John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

4. VII:45. Mrs: Adams was the whole day very unwell; and I can give no good account of the time. Breakfast time came, and I had written only a short answer to Mr Beasley, and a few lines of Journal.— I attended Church with all the Children— Mr Millman read Prayers for the fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, and a Sermon from Jeremiah XXIII.24. Can any hide himself in secret places, that I shall not see him? 394Saith the Lord. Mr Millman’s delivery and reading grows worse instead of improving, by practice. The Church was very thinly attended. About a hundred boys of Dr Nicholas’s school were there— I returned after Church immediately home; but before I could sit down to writing, I had a visit from General Scott, Coll: Drayton and Mr Carter— The General has been greatly disgusted, at the state of things which he has witnessed in France— He proposes to return shortly to the United States. He strongly expressed his wish that the Government of the U.S. would acknowledge the Independence of the South-Americans, and take part with them against Spain— When these Gentlemen were gone, I went with George, and returned the visit of Mr Fletcher and his Son— They were not at home, and I left Cards— On our return home we found Mr J. A. Smith— He had come from town with Mr and Mrs: Delafield, who came to pay a visit; but Mrs Adams was too unwell to see them. Mr Smith, brought me a Letter from Baring Brothers and Co. mentioning that they had paid my draft in favour of Mr Maury, and had been obliged to take a receipt for the money, on a ten shilling Stamp— John and Charles this Evening returned to School.