Adams Family Correspondence, volume 4
Near the dusk of last Evening, I was Honored with your Favor, by the hand of the amiable Master Charles Adams, but was unhappy in not having a light ready to know the Contents. The Young Gentleman Seeming in hast, having Company in waiting, prevented my detaining Him.1
I regret my not having His Company to lodge and the Young Ladies who were with Him, as it would have greatly amusd me in my Solitude. And I should have had an opportunity to pay them the Attention, I should wish to pay any of Your Family and of making particular inquiry, after a Gentleman and Lady, for whom I always had the highest Esteem, and for whom I have felt the tenderest Sympathy in their Temporary Seperation, and I make no doubt, I have shard in their Sensibilities, in my Fatal Seperation, and Dissolution of the most endearing Tie! You Madam are yet Blessd with that Anchor of the Soul, the pleasing hope of a reunion with the Dear partner of all Your joys. There is No one I Believe Can enter more fully into the feelings of a Divided Heart, than myself. It is certainly an unhappy Situation. But Your Consolations in the Services His Excellency is rendering His Country, the prospect of His return, and the Dear Pledges You hold, must greatly relieve your Anxieties. Shall I wish him a Speedy return? For the Happiness of Domestick Life, I will. But my Faith in the Sovereign Disposer of those great Events, The Arrangements of Nations, and kingdoms, for peace or War, and the Selectment of proper instruments to Negotiate those Weighty Affairs, would induce me to wish His Excellency Prosperity Abroad, and to You my Friend, a joyful Acquiescence in the will of the Supreme Till the happy Period arrive that will Bless you with mutual joy, by the happy Sight of each other.
I shall think my Self happy in Seeing Mrs. Adams at Braintre or Milton, and will improve every opportunity. You would give me very great pleasure if you would Visit me in my Solitude at Cambridge. Pray present my Compliments to your little happy Circle, and accept of the Sincerest Sentiments of Esteem from Your Humble Servant,
AA's “Favor” to Mrs. Winthrop by the hand of CA has not been found. She was the second wife, and widow, of Professor Earliest Diary
, p. x–xi and passim;
Sibley-Shipton, Harvard Graduates
, 9: 240–264.
Monsieur Dhome-sick. Quoiquil en soit je crois que ce que je pourrais faire de mieux, serait de sortir de ce pays ci le plutot possible; car c'est je crois le plus mauvais pays de l'Europe pour cétudier. Le tems se passe vite et je n'en ai point a perdre. Il serait pent être loon que je retourne en Hollande pour m'y perfectionner dans les Langues Latine et Greque; et alors je pourrai faire mes autres etudes en Amerique.
Si le climat est mauvais dans le pays ou vous étês il ne vaut guere mieux ici. L'hiver ici est toujours pour le moins de 7. mois. Pendant tout ce tems là il fait si froid que les chemincées ne suffisent pas dans les maisons et les fenêtres sont toutes doublées, pendant quatre autres mois il fait pour ainsi dire une pluye continuelle, et pendant l'autre mois la chaleur est excessive dans la journée et la nuit il fait froid a porter un Surtout. Jugéz de là si le climat de ce pays ci est invitant.
Le 23 du mois V.S.1 passé Sa Majesté vint á Petersbourg de Czarsko Zelo sa residence ordinaire dans l'été. C'est un Palais qui est à peu prés à 25 wersts de Petersbourg. Le 26 elle alia voir lancer un vaisseau de 74 canons. Ensuite elle alia a Peterhof autre Palais situé à 33 wersts de la ville. Le 28 anniversaire du couronnement elle y dina en public. Et le 29 jour de la fête du Grand Due. Il y eut bal masqué et illumination.2 Sa Majeste resta à Peterhof jusqu'au cinq de ce mois, et alors elle s'en retourna à Czarsko-Zelo.
That is, 23 June, “vieux style.” By the Western calendar all the events mentioned below accordingly took place in early July.
In his diary, kept according to newstyle dating, JQA recorded on 9 July that he went “to Mr. Rimberts ... to borrow Domino's for the mascarade of tomorrow.” On the 10th: “Grand Duke's fête. Mascarade ball and illumination at Peterhoff. At about 1. o'clock P.M. set out for that place with Mr. Artand and Mr. D. and arriv'd there at about half past 5. Walk'd in the Garden till seven and then went to the ball.” On the 11th: “Left the ball at about 1 ... and set out for St. Petersbourg. Arrived at about 5.... Went to bed and slept till noon.” On the 12th: “Returned the domino's.”
More typical of the way in which JQA passed his time is the record for 22 July, the day the present letter was written: “This forenoon I went to the English Library and took out the 2 last volumes of