5 November 1830
adams-john10 Neal Millikan
26

5— VI. Friday.

Adams Thomas B. Abigail S. Adams Holbrook Amos Dr Rice Nathan Spear William Mrs. Ann Adams Her Son Joseph H.

Resumed my Nursery Labours and planted three Cross rows East of the Alley with Washington Chesnuts, Acorns and Liquidamber Apples, with Druid Juglans— Penn’s Hill Red-streak and other Apple-seeds. My brother, and his Daughter Abigail dined with us. After dinner I had a visit from Dr Holbrook, with Coll Nathan Rice, now of Burlington in the State of Vermont, but in 1775. a Student at Law in the Office of my father; at Braintree, with John Thaxter and Jonathan Mason— Rice left the Office for the Army, in which he served several years but not till the end of the War— He lived many years afterwards at Hingham, his native place, whence he removed some years since, to the State of Vermont— The last time I had seen him was at Cambridge, at Commencement in 1828. He has been upon a visit to his friends in Hingham; and is now upon his return. My brother’s wife and her Son Joseph came for Abigail this Evening. William Spear brought me the book containing the minutes of the Sales of standing wood at the Railway lots yesterday— The wood sold I imagine at less than a dollar a cord—but it was chiefly Pitch and white Pine— I walked over the Trask Hills this afternoon, returning by the road— Yesterday I finished reading Cicero’s 27Oration for Quintius, and this morning began that for Roscius of Ameria— When I began, reading the Orations last Spring I omitted these two, having recently read them before— I take them up now to complete the reading of all his Works in succession— That for Quintius has always been a favourite of mine, as the most splendid example of a subject dry and barren of itself rendered eminently interesting by the hand of the Master— It has the charm too of shewing the first developement of the Genius of Cicero. The consciousness of his Power—the ostensible alarm and real exultation at finding himself pitted against Hortensius— The smartness—the vivacity—the dramatized dialogue; the philosophical remarks and maxims of Morals so well and aptly introduced have always delighted me, and have perhaps given me as much pleasure as at the first reading.

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