Diary of John Quincy Adams, volume 1

Saturday the 15th [16th] of September 1780. JQA Saturday the 15th [16th] of September 1780. Adams, John Quincy
Saturday the 15th 16th of September 1780.

Half Holiday. Today about 1 o clock brother Charles and I came to Pappa's lodgings where we dined. After dinner Mr. Guild and Mr. Ingraham came here and went with us to see the Hortus Medicus1 of which I have spoken already. We walked about a little while and then we came home again, as we were coming we went into a Church and looked about it a little. When we got to Pappa's door Mr. Guild and Mr. Ingraham left us. At about 8 o clock Commodore Gillon came to Pappa's lodgings and stay'd some time. At about half after nine o clock Pappa received a Letter from Mr. Dana2 who has just arrived in Town. Pappa went to see Mr. Dana who Lodges at the first Bible.

71 1.

JQA's marginal note here, “Vide Volume 2d. Page 11, and 36, 37, 38, 39,” refers to JQA's Diary entries of 25 Aug. and 5 Sept. (both above).

2.

That of 16 Sept. 1780, Adams Papers.

Sunday the 17th. JQA Sunday the 17th. Adams, John Quincy
Sunday the 17th.

This morning My brother Charles and myself went to the first bible to see Mr. Dana and Mr. Austin. We stay'd there a little while and then came back to Pappa's lodgings. A little after we got there Mr. Guile and Mr. Ingraham came here for us to go to church with them but Pappa could not go. Brother Charles and I went. After service Mr. Guile and Mr. Ingraham left us and we came back to Pappa's. Mr. Dana dined here with us. After dinner I went to take a Walk with Dana and then went back to the first bible. We stay'd there a little while and Mr. Austin got back. We then went and took a walk about the town and walked a great ways and at about 7 o clock I left Mr. Dana and Mr. Austin and came back to Pappa's lodgings.

Monday the 18th. JQA Monday the 18th. Adams, John Quincy
Monday the 18th.

Went back to the school. Nothing remarkable to day.

Reading in a Volume of the guardian I found something in it which I will copy.1

1.

Here follows, on two pages of his Diary, Philip Sidney's translation of Psalm 137, five eight-line stanzas, which appeared in No. 18, not No. 19 as JQA cites it, of The Guardian, 1 April 1713. In JQA's edition of the work, London, 1745, at MQA, it is found at 1:84–85.

Tuesday the 19th. JQA Tuesday the 19th. Adams, John Quincy
Tuesday the 19th.

I received a letter from one of my schoolmates at Paris.1

Rain'd hard most all day.

Reading in a Volume of the guardian I found something which I will copy.2

1.

Letter not found.

2.

Here follows, on two pages in the Diary, Pope's 46-line “Prologue to Addison's Tragedy of Cato,” from No. 33, 18 April 1713. This appears in JQA's edition of The Guardian at 1:142–143.

Wednesday the 20th. JQA Wednesday the 20th. Adams, John Quincy
Wednesday the 20th.

This day I went to Pappa's to day. Got back to the school at eight oclock P.M. Nothing remarkable.

72

Reading a Volume of the Tatler I found something worth copying.1

1.

Here follows, on seven and one-half pages of the Diary, the latter part of The Tatler No. 146, originally published on 16 March 1710 (London, 1728, 3:148–152, at MQA). The portion JQA copied, the dream about Jupiter and the Destinies, begins with the third paragraph and continues to the conclusion of the number (same, p. 150–152).