Diary of John Quincy Adams, volume 1
1783-10-26
We came away from Dartford at about 8. o'clock; and arrived at London at about 11: the
distance from Dover is. 72, miles: we took up Lodgings at Osborn's
Adelphi Hotel John Street; in the Strand.
1
Osborne's Hotel was in the Adelphi Buildings, extending from the Strand to the Thames,
which were constructed in 1768 by the Adam brothers and used as dwellings and warehouses;
John Street, off the Strand, was created by this development (Wheatley, London Past and Present
;
Walter Harrison, A New and Univer-197sal History, Description and Survey of the
Cities of London and Westminster, The Borough of Southwark, and Their Adjacent Parts . .
., London, 1775, p. 525 and illustration facing that page).
1783-10-28
The forenoon we went to see the Monuments in Westminster Abbey: we saw a great Collection
of tombs of Kings, Heroes, Statesmen, and Poets. There are some very ancient monuments: a
number of figures in wax and the chairs in which the kings and Queens of England are
crowned: they are said to be more than 1400. years old: we had not time to examine very
attentively this building: and shall probably pay it another visit: At 6 o'clock. P.M. I
went to the Drury Lane Thêatre, where was represented the Tragedy of Hamlet, with the Citozen.1 I must
confess; I do not think they act Tragedy so well here as in Paris: the Tragedy was not
acted, as I expected it would be: there is I think something like affectation; throughout
the actors. They lay an emphasis upon almost every word; yet in some places they speak, both
too low and too slow. For Instance, when the Ghost first appears to Hamlet he starts and
cries out
and speaks a speech of about 20 lines: which the actor is above full a quarter
of an hour delivering; continually in the same situation; which makes the action of the
stage languish a great deal. As for the small piece they play'd that, I think as well as
they do in France, but if I judge by this one play they do not equal the French in
Tragedy.
The Citizen, by Arthur Murphy, was published in 1763 (
Biographia
Dramatica
).
1783-10-29
Took private lodgings; at Mr. Stockdale's,1 opposite Burlington House Piccadilly.
History of the Dispute with
America . . ., in London, 1784 (
DNB
; JA, Diary and Autobiography
, 3:149, 189, 313–314).