John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

30. VI. Monday.

The drought continues, and a Midsummer Sun, pouring torrents of heat upon the atmosphere kept me from my Garden and Nursery, where the exercise of labour, under such a blaze is too potent for an enervated Constitution— I confined myself to the house, and resumed the teaching of the Alphabet to my Grand child. I finished reading the Book of Job, in Thomson’s Translation of the Septuagint, and began the Psalms.— The descriptions of the Behemoth and Leviathan absorbed my attention— Neither of these animals is known, although one is supposed to be the Hippopotamos or river-horse, and the other the Crocodile. I read the Article of the Crocodile, in La Cepede’s Natural history; being the first Volume of the Serpents p. 259. among the Lizards— There are Crocodiles in Africa, Asia, North and South-America, but none in Europe. None in our part of America— After dinner I read a few Letters of Madame de Sevigné; and the first Book of Zophiel, or the bride of seven—Mrs Maria Brooks’s poem. Towards Evening I took a short walk on the Hill opposite to my house, to see if Solomon Thayer’s grain was up: but there is yet a very slight appearance of it if any— We had a rubber of whist in the Evening— My health is partially recovered, and a recent blessing of Heaven, sheds a last ray upon my hopes of the future as regards the present world— They have been too sanguine, and too fondly cherished— My mother had a mourning ring, on the death of my Sister Susanna, within which was engraved “Lean not on Earth: ’twill pierce thee to the heart”—a line from Young’s Night thoughts— I read it when a child, and it left upon my mind a deep impression— Yet it has not preserved me from leaning upon Earth— There is no Passion more deeply seated in my bosom, than the longing for posterity worthily to support my own and my father’s name I trace my Ancestors in the grave-yard and on the town Books to Henry Adams one of the first Settlers of the town of Braintree at Mount Wollaston— All I know of those of my fathers name untill him is that they were born, were married and died— He was eminent, and my desire has been that his name and his possessions here, should continue in his and his descendant’s name— For this I have done my part— My Sons must do theirs— There is now one Son of the next Generation, and my hopes revive— Is it a Sin, to implore the father of all Mercies, that his blessings of Wisdom and of Virtue may rest upon this child; upon others to succeed him and of upon all my children’s children?— Of future Sons, and daughters yet unborn?