Docno: ADMS-03-02-02-0002-0013-0011
Author: Adams, John Quincy
Date: 1787-12-11
Reading Blackstone all day; and I pass'd the evening, at the office till eight: after
which I went and past an hour with Putnam. F. Bradbury was with him. We had some conversation
upon the stale topic of self love and disinterested benevolence. A subject, upon which
I have very frequently conversed, with many different persons: and notwithstanding
every thing that I have heard said upon the subject, I still retain the opinion which
I adopted when I first reasoned upon it. I will not venture to say there is no such
thing as disinterested benevolence, but I must say that after searching as deeply
as possible into my own mind, I cannot find a trace of it there.
Talk'd with Doctor Kilham upon the federal constitution; the elections which have
hitherto been made in different parts of the State, appear to be generally favorable
to it.