Papers of John Adams, volume 20
th.July 1789
My Friend Robert Young Esqr. of Warwick
Court Holborn having lately published an Essay on the Powers and Mechanism of Nature, in
which he has advanced some new and important Doctrines,1 which he wishes may be investigated by the
Philosophers of America, has desired me to distribute a few of them to the Persons, whom
I know to be the most eminent for their Learning and love of the Sciences—and as I know
of none more so than Your Excellency, I am to request You will be pleased to accept of
the herewith inclosed Book from him—and I am very happy in the opportunity it gives me
of congratulating Your Excellency on your appointment to the very high and important
Office to which You have been chosen by your Country, and in the execution of which, I
wish You may meet with all the Success and satisfaction which I am sure your Endeavours
for the Public Good will merit—
If You should be so obliging as to acknowledge the receipt of my
Letter, be pleased to direct for me, to the care of Saml.
Rogers Esqr. No. 23 Charlotte
Street Portland Place.2
I have the Honor to be with very great Respect and Esteem— / Sir / Your Excellency’s / most obedient / and most humble Servant
l.Mather
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “His Excellency / John Adams Esqr. / &c &c &c—”
Loyalist Samuel Mather Jr. (1745–1809), former chief clerk of the
Boston customs office, returned to America and became a major shareholder in the
Connecticut Land Company. He sent Robert Young’s An Essay on
the Powers and Mechanism of Nature, London, 1788. While living in England,
AA attended Young’s scientific lectures, and a copy of this work is in
JA’s library at MB (vol.
17:50; Chaim M. Rosenberg,
Yankee Colonies Across America: Cities upon the Hills,
Lanham, Md., 2015, p. 39;
AFC
, 8:25, 26;
Catalogue of JA’s Library
).
Samuel Rogers (1764–1804), Harvard 1765, was a Boston merchant
who resettled in London in 1778. Holding the power of attorney for many of his fellow
loyalists, he assisted with their compensation claims and operated a banking firm on
Charlotte Street (
Sibley’s Harvard Graduates
, 16:211, 212).
Your friendly answer to the letter, which I took the liberty of
addressing to you in favor of Colo. Heath, has increased the
attachment, which your civility to me in 1775, and your public conduct 87 since, first produced My application in that gentleman’s behalf being founded on a
conviction of his worth, I conceived, that it might not be improper to make that worth
known to all those, who might eventually decide on his pretensions.1
I am almost unable to inform you, where my uncle, Mr. Jenings, is, or how he is employed.2 I have not received a letter from him for five
months; and indeed he communicates so little concerning himself, that, notwithstanding
his affectionate letters, he is almost a perfect stranger to me. Among the few
particulars, however, which have fallen from his pen, respecting himself, his esteem and
veneration for you have been the most considerable. In both I beg leave to assure you,
that I cordially concur, and that I always am, / Dear sir, / your obliged and obt. serv
RC (Adams Papers).
Randolph last wrote to JA on 12 Feb. (Adams Papers), recommending retired
Maj. Gen. William Heath (1737–1814), of Roxbury, for a federal post. JA
replied on 25 May, instructing Randolph to apply to George Washington
(LbC, APM Reel 115).
Heath had been soundly defeated in the election for Massachusetts lieutenant governor
two years earlier. While JA thought highly of his military service, he
observed in 1776 that “Heath unfortunately has not a Reputation, equal to his Merit.”
Heath did not receive an appointment in the Washington administration (vol. 4:444;
AFC
, 8:99).
Edmund Jenings, who frequently dined with JA in
London, lived near Kensington Square and engaged in scholarly pursuits until his death
on 27 July 1819 (vol. 19:144;
Virginius Cornick Hall Jr., comp., Portraits in the Collection
of the Virginia Historical Society, Charlottesville, Va., 1981, p. 128).