John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

22. Mr W. G. Smith came and took my letters and dispatches for America, and for London; and left the City about five O’Clock this afternoon— Mr Plummer came to inform me that Mr George Thorndike who has been several months unwell, was taken last Night so extremely ill, that it was doubtful whether he would survive this day.— Mr Harris spent the Evening with us— So much of the day was thus employed, that I read only the eleventh and last of the Philippics— Or the Oration upon Philip’s letter— And part of the Oration upon the Government of the Republic— The Philippic is short and full of repetitions; discussing none of the particulars of Philip’s letter, but considering it as a declaration of War, and urging the People to active exertion in maintaining it— The Oration upon the Government, is said to have been concerning the distribution of the War, or theatrical funds. There is not more than one page relative to that subject— The rest is miscellaneous and declamatory—proposing another meeting of the People, to reform the Government and correct the abuses of the Administration.— In the Evening I read two Sermons in the English preacher Vol. 4. on the Fear of Man; and on the reasonableness and Advantages of Public Worship— I could not even read a few pages of Paley— Nor write one line according to my intentions.— I finished reading the German Old Testament, and began the Apocrypha.