Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 7
1837-01-13
A continuation of very fine weather. The wind has continued steady from the westward for a prodigious length of time. I went to the Office. Occupied as usual. It is hardly necessary to give much detail. Visi-165tors, Mr. Walsh and some two or three persons with bills. Walk. Home to read Livy.
Afternoon, at home. Read a little of Burnet and looked over the Greek of Plutarch’s Essay on the Administration of public affairs which I propose to myself to translate. The only edition which I find convenient is discouraging from it’s being in folio and full of abbreviations. I however concluded to attempt it and began, but the Afternoons are short and I only began.
Evening by invitation to Edward Blake’s, where we had his club. It is now two years since I have met them before and there is some change. The Company tonight consisted of Messrs. Chapman, Rogers, Blakes, Shaw, C. Amory, Goddard, and Stackpole, members, and Mr. Shelton and myself, guests.1 We had cards until nine o’clock when we had supper. The conversation was none of it interesting. Indeed I might say it was inconceivably empty. I felt as if I had gained nothing except a good meal. Home at midnight.
For the earlier occasion, see vol. 5:248. The group seems largely made up of Harvard graduates of the 1820s: Jonathan Chapman Jr., William Henry and Samuel Parkman Blake, Charles Amory, George Augustus Goddard, Joseph Lewis Stackpole. H. B. Rogers and F. Shaw were at the earlier gathering. The other guest may have been Philo S. Shelton.
1837-01-14
Fine morning. I felt no inconvenience from my meal of last evening but likewise felt no inclination to renew it.
Office where my time was not a little taken up. Mr. Spear from Quincy came in and had much to say besides some little business in the way of money. While he was there several other persons came in upon various topics. It does always appear as if when I was at leisure nobody came and when engaged with one there came twenty. After he left me I went out and paid I believe nearly every bill that has been sent in to me. This relieves my mind exceedingly. The necessity for putting off tradespeople is a rare thing to me and one which is not agreeable.
Walk and home too late however to read much of Livy. Afternoon, writing and reading. Looked over Hume’s Essay upon money which appears to me admirable.1 I propose to make a few comments upon Mr. Webster’s late Speech. Evening at home. T. K. Davis came in and took tea. He had been dining out and was dull. After him, I tried to write a little.
On CFA’s copy of David Hume’s Essays and on his earlier opinion of them, see vol. 5:313, 316, 329.