10 July 1820
adams-john10 Neal MillikanScience and Technology
387

10. IV:30. A great part of this morning was absorbed in a search for an Account of the seven wise men of Greece— They are named in the Protagoras of Plato, and from thence in the Anacharsis of Barthelemi. But from a passage in Plutarch’s life of Solon it appears that there were other pretenders; of whom he names Periander of Corinth, Epimenides the Sicilian, and the Scythian elder Anacharsis— If I had more books I should very probably waste a week upon this enquiry; for in the Greek dictionary of Schrevelius there is a list of them, with one wise saying annexed to each name— The list in Schrevelius is Solon, Chilon, Pittacus, Bias, Periander, Cheobulus, and Thales— Some of these sayings are obscure and need explanation— In the Protagorus, Socrates says that the seven wise men once met together at Delphi, and consecrated to Apollo the first fruits of their wisdom by engraving upon the temple, the two maxims. Know thyself, and Nothing too much. Now in the list of Schrevelius, the second of these maxims is not, and the first is ascribed to Solon. I shall look further into this matter when I have leisure, and in the mean time this morning reduced the seven names, with the maxim annexed to each, in Schrevelius, to seven rhyming lines, to fix them in my Memory— Hickey was here this Morning but I was not ready for him— At the Office there came the Frenchman of many inventions Le Gris, and Dr388Thornton— Le Gris came to me almost every day last week, soliciting a receipt for french papers and drawings which he had deposited, but for which Thornton declined giving him either a receipt or certificate— I had sent two messages to the Dr. requesting him to give them but without effect— So, I appointed this day at one O’Clock, for them to meet at my Office— They came and were soon brought to an understanding with each other— The Dr said, Le Gris had insisted upon having copies made at the Office of his papers and drawings; which he disclaimed— And the Dr promised to give him the receipt which he desired. Mr Poletica called and took leaving— Going tomorrow upon his summer excursion— I wrote to the President, but for want of papers from the Navy Department could not make up my despatches for Forbes and Prevost— This day was fair, after a long and heavy Shower in the Night. W. S. Smith was here this Evening.

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