Diary of John Quincy Adams, volume 1

326 18th. JQA

1785-09-18

18th. Adams, John Quincy
18th.

The weather in the morning look'd stormy, and was showery at different times all day. I attended however Mr. Wibird's sermons forenoon and afternoon; he was this day remarkably short, and did not either time keep us more than an hour and an half: A shower fell just as the afternoon meeting, was over; and Mr. Tyler and myself went over the way, to Mrs. Church's. We borrow'd her Chaise of her, and went down first to Mrs. Quincy's.1 We found Mr. and Mrs. Guild2 there; they both appear in an ill State, of health; they have been unfortunate of late, but bear it with exemplary firmness. Mrs. Quincy is an agreeable old Lady, and Nancy,3 has always the Complaisant smile on her Countenance. She is small, and fat, consequently not a beauty: yet, considering the amiable Character she bears, and her fortune which is in this Country, far from being mean, I wonder she has not yet got married: her time is not come say the girls. After drinking tea we left Mrs. Quincy's House, and on our road home, stop'd at Mr. Alleyne's and spent half an hour there. We found Mr. Boice Miss Hannah Clark's admirer: it is said they are to be married ere long. We return'd home at about 8 o'clock.

1.

Ann Marsh Quincy (ca. 1723–1805), the third wife of Josiah Quincy Sr. (1710–1784).

2.

Elizabeth Quincy Guild (1757–1825), daughter of Josiah Quincy Sr. by his second wife, Elizabeth Waldron Quincy (1722–1759), and wife of Benjamin Guild.

3.

Ann (Nancy) Quincy (1763–1844), daughter of Josiah Quincy Sr. and Ann Marsh Quincy.

19th. JQA

1785-09-19

19th. Adams, John Quincy
19th.

Mr. Cranch went to Boston in the morning. I staid a great part of the day at home writing. Mr. Tyler, was engaged all day, in business.

20th. JQA

1785-09-20

20th. Adams, John Quincy
20th.

Mr. Tyler was again taken up the whole day. In the afternoon I went with my Cousins, over to Weymouth to see Mrs. Tufts1 who is recovering from a long and dangerous illness. We spent about an hour and drank tea there. I saw at a distance the solitary house which was my Grandfather's:2 but had no inclination. Whence arises this antipathy, to places where those who are dear to us have died? Why does the involuntary tear, start from the eye, at the sight of them? It surely must arise from a 327good principle, for although these feelings are painful, yet I would not be free from them.

While we were gone, Miss Lucy Apthorp, with her future husband Mr. Nash,3 came in to pay a visit to my Cousins. They afterwards set off together for Boston, where they are next Saturday, to be united. The family will go to-morrow.

1.

Lucy Quincy Tufts (1729–1785), wife of Dr. Cotton Tufts Sr., and JQA's great-aunt; she died after a lingering illness on 30 Oct.

2.

Rev. William Smith (1707–1783), father of AA, had been minister of the First Church of Weymouth.

3.

Lucy Ann Apthorp, daughter of James Apthorp, of Braintree, married Richard Nash of Cornwall, England, an officer in the British navy, four days later (entry for 24 Sept., below; John Wentworth, The Wentworth Genealogy, 2 vols., Boston, 1870, 1:306; Boston Gazette, 26 Sept.).