Papers of John Adams, volume 16
th.17841
I did not omit to write by the Conveyance of one of the most amiable Women I ever knew. I only omitted to send my written Congratulations to you upon that Felicity which her Presence must afford after so long a Seperation. Capital Sacrifice to your Country thus pleasingly in part rewarded!
The Consul Genl. of France,2 my Neighbour, then informed me that Mrs. Adams had sailed while I slept, which was a Mistake, tho it effectually stopt my Endeavours after Conveyance and in Fact committed my Letter to the Flames, during my Pet at Disappointment for really I love Opportunities of showing Affection & Gratitude. I doubly now congratulate you upon the additional Pleasure of seing another of your American Friends who will be truly a Fellow Labourer—for the Public and make your Cup of private social Felicities run over faster even than it has been doing for a month past I hope before your Sight of this.
My most affectionate Compliments to your Lady and to those round you who are dear to you. Mrs. Lovell has joined me in that under the Condition that I let her continue to make with me equally warm Assurances to Mr. Adams. I should be a Churl indeed if I did not consent to any Thing while the Atlantic Ebbs & Flows between the Courtrix & the Courted.
I am under Fatalities my Son returns this Scrawl telling me the Ship is near the Light House tho’ it is very early morning. he adds that another Vessel will sail before Noon which gives me
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Opportunity to add a few Lines to your Lady, and to request you to get Possession of one of those Books of Jno. Conrad Amman Physician of Amsterdam published in 8vo. 1692 called Surdus loquens or that published in 8vo. 1700 called Dissertatio de Loquela &c &c. of which were afterwards several Editions the first Edition was published in English by Daniel Foot.3 Having gotten possession of any one of these or of any Improvemt. upon them, let me have the reading of it till you come Home. I mean to serve the unfortunate Class of deaf & dumb. I am already possessed of Essentials vizt. Dr. Wallis’s Method published in his inimitable Grammar of the English Language, and Professor Buckner’s of Halle.4
RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “Honble. / John Adams / Minister of the / United States / by / Govr. Jefferson”; internal address: “Hon Mr. Adams.”; endorsed: “Mr Lovel. July 5. 1784 / ansd. Dec. 12 1784.”
On this date Lovell also wrote to AA, and both letters were carried by Thomas Jefferson. In his letter to AA, Lovell announced his appointment as naval officer for the port of Boston two days earlier (
AFC
, 5:357–358).
Philippe André Joseph de Létombe.
These are Johann Conrad Amman’s Surdus loquens, Haarlem, 1692, and Dissertatio de loquela, Amsterdam, 1700. Daniel Foot published a translation of the first entitled The Talking Deaf Man, London, 1693, but no translation by Foot of the second, A Dissertation on Speech, has been found. For JA’s efforts to obtain the volumes, see his 12 Dec. letters to Lovell and Antoine Marie Cerisier, both below.
The books already possessed by Lovell were John Wallis’ Grammatica linguæ anglicanæ, Oxford, 1653, which was prefaced by a section on the education of deaf people (Margret A. Winzer, The History of Special Education, Washington, D.C., 1993, p. 34), and Andreas Elias Büchner’s An Easy and Very Practicable Method to Enable Deaf Persons to Hear, London, 1770.
th.July 1784
In leaving the Hague, I fully intended returning the same way and acknowledging personally my gratitude for the polite reception I mett at Amsterdam in consequence of your Excellencys letters of introduction.1 I was hurried back from Holland in consequence of my affairs haveing advanc’d to a close more rapidly than I had reason to expect.
I have the pleasure to inform your Excellency that I am now totally, & honourably exonorated from my English debts, and preparing for America, expecting to sail for R. Island the 1st. Augt.— I shall always be happy in every stage of life, to pay the tribute of respect which I owe your Excellency in common with every American; Independant of the personal attention I have in frequent instances experienc’d during my residence in Europe.
