticipate.
“Education of the Blind” by Samuel Gridley Howe,
North Amer. Rev.
, 37:20–58 (July 1833).