John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

4. V. Friday.

My brother was here this morning, and I received visits from Mr Peter Whitney, and Mr John Marston. Mrs Pitts, and Mrs Kirke with her child arrived: having come round in a coasting vessel from Alexandria where they embarked on the 21st. of last Month— This completes the portion of our family who have effected this Northern Emigration for the Summer— To most families in this Country, this removal would scarcely be more difficult than it would individually to me— I find it of oppressive magnitude, and distressing charge— Afternoon walk— Call at J. Greenleaf’s. His daughter Lucy wife of George Dawes—with four Children, and Mary, wife of Henry Dawes, with one Child there. Called afterwards at my brother’s. I read this morning the first Oration against Catiline: it is short, and I think I had translated it forty years ago. But I find in Ernesti’s Edition of Cicero, before the Orations against Rullus, the fragments of the two Orations for Caïus Cornelius, and of one in Toga candida against his competitors for the Consulship, Caïus Antonius and Catiline. These fragments are principally preserved by Asconius Pedianus— The two Orations for Cornelius are mentioned as among the greatest of his efforts, and he cites passages from them in his Orator ch. 67. and 70. I read these fragments but find nothing in them very remarkable— My progress here will be much more slow, with the same devotion of Time than it was at Washington. There I had nothing but the text of Cicero, in the pocket volumes of the Regent’s Classics— What I did not understand, I was obliged to pass over— Here I have many Editions of Cicero. Translations French and English. Prevost’s translation of Middleton’s life of the Orator, Dictionaries Commentators, Histories of Rome; and Dissertations upon Roman Manners, Government and Institutions— It is the race of the dog and the tortoise— Great part of this morning was absorbed in looking up the works that I possess relating to Cicero— The first is an Edition in nine Quarto Volumes, of Joseph d’Olivet, ad usum Delphini, printed by John Manfré at Padua 1753— The principal merit of this work is the large type in which it is printed. The Indexes in the ninth Volume are useful, and it contains the Historia Ciceronis in annals by Francis Fabricius, perhaps the model of Middleton— 2. The second Edition of John Augustus Ernesti—6 Volumes Octavo—printed at Halle 1757. The second Volume containing the Orations is divided into two volumes, and the last volume is the Clavis, worth more for 469the illustration of Cicero, than all the other Commentaries upon Cicero ever written. It is in five Indexes 1. of Laws. 2. Geographical 3. Historical 4. Latinity. 5 Graeco-Latin— The Regent’s Edition, omits from the Clavis the Index of Latinity. 3. The Edition by Sallemand. 14. Volumes duodecimo. of the Barbour collection—merely the text; with Ernesti’s Arguments: very convenient for reading. 4. Wells and Lilly’s Boston Edition 12. Volumes duodecimo. I left at Washington. 5. The Edition of Dionysius Gothofredus. one Volume Quarto, printed at Geneva, by Peter and James Chouet 1632. with marginal Notes— 6. Schrevelius— Elzevir Edition. one Volume Quarto 1661. Two copies— This has also the Historia Ciceronis of Francis Fabricius.