Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-11-02
LITERARY WORKS OF JOHN ADAMS.


IRON THE BosroN ADvEarIsxR.
The Works Of John Adams, Second President Of the United
States ,0ith Life of the Author, Notes, and Husfro-
hons By his grandson, CHAs. FRAscIs ADAMS, uose 2.
Messrs Little Brown have recently published this vol
ume which the first in the order Of publication although
numbered the second We have delayