John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

21. V: Cardelli came this morning to remind me of my promise to write to Mr Jefferson, and Mr Madison, requesting them to sit to him for their Busts; and to tell me that he had concluded to take my advice, and return to his work upon ornaments at the Capitol, until he shall have a certainty of profit from his more noble employment of taking Busts— But he said that after his death; nobody that should ever look at the flowers in the Cornices of the Capitol would say—there!—that’s the work of Cardelli. He said Coll. Lane was much satisfied with the Bust of the President and had taken it himself to Mrs Monroe, who was also well pleased with it— And Mr Hay had asked him his price for Casts from the Bust. He had fixed the price at twelve dollars, which Mr Hay said was very cheap, and had told him that he would have many subscribers for them at that price, at Richmond— He complained that the French Minister had not treated him well, and would not understand the price of a single Bust must be a very different thing from that of the Casts taken from it.— I called and renewed one of my Notes at the Metropolis Bank— The rest of the day till five at my Office without interruption, and made some progress in drafting Instructions for J. Graham— My wife received a Letter which gives us both great uneasiness from our son George, who was at Quincy, by leave of absence from College 93for a stricture at his breast—proceeding as he says from over-application. He was better, and intending to return, as last Monday to Cambridge— My wife herself was this Evening very unwell.