John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

24. VII:15. Received by the morning Post, a Letter from Messrs. Pitcairn and Brodie’s at Hamburg—dated the 16th instant, with advice that they have shipped Bode’s Uranographia, on board the Goliah, Captain Thomas M. Pain, a different vessel from that mentioned in their former letter— But they have now enclosed the Bill of lading.— I answered Letters from G. A. Thompson, the author or compiler of a Dictionary of America, and the West-Indies in five Quarto Volumes with an Atlas of Arrowsmith’s Maps who wrote to ask me to subscribe to the work—to which I have consented—and from a Mr de Corbin de la Beaussonniere a French Officer, who requested to see me— I have appointed three O’Clock to-morrow. Finished my despatch to the Secretary of State, and returned to the attempt to retrieve the arrears at the close of the last Volume of my Journal— I wrote however not more than half a dozen lines, being called away to attend the poney races at Ealing Fair— The Fair began this day, and is to continue the two following. Mrs Adams and the children road and I walked to the races, which were on Ealing Dean Common. I missed the first of the three heats, by going first to Ealing Common by mistake— I saw the second and third heats, the last of which was tolerably well contested. We returned home to dinner. I received a Letter, from Joseph T. Price, a partner of the Foxes, at the Neath Abbey-Iron Works; Glamorganshire, about a Steam Engine, which they suppose to be wanted, for the Mint of the United States— R. W. Fox the Consul at Falmouth, had already written to me on the same Subject; but I had not otherwise heard that a Steam-Engine was wanted for the Mint— Received also a Note from J. A. Smith, saying that there are 15dispatches for me at the Office, and enclosing a Card of Countess Jersey at Home this Evening; but as I understand it is quite optional to attend these Evening parties or Routs, or not, at one’s convenience, and that no answers are expected to the cards, I concluded not to go this Evening; but after a walk in the Garden, went with my wife and children again to see the Shews at the Fair upon Ealing Green. There were several of them but we went in only at Richardson’s, where we saw a Melodrama, called the Turkish Heroine; and a Pantomime of Harlequin’s rambles; with a Sailor’s song between the two. The whole Spectacle lasted about an hour; and finished just at ten O’Clock when we came home. The seats were at a shilling and at sixpence each. The Stage was under a tent erected on the green, and their house was quite full— They repeat the same performance three or four times each Evening.