Diary of John Quincy Adams, volume 2
1788-07-30
This afternoon Mr. Cutler called at our office, and perswaded me to ride with him up to Mr. Brown's farm; where we found a number of young Ladies. The afternoon was tolerably insipid: we drank tea there; and afterwards escorted the Ladies. I rode with Miss Jones, and left her at Captain Fletcher's. I afterwards returned there, but she was already gone. There was a very brilliant northern light in the evening.
Mr. Cutler is one of the most complaisant persons with whom I am acquainted. The ladies employ him upon almost every occasion; and yet behave to him in such a manner as does not express 437a sense of obligations received. They even slight and disregard him for performing those services by which he renders himself useful to them. There are problems in the female character, which are not easily solved.
1788-07-31
I amuse myself in reading Junius's letters; which though the factious productions of a partizan, contain many excellent observations upon men and manners.
We met this evening at Putnam's. Thompson left us to go to Lecture!1
Below JQA's line-a-day entry for 31 July in D/JQA/13, he has written in Byrom's shorthand method “year August 28th,” the significance of which is unknown to the editors, but may be related to his earlier notation in Byrom's shorthand. See entry for 30 June, note 1 (above).