John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

17. VI. Wednesday.

I was threatened with a sprinkling in my Morning walk; but afterwards came on a heavy rain— Mr Bayard of Princeton New-Jersey, paid me a morning visit— He said he had been with his wife passing the Winter with his daughter Mrs Washington in Virginia— Her husband was a member of the Virginia Convention; and she living alone in a large Plantation, wanted Society; and her father and mother have therefore been to pass the Winter with her— A visit of a few days here to Mrs S. H. Smith who is Mr Bayard’s Sister is an episode— Mr Bayard asked me, if I proposed to publish a Memoir of my father’s Life— I said it was my intention. He said he expected Mr William Jay would publish a Memoir of his father and spoke of a controversy between Mr William Jay, and Bishop Hobart about the Bible Society— Bishop Hobart preferring a Society for distributing the Episcopal Prayer Book— Mr Bayard thought Mr Jay, had much the advantage of the Bishop in that controversy. I began reading the third Book of Cicero’s Epistles ad Diversos— I have also been reading several Articles in late Reviews. I have now in hand the 99th. number of the Edinburgh—for October 1829. republished at Boston in February.— The first Article is a newly published life of John Locke with Extracts from his Correspondence, Journals and Common Place Books, by Lord King who is said to be the Representative of his Family. The Reviewer declines making an Article upon the Life and Writings of Locke, reserving that for another occasion; but now confines himself to the Book— There is an extract of a very good Letter to Lord Peterborough upon Education— There is some account of Locke’s intimate connection with the first Earl of Shaftesbury, and its origin, which was accidental— But Grahame’s History contains much more upon this subject— The extracts from his Journal are interesting; but his ideas upon classical Learning and upon History are marked with the peculiar character of his mind—Metaphysical— It is an old charge upon Locke, that he thought Blackmore 399a great Poet— There is perhaps an exaggerated account of the Popish Plot, and an account of Lockes removal from the Studentship of Christ Church College at Oxford—and he afterwards went into exile— His intimacy with Sir Isaac Newton is a subject of much interest—though it appears to have been partially interrupted by suspicions on the part of Newton which bear an appearance of insanity— It is remarkable that this publication should have been so long delayed— Locke died in 1704. one hundred and twenty six years since— That inedited works of his should so long have existed without publication is surprizing.