28 December 1811
adams-john10 Neal Millikan Health and Illness
327

28. Our house is nearly transformed into a hospital of invalids. We all continue suffering with Colds and Coughs which Doctor Galloway says are epidemical— He advised me this day, to confine myself to the house; with which injunction I very reluctantly complied— There was a second great Ball this Evening, at Count Besborodko’s, to which we were invited— I sent an apology for Mrs Adams, Catherine and myself, who are all confined to the house— Mr Smith went, though still quite unwell himself. I had a morning visit from Mr Montréal— Was unable to write almost entirely, by the pain in my breast— Mr Plincke sent me by his Clerk a letter, informing me that he had this morning paid the money to the Police, for a penalty incurred by me, and that he was informed by the Police-Master what measures to take to enforce the Article of the Contract, by which I was answerable for the Passports of my Servants— I told the Clerk to tell him that there had been no defect in my Servants Passport; that the Police-Master had informed me that the paper in question was entirely a different thing; that I should not pay the money; and he might take his measures; upon which the Clerk went away again— General Tatischeff, also sent me a message, to demand payment for a fine imposed upon him, for the whole time we were at his house in the Country—two Rubles a day on account of the same Mooshik Tita— In my lease from Tatischeff, drawn by himself, and signed by me as drawn, there was no stipulation whatsoever respecting the Servants, their Passports or their Certificates— I sent him word that I was utterly ignorant of this whole affair— That I had expostulated with the Master of the Police, against a fine’s being levied in such a manner upon him; but that I could do nothing further.— There came to me two American Sailors, belonging to the Monticello, Captain Sall, a vessel that has been condemned for coming with false papers— The Captain refuses to pay the men their wages, or to support them— I sent them with a Note to Mr Harris, the only person who has the means of relieving them, or obtaining Justice for them.— I finished reading the second Volume of Auger’s Translation— It concludes with the Oration of Eschines against Timarchus.— This person had engaged himself in conjunction with Demosthenes, as an accuser of Eschines; who retorted upon him, by accusing him of having forfeited by infamous vices the right of speaking in public— Part of this Harangue is omitted by Auger, as containing details of infamy too shocking for the modesty of french ears— It has some very eloquent passages, and particularly one, in which the violent Passions, are said to be the only torturers of the Furies, which Cicero copied into his Oration for Roscius of Ameria— It always struck me there as one of the most beautiful strokes in that Harangue— I did not know that it belonged to Eschines.— There are also in this Discourse many quotations from the Poets— Homer and Euripides— Some of them long, and not much to the purpose— There is not a little invective against Demosthenes, and among others, the reproach that he had been called by the nick-name of Batalus; and that he was foppish and effeminate in his dress.— In this accusation Eschines succeeded— Timarchus was condemned and his name became proverbial for infamy.

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