Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 5
1833-08-13
The morning began with very heavy showers and wind from the South. It afterwards cleared away and was hotter than was at all comfortable to the feeling, which a shower again qualified to tolerable.
I was occupied in looking over and attempting to discover some papers among the general mass of my Grandfather’s. I found but one, 147the original of the Letter to Webb which I copied. This has been published over and over again, but I thought a copy would not be useless from the genuine paper.1 I spent an hour in comparing copy of the old Journals with my father, a work intermitted since last Autumn.2 I also began reading over Virgil critically, and finished the first Eclogue.3 This gives pretty much the sum total of my day, the labour of which was shortened by the very enervating effect of the South wind. I am as yet doing little for Hutchinson.
On this day my child completed her second and entered upon her third year. She has enjoyed very good health during the year and has given us full as little trouble as any little thing of her age could. May I be thankful ever to the Divine being for having dealt so kindly to me, and blest my lot with a degree of happiness I know not how I can deserve. May he continue it to me, and I will endeavour at all times to turn the lesson of prosperity to the true account, my own amendment, in feelings, temper, vices &c. The cares and anxieties of life are so great that they require a mind well disciplined to bear them. Mine although I know that they are in themselves comparatively trifling to those of the mass of men, I am ashamed to say, sometimes unduly worry me. I must bear it in mind. Evening, I tried to read aloud, but my book was dull. Mr. Aug. Whitney and his Sisters4 called to see Mrs. J. Adams.
CFA appended to his transcription of JA’s letter to Nathan Webb, his cousin, “Play fellow at the Grammar School in Braintree, and ... contemporary at Colledge” (12 Oct. 1755; fair copy with JA’s note, 22 April 1807; both in Adams Papers), a memorandum, “This letter was first published in the [Monthly] Anthology for [May] 1807 and many times since” (M/CFA/31). He continued to attach significance to the letter, characterizing it in terms unusual for him when he came to print it: “Perhaps there never was written a letter more characteristic of the head and heart of its writer.... It was the letter of an original meditative mind ... formed, by nature, for statesmanship of the highest order.... The ken of the stripling schoolmaster reached far beyond the visible horizon of that day ... But it is not in the light only of a profound speculative politician that this letter exhibits its youthful writer. It lays open a bosom glowing with the purest and most fervid affections of friendship” (JA, Works
, 1:23–26, with text of letter to Webb).
In Sept. and Oct. 1832, JQA and CFA had begun to collate sections of JA’s diary with transcriptions which JQA had had made by amanuenses (vol. 4:365–384
passim; see also Introduction to JA, Diary and Autobiography
, 1:xli–xliv).
CFA returned to the study of Virgil periodically, most recently during the preceding year (vol. 4:247–279
passim). He would pursue his current reading of the poems until 21 Jan. 1834 in his copy of the Opera, London, 1824, now in MQA and with his annotations throughout. On the day he finished he noted the fact in it with an explanation of his procedure: “This text is from the edition of Heyne, Leipzig 1798 with which I have compared it. The Notes were too voluminous to transfer with any success.” The edition of Gottlieb Heyne which CFA names is not among the numerous editions in MQA nor among JA’s books in MB nor JQA’s in 148
MBAt; however, among the last named is JQA’s copy of the edition by Heyne, 4 vols., Leipzig, 1767–1775.
Children of Rev. Peter Whitney (JQA, Diary, 13 Aug.).
1833-08-14
I went to town, accompanied by my father. The day was warm but not oppressive. I was occupied in the various little ways which consume so much time. First, went to the House where I found the workmen had been careless enough to leave the windows and doors open, and that with such a rain as we had yesterday. This is the consequence of trusting people. But what can a man do? The Grate is changed and thus is one of the Jobs out of the way. I saw the Carpenter, the Painter and the Whitener today and gave to each of them their several directions.
Called in accidentally to see some Statuary now exhibiting and was quite agreeably surprised. It is a group composed of four separate figures each in a single block of stone representing Tam o’Shanter, Souter Jonnie, the Land lord and Landlady from Burns’ famous little Poem. They are all seated on large chairs and all expressing a different particular and yet the same general character. I was charmed with the effect. The material is the hard Ayrshire reddish stone. And the artist, a common Scotch Stone Mason who knew nothing by science of the human anatomy. Under these circumstances, the effect is wonderful.1
My father was quite punctual, and we returned home to dine. Afternoon short. I passed it in writing, and reading the second Eclogue of Virgil. After tea, the Ladies went out to see Mrs. Quincy, and I had a conversation with my father upon the moral character of our nation as influenced by it’s politics. I cannot but think that we are driving here a very dangerous political experiment. And what is worse, the world is becoming involved in it’s success. Mirror.
The pieces by J. Thom had occasioned great interest earlier in New York City, an interest being repeated in the exhibition at Harding’s Gallery (Columbian Centinel, 23 May, p. 1, col. 6; 29 July, p. 2, col. 2).
1833-08-15
Fine day. I remained at home and occupied myself in my usual way interrupted only in the morning once for the sake of taking a sea bath. Sat down to Hutchinson and wrote off without stopping a very considerable quantity of matter. But my process of composition is very laborious from the way I have got into of not maturing things in my 149mind. Writing is foolish without great reflection, and this should be managed without the aid of pen and ink. I now think I can make a good thing out of this.
Spent nearly an hour in comparing text with my father. The old Journals are sometimes tedious and they were so today. Afternoon, read Virgil’s third Eclogue which is very pleasing. And looked through the trunks for the old Papers I wanted, but without success. Found incidentally some scattering letters of my Grandfather’s Correspondence. Quiet evening.
The intention was to have gone on a party today to Nantasket with some of the Quincy family but the various members of the family felt indisposed to go, and we excused ourselves. Mr. Beale and his eldest daughter called in the Evening.