Diary of John Quincy Adams, volume 2

21st. JQA 21st. Adams, John Quincy
21st.

Pretty much fatigued, after all the business of the week. Charles and Tom came from Cambridge this afternoon: my 267Cousin, went to Boston in the morning, and return'd with his father at night.

22d. JQA 22d. Adams, John Quincy
22d.

Staid at home from meeting the whole day, and was busily employ'd in writing; and yet have not been able to get letters ready to sail by Captain Folgier, who proposes sailing very soon for London.

23d. JQA 23d. Adams, John Quincy
23d.

Beale paid us a visit this forenoon, and dined with us all at Mr. Apthorp's: where we likewise past the afternoon. There is a degree of singularity, running through all this family: I never feel myself under so much restraint any where as in that house: Mr. Apthorp, is disgusting by his eternal admiration of every thing that is english. His lady is agreeable; but perhaps too pointedly civil and polite, to make company perfectly easy: Betsey is sensible and amiable; but extremely diffident and remarkably silent. I know not why, but I believe I never could be sociable with her: Charlotte is more talkative, and at first view more pleasing: but she is affected and fantastical, and in her manners amazingly stiff, and unpliant. In short they are different from the rest of the world and as such I must always view them.

George Blake was over here this afternoon.

24th. JQA 24th. Adams, John Quincy
24th.

Went out in the morning with young Quincy,1 and My brother Tom, on a shooting party: we went down on the marshes and had very good sport.

Lost the afternoon in idleness: Charles went over to Weymouth.

1.

Probably Josiah Quincy III, a classmate of TBA's, later a congressman, mayor of Boston, and president of Harvard (Robert A. McCaughey, Josiah Quincy, 1772–1864: The Last Federalist, Cambridge, 1974).

25th. JQA 25th. Adams, John Quincy
25th.

Was all the forenoon again on the marshes, with my cousin and my brother Tom: Charles set out this morning for Haverhill. I wrote but little this day, and lost all the afternoon.

Rainy and foggy weather.

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