Diary of John Quincy Adams, volume 1
1785-08-21
At six in the morning, we all left Middleton: and rode on to Hartford, where we arrived at
about 9. The distance is 14 miles. For several miles on this side of Middleton, we rode
along by the side of the river: and after we left it, we had from the top of an hill a most
elegant prospect. Indeed there are a number in this Country, which looks as prosperous, and
as fertile, as any I remember ever to have been through. We had some thoughts of stopping at
Weathersfield, which is 3 miles from Hartford; and going to meeting there: this State is
very famous for psalm singing, and Weathersfield is peculiarly distinguish'd: but we thought
best upon the whole to go forward directly to Hartford. I was much fatigued when I arrived,
and took a nap; after which I went and visited Coll. Wadsworth, who arrived in town last
evening. We dined at our tavern, and after dinner, went to the meeting. Mr. Chaumont was
struck with, the singing: he is a connoisseur in music, and was surprised to find so much
harmony here. After Meeting I went and delivered a letter from my father to Mr.
Trumbull,1 the author of McFingal, who formerly
studied law with him. I sat about 2 hours with him, and had some conversation with him,
mostly upon the french poets, in which he is well versed. He is not very partial to
Voltaire, and in that I agree perfectly in opinion with him. We afterwards went and Drank
tea with Coll. Wadsworth, who lives in a very elegant manner: 310he made a very large fortune, by being agent for the french army,
with Mr. Carter, or rather Church:2
he has two fine daughters. Harriot, is not
handsome, but very genteel. Betsey is only 11. years old, but promises to be a Beauty. After
tea, we went and took a walk round the town, and on the banks of the river which is about 15
feet deep here but there is a bar at some distance from this place, which prevents large
vessels from coming up to the town except in the spring when the river overflows. This is
considered as the capital of the State, though New-Haven, has some pretensions to that
title, and in a commercial view is better situated. We spent the Evening at Coll.
Wadsworth's.
Dated 28 April (LbC, Adams
Papers). McFingal in 1775. Consisting of four cantos in
Hudibrastic verse, it described the blunders of British leaders during the Revolution
(Victor E. Gimmestad, John Trumbull, N.Y., 1974).
One Hundred Years of the Hartford Bank, Now the Hartford
National Bank
of Hartford, Conn., Hartford, 1892, p.
32–33).