Adams Family Correspondence, volume 5

John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 24 May 1783 JQA JA

1783-05-24

John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 24 May 1783 Adams, John Quincy Adams, John

John Quincy Adams to John Adams

Honoured Sir Hague May 24th. 1783

Last Tuesday I went to pay a visit to Mr. van Berkel and when I return'd I receiv'd your favours of the 13 and 14th. instants in which you say, you expect not to be here so soon as you wish, on account 165of the Signature of the definitive Treaty. Unless you were present I could not be better plac'd than as I am at present; as Mr. Dumas is so good as to direct and assist me in my Studies. For an amusement I have begun to read Virgil, and Mr. Dumas has advis'd me to begin with the 4th. Eneid. He reads it with me; and explains me every thing which regards the ancient rites; and ceremonies. We commonly read about 100. verses at a time and when we have done I read to Mr. Dumas Dryden's translation1 of the same.

Madam and Mademoiselle, present their compliments. I am Your dutiful Son. J Q. Adams

Please to present my best respects to Messrs. Thaxter and Storer.

RC (Adams Papers).

At some point JQA acquired John Dryden's translation of Virgil's Works in four volumes, London, 1782; it is now in MQA.

John Thaxter to John Quincy Adams, 28 May 1783 Thaxter, John JQA

1783-05-28

John Thaxter to John Quincy Adams, 28 May 1783 Thaxter, John Adams, John Quincy

John Thaxter to John Quincy Adams

Dear Sir Paris 28th. May 1783

I have had the pleasure of recieving your favor of the 20th. instant.1 With regard to the Miniature of Genl. Washington, which Mr. Dana requested You to enquire about, I have only to say, that Mr. D. has been fully informed of the Reasons of the Delay in not sending it. Mr. Dumas can give You the whole History of the Affair, as he was so kind as to undertake the Expedition of it to Petersbourg, and why he was disappointed in the Execution of his Commission.2

I am as anxious to take You by the Hand, as you can possibly be to see me. I hope we shall meet soon. But I presume not to say when, as Business is not as yet tout-à fait finished. Tis impossible to foresee, exactly when the whole Web will be completed. 'Tis a spinning Negociation.

You will not take it amiss, that I have still so much of the Pedagogue about me, as to recommend very seriously to You a strict Attention to the Latin and Greek Languages, while You remain at the Hague, and You will suffer me also to press You to avail yourself of the classical Knowledge and good Disposition of Mr. Dumas as much as possible. He is an excellent Linguist, and I am too well convinced of your turn for Study, to doubt a Moment of a steady Application to this important Branch of Education. You will recieve the above as the Hints of a Friend, and not as the officious Intermedlings of one who loves to interfere in every Body's Business.

166

We are a long time without News from Boston. We are in daily Expectation of some Arrivals. But Patience is almost worn out.

Mr. Storer returns Compliments to You. Please to present his and my Respects to the Family You are in.

Sincerely your Friend. J. Thaxter

RC (Adams Papers).

Not found.

The editors can throw little light upon the Washington miniature and its failure to arrive in St. Petersburg. In a letter of 28 March 1782 O.S. (Adams Papers), Francis Dana requested that JA send a copy of it, and JA replied on 17 Sept. that he had “sent it to the Care of the Dutch Ambassador” to Russia (MHi: Dana Papers). A month later, however, the Dutch ambassador told Dana that he had neither received it nor heard anything about it (Dana to JA, 20 Oct. 1782 O.S., Adams Papers). Neither JA nor Dana name the Dutch ambassador. The Dutch minister plenipotentiary to St. Petersburg, 1780–1785, was Willem Lodewijk Baron van Wassenaer Starrenburg; the Dutch resident, 1773–1794, was Johan Isaac de Swart ( Repertorium der diplomatischen Vertreter aller Länder , 3:268).