John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

11. V. The Prince of Orange left the City early this morning. I was engaged almost all the day in writing. Mr Macqueen an Englishman with whom I had some acquaintance at the Hague in 1795, and with whom my brother had at that time been intimate, called upon me this morning— He afterwards came with his eldest Son, who is now 28 years old— The whole family has been involved in a series of misfortunes since the time when we knew them. The father has been imprisoned, had all his property twice confiscated, and in the most imminent danger of being shot, at the time of the English expedition to the Island of Walcheren— The Son has been in the French army several years, and was taken prisoner in January 1813 by the Swedes, going as an express from Dantzig to Rostock. He has been ever since, a prisoner in Sweden, untill released about six weeks since— The old man is now employed as a Store-keeper in the Comissary’s department of the British army— The Son is out of employment and wants it— I scarcely ever saw a man so much changed in his appearance as the old man. And he says that his memory has been much affected by his misfortunes and the agitation of mind that he has gone through— He made many particular enquiries concerning my brother— Captain Jones called upon us after dinner. I received a Letter from Mr Crawford, and was detained at home so late that I could only walk on the Place d’Armes— Captain Depeyster of the Chauncey, and a Captain Peters just from England dined with us— The Chauncey arrived the Evening before last from Gothenburg at Ostend— Mr Todd went with me before dinner to look at Apartments for Mr and Mrs Smith— He and Mr Hughes dined at Mr Meulemeester’s.— I went into the Church of St. Michael’s this day, and saw there Paelinck’s large picture of the Invention of the Cross, by St: Helena, the mother of Constantine. This is one of the most celebrated miracles believed by the Romish Church— Jortin’s Remarks on Ecclesiastical History place it on its proper foundation. The invention of the Cross, is a well chosen term.