Although I have freed myself from every claim in this country by a firm perserverance; yet a load hangs heavily upon my shoulders in France. My partner has Indeed come to a composition with his creditors, and will meet me in N. York, but as, in the progress of accomplishing this composition, I shall probably stand in need of the aid of the french Minister in America, and perhaps shall have occasion to make application to the Gouvenor of New York & Pensilvania; I shall therefore esteem it an additional obligation If your time will allow a letter of recommendation to them, stating my connections in New England—my establishment in France &c.2
Most respectfully wishing Your Excellency may injoy the happiness of soon seeing Mrs. & Miss Adams, and that you may continue to possess an uninterupted health, permit me to subscribe myself Very sincerely Your devoted / & greatly Oblig’d Hl. St.
r.
Please to direct to me under cover to Messrs. Blanchard & Lewis merchts. London.
Mr. Watson presents his respectfull compliments to Mons. Dumas thanks him cordially for his intoduction to Mons. Luzac and begs to be favour’d with a general sketch of the present system of Gouvernment in Holland for the regulation of his Journal.3
RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “À Son Excellence / Monsiuer Adams. / Plinipotentiare des Etats / Unis de l’Amerique / à la / Haye”; internal address: “His Excellency John Adams Esqr: / Hague”; endorsed: “Mr Elk. Watson / 5. July. 1784.”
In 1779 Watson, originally from Plymouth, Mass., had gone to Europe and established a mercantile firm, Watson & Cossoul, at Nantes. By late 1783 the firm was bankrupt and Watson had been in England in an effort to settle its affairs. In a letter of 25 May 1784, JQA indicated that Watson was about to leave London for a visit to the Netherlands (vol. 9:33–34; 14:255;
AFC
, 5:332–333).
Watson recorded his visit in the journal mentioned in the postscript. He later published his account as A Tour in Holland, in MDCCLXXXIV. By an American, Worcester, 1790, Evans, No. 23039. Watson reached The Hague on 3 June and on the 4th, at two o’clock in the afternoon, visited JA at “the grand hôtel belonging to the thirteen United States of America, lately purchased by Mr. Adams, for the residence of our future ambassadors. It is decently furnished, has a large library, and an elegant little garden. I was received in the most cordial manner, dined with the ambassador, and in the afternoon we took an airing in his carriage, through the best part of the city.” On the 6th Watson and JA visited Delft, and Watson wrote that “if I had not exerted myself, I should probably have witnessed the unpleasant scene of one of the most brilliant characters of the age (Mr. A—) scrambling in a muddy canal, his wig afloat upon the surface, and all from a laudable zeal to save a child then drowning; the moment he saw the struggling infant bobbing on the top, I thought he would have darted headforemost into the canal, regardless of his personal safety: But I restrained his impetuosity for a moment, as a lusty fellow had that instant soused himself in.”
According to Watson, “in popularity and influence at this court, Mr. A—undoubtedly bears the palm in the diplomatick body. He is universally esteemed, for his profound 276 penetration and extensive political knowledge, the first character our western world has yet produced.
“He talks but little—thinks a great deal—and what he says is always to the purpose; and in point of future events, his words seem to be the words of an oracle. He may indeed be considered as a veteran in politicks, having long acted a conspicuous and important part, and acquired vast experience at several of the courts of Europe, in a very serious crisis.
“Though he does not ape the graces of a Chesterfield, yet we have found in him the more important accomplishments of an ambassador; for his stern republican virtues, have in every instance rose superiour to the duplicity and affected consequence of European courtiers.”
Watson left The Hague with letters of introduction from JA and C. W. F. Dumas for people in Leyden and Amsterdam. Those from JA have not been found, but he likely wrote letters to the members of the loan consortium, for while in Amsterdam Watson dined with one of the Staphorsts (A Tour in Holland, p. 71–72, 82, 83–85, 134). But see also note 3.
No such letters of introduction by JA have been found.
On 7 June Watson dined with Jean Luzac at Leyden. Watson wrote that “this gentleman is celebrated throughout Europe for his uncommon talents and extensive knowledge; and more particularly for his patriotism, and being the editor of the Leyden Gazette, which is universally esteemed the best in circulation.” At the end of his account, Watson inserted a section entitled “Origin and Description of the United Provinces,” which included information on the country’s history, geography, climate, economy, and government, and then an appendix on its East India trade (same, p. 104–105, 162–191).