John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

8. VIII. Before going out, I had barely time to write a short Letter to Mr Beresford at Berlin, which with the three Volumes of Jortin’s Remarks on Ecclesiastical History, which he had lent me at St: Petersburg, I took with me to London, and gave to his Son, at his lodgings, N. 40. Buckingham Street— I called at N. 16. of the same Street to see Dr Bollmann, but he was not at home. At the Office in Craven-Street, I found Mr Smith had gone out of town on Saturday, and had not returned.— He came home about four O’Clock, having been to Mr Birkbeck’s, at Guilford, thirty miles from London— I went to the Covent-Garden theatre Box-Office to engage a seat for this Evening; but there was none to be had, better than I could expect to get without engaging it— I called at the Auction Office of the Robbins’s, and settled their bill for some wine purchased lately of them.— Then at Silvester’s the engraver, where I found a new design for the Seal which I bespoke—the Device from the Constellation of Lyra— I gave some further directions and am to call again before he begins to engrave the seal— Returning to the Office, I wrote a Letter to the Chevalier de Llaño at Berlin; answeing the two that I have lately received from him; which I left with Mr Smith to copy, and send to Mr Beresford.— An American named Anderson applied for a Passport; and I endorsed a Passport from the Marquis d’Osmond, the French Ambassador, for a Genevan named Joly, to go to the United States— I received the following Cards, Notes and Letters— A printed Card, dated Carleton House, the 4th. July 1816.— The Prince Regent has expressed Himself desirous that the Nobility and Gentry, invited to Carlton House on the 12th. Inst. should appear upon that occasion in British Manufacture.— A note from Earl Bathurst returning Mr Gregg’s Letter— A Letter from Messrs: A. Glennie, Son and Co: enclosing one from L. Harris at St. Petersburg of 15. June— He has at length received his despatches— But his bustle about them is not over. He gives me momentous admonitions, about the importance of forwarding despatches for him, in the regular way; and in the manner which he has pointed out— Harris always will be the fly upon the Coach wheel.— A Letter from J. Grubb, enclosing a card from the Danish Consul General, Mr Horneman, and a letter forwarded by him from O. C. Kellermann, at Randers in Jutland, about the sale to the United States of the Nicobar Islands.— A Letter from F. E. Montréal at St. Petersburg of 7 June, enclosing the new Russian Tariff, and a Letter for Mr W. Gray at Boston. I left the order in favour of Barclay and Co. with Mr Smith, to be delivered to them.— Dined at the Office and then went to Covent-Garden theatre— The Princess Charlotte of Wales, and her husband were to have been there; but she was indisposed and could not come; a notice of which was placarded on the walls of the house— I could get a seat only on one of the back benches of the Boxes behind the dress Row.— The Play was the Opera of Artaxerxes—Mandane by Miss Stephens, Artaxerxes by Duruset, Arbaces by Sinclair— The Air’s and duets of this Opera, are among the most popular songs that I have heard and performed these thirty years, but I had never seen the Play before— It is an Italian Opera of Metastasio, translated, and the music composed by Dr. Arne. As a drama, every thing in it is out of nature, it is by the plot a horrible tragedy in which all the Passions are sacrificed to the Music; and the music is all sweet and warbling, without any exhibition of Passion— Miss Stephens was encored in “The Soldier tir’d,” but yet did not sing it so much to my taste as I have heard it— The performance altogether did not equal my expectations— It was succeeded by a farce, called killing no murder—I know not why— It was one of the low and vulgar pieces in which Matthews displays his humour, by personating five or six characters, and mimicking as many persons, and Liston, by burlesque imitation of the style of Opera-dancing— The 26closing piece was Blue-Beard, or female curiosity; of which I saw only the first Act— There were behind me two men, one of whom had just returned from Paris, and was all the time torturing the other with comparisons between the English and French theatrical Representations, and assuring him of the infinite superiority of the French— I had ordered the Carriage to Craven Street at eleven O’Clock. I returned there just before it came; and went to the Countess of Jersey’s Route— It was excessively crowded with Company, few of whom I knew— I spoke again to Count Lieven about the British new naval Expedition to Algiers, which he said was fitting out; but that Lord Exmouth had received no Instructions; the Official Accounts of the Massacre at Bona, not having been received. I asked Count Lieven and Mr Pfeffel, if they had received Cards expressive of the Prince Regents desire that the company at the Ball on Friday should appear in British Manufactures— They said they had— That the Cards must have been sent by some mistake of the Servants to the Foreign Ministers, for whom Pfeffel said they could not be intended as they were neither Nobility nor gentry.— Lord Castlereagh told me that they had passed the Act of Parliament, for allowing American Vessells to take as many Passengers from Ireland, as British Vessells— I mentioned to him also, the Clearance of American Vessels direct, for British Ports in India— He said the Act had followed the example of our Act— Mr Rogers, the Poet and Banker asked me to call and see him at his house— Mr and Mrs Patterson were there; and Miss Caton— Mrs Wellesley Pole and Lady Fitzroy Somerset, were with them, and taking the greatest notice of them— Miss Louisa Caton was so much indisposed that she could not come— Mr Patterson told me they now talked of going to Cheltenham on Friday; but they were putting it off from one day to another— He hoped to go, about that time— The Earl of Jersey was not at the party; being out of town.— I came away, shortly before one; and reached home at half past two in the morning.