John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

223

3. IV:30. Thursday

I received last Evening an invitation from the Massachusetts charitable mechanic association to attend at their triennial festival this day to conclude with a public dinner at Faneuil Hall— I went with Thomas in Charles’s Chaise, and at 10 O’Clock attended at the Doric Hall of the State House, and met the President of the Society, Mr George Darracott, and the Secretary J. Gorham Rogers— There among the invited guests I met Genl. H. A. S. Dearborn, Caleb Cushing, Isaac P. Davis, President Josiah Quincy, the British Consul Mr Grattan, and sundry others. At 11. O’Clock, or soon after the processions moved from the Representative Hall of the State House to the Odeon— I walked with Genl. Dearborn— The order of services was 1 Voluntary on the organ 2. Chorus—Glory be to God on high. 3. Prayer by Revd. George Blagden: 4. Original Ode, written by George Lunt—a luxuriant picture of the autumnal Season, of which the following couplets are worthy of being embalmed in Memory

The teeming earth with treasur’d stores in rich profusion crown’d The cattle on a thousand hills, by Summer’s Sun embrown’d The Forest deck’d with glorious hues, the flocks that throng the vale And Nature’s universal heart, the year of plenty hail— And well may Man whose living soul the breath of God inspires To grasp the shadowy things to be, with uncontroll’d desires. Well may he bring the skilful works, his master hand hath wrought, And join with Nature’s festival, the harvest-home of thought. His said hath found the farthest isle, that crowns the ocean wave His hand hath sought the sparkling gem in earth’s profoundest cave His car along the smoking track, the courser’s speed outvies And swifter than on Eagles wings, along the deep he flies—

There are three Stanzas more, not equal to these but yet very good— Next was the Address by James T. Austin; an hour and a half long, without a tedious moment to the Auditory.— It was a spirited and eloquent vindication of the natural and unavoidable inequalities of human Society, and of the blessings of luxury. The Doctrine of Mandeville’s Fable of the Bees set forth in the gorgeous attire of ambitious Oratory. After the Doxology to the tune of old hundred, and the benediction by Mr Blagden, the procession marched again: passing through Quincy Hall over the Aerial bridge into Faneuil Hall where about nine hundred persons sat down to a most sumptuous dinner followed by toasts and songs, and shouts of exultation and of laughter, all with the most perfect sobriety decorum and order— The second toast given by the President Mr Darracott was my name with the appendage of a fulsome and disgusting compliment— It was received with loud and universal shouting and huzzas so mortifying that they totally disconcerted me.— But I was doomed to make a Speech; and muttered a few incoherent stammering sentences, without either a joke or a point to keep up the good humour— The shout and clapping that followed it was a substitute of civility for applause: President Quincy, and the Mayor of the City responded better, and the Orator of the day, and Caleb Cushing better still— I left the table about 7. O’Clock with President Quincy, and our departure from the Hall was honoured with the farewell of three hearty Cheers— I got home about 8. and joined our Ladies who were at Charles’s— We came home however before nine, my wife being slightly indisposed.