Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 7
1837-06-17
Morning cold and cloudy, with fog and mist through the day. I passed some time in a walk to the Village on business matters. First, calling at Mr. Brigham’s as well about my glass as the Note that remains due from the Canal. It seems he has been unable to supply my 263order, and he wished me to see whether such glass as had been sent would answer. I thought not as I wished that below to be good. He paid me a portion of the Note and I went with it immediately to the Quincy Stone Bank for the purpose of redeeming my father’s Note due on this day. This business arranged I returned home.
Read fifty lines of Homer as usual, and attempted to write but without success. The Quincy Patriot has my little article which fills up a side respectably with the theological dissertations of the clergy.1 Afternoon, Humboldt and Wieland. It was so cold that I was glad to be in the parlour, close to a good fire much of my time.
“Calm Thoughts Upon Our Money Affairs,” signed “A.,” occupied cols. 4–5 of p. 2, Quincy Patriot, 17 June 1837. It was preceded by articles entitled “Scripture Exposition” and “Biblical Illustrations.” At the outset Adams wrote, “I ... find it so difficult to suit partisan newspapers that I have given up the attempt to write for them. Your paper seems to be quiet, impartial, and well disposed to receive the truth from whatever quarter it may come.”
1837-06-18
A clear and tolerably fine day. I read a little of Humboldt, finishing the first volume of his first work. I admire the spirit in which he writes. That of observation with a view to improvement.
Attended divine service and heard Mr. Kendall of Plymouth in the morning from 2. Peter 1. 16. “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty.” Afternoon from 72. Psalm 6. “He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass, as showers that water the earth.” I gathered very little from these discourses. Mr. Kendall is of the old class of the clergy, contemporaries of Mr. Whitney, more remarkable for dullness than any thing else.
He dined with us, and just before dinner, my mother with all the rest of the family arrived. This was somewhat unexpected to us as we had got no notice of it, however we were pleased to see them all looking so well after their Journey.
Read a sermon of Sterne upon Self examination. Isaiah 1. 3. “The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass, his master’s crib, but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.” The common mistakes of men in judging themselves, either from a false Standard, or from a partial view. Sterne has a pretty talent in showing forth one or two common foibles of human nature, but he rarely goes deep.
Evening, walk with my father to Mr. Quincy’s—himself his Wife 264and her aunt. Conversation took a religious turn and my father would have remained until midnight if I had not roused him. As it was, we reached home after ten.