Adams, John Quincy (1767-1848) to James Bridge
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00958.03 Author/Creator: Adams, John Quincy (1767-1848) Place Written: Braintree, Massachusetts Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 25 January 1789 Pagination: 2 p. : address; 20 x 15 cm. Order a Copy
Adams describes acting like a recluse, spending most of his time in study. He praises the fourth volume of Edward Gibbon's "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire." Adams asks that if Bridge sees a mutual friend, Stacey, to ask him to return Adams' copy of a work by Henry St. John Bolingbroke. He also asks Bridge to retrieve Adams' copies of Saunderson's Algebra and four volumes of Busson's works in French.
Braintree Jany. 25th. 1789.
My dear Friend.
Cranch informs me that he purposes taking a ride towards Newbury this week and I take the opportunity to remind you, of your engagements to inform me, of the sequel to the secret history and all other anecdotes of an interesting nature. - Since I returned, I have kept as recluse as a hermit, and except for the purposes of exercise, my motions have been inclosed within the circle of a small apartment. You may recollect I left you on Friday: for the sake of having L. White's company, and other good & valuable considerations me thereunto moving, I remained in Haverhill, till the next Monday and on Tuesday I arrived at my cell. - Since which every day has been a duplicate of the former, and my transactions have been confined to the nutrition either of mind or body.
Gibbon has afforded me no small fund of entertainment. The fourth volume, which I had not read before, is perhaps the most interesting of them all; and one long chapter upon the subject of the civil Law, may entitle the volume [2] to the appellation of a professional book.
I have had some expectations of going to New York, but since I begun this letter we have been made happy by the arrival of our friends from thence. This circumstance might excuse the brevity of my epistle.
If you should see Stacey, you will not forget to remind him of my Vol: of Bolingbroke, for which I feel somewhat anxious. I will beg you to send by the stage to Boston, my Saunderson's Algebra in two 4: to Vols: & four volumes of Busson's works in French. 12: mo You will find them I suppose without difficulty in my closet. I will make no apology for giving you the trouble. I have so often taken liberties of a similar nature, than an apology would favour too much of common place.
Salute the brethren of the club, who are often present to my mind, and whom I always recollect with tenderness of sentiment.
Adieu- J. Q. Adams
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