Diary of John Quincy Adams, volume 1
1783-02-22
We dined this day with a numerous company at Mr. Lycke's. In the evening I went to the
play and had there an occasion of seeing the King, and Prince royal. As I was in Company
with a gentleman of the town I ask'd him some question about the King 173and royal Family; he did not say much about the King but when I
spoke of the Prince royal ah! says he, “nôtre Jeune prince a beaucoup d'esprit.” As for the King he is neither
remarkable for his wit nor for his understanding, and the people all over the City make no
scruple to say it publicly.
1783-02-23
This afternoon I went and paid a visit to the Baron de la Houze1 the French Minister here; he offer'd to send any letter I should write to my Father with his Dispatches to Mr. De Vergennes.2
Repertorium der diplomatischen Vertreter aller Länder
, p.
112).
1783-02-24
This morning I went to pay a visit to the Baron de la Houze. When I return'd to the Hotel at about 12 o'clock I found the Count and Mr. Schiebe packing up, as the Captain has sent word that the wind is Good and that he intends to set sail this afternoon. (8. o'clock P.M.) We dined at about twelve o'clock and came on board soon after dinner. Since we are on board the wind has chang'd and is at present contrary but we hope it will become favourable in the night.
1783-02-25
The wind continued bad all day. In the afternoon the Count went on shore.
1783-02-26
The Count came on board to take us on shore with him so we left our trunks on board and having told the Captain to let us know when the wind became favourable, we return'd on shore.
1783-02
11. Depart de Gottenbourg a 8. heures du matin. Nous arrivames á Copenhague le 15. à 8 heures du soir.1
Times of departure and arrival vary slightly from the main entries (above).
JQA's return to The Hague from Copenhagen, sketchily presented in this and
the following two entries in his Diary, was marked with numerous delays, which
characterized his entire journey from St. Petersburg. Arriving in the Danish capital on 15
Feb., he decided to go to Kiel by boat to avoid bad roads and an expensive fare. But after
he had waited for nearly three weeks for a good wind, the harbor froze up and he was
obliged to go to Hamburg by land. Arriving there on or about 10 March, he stayed for nearly
a month before traveling to Bremen, where he remained four days before continuing his
journey to Amsterdam. During his stay in the two German cities, he studied the commercial
life and concluded that Hamburg would “carry on hereafter a great deal of Trade with
America.” JQA arrived in Amsterdam on 15 April and settled in The Hague at his
father's residence, the Hôtel des Etats Unis, on 21 April (JQA to
JA, 20 Feb.,
Diary
and Autobiography
, 3:ix–x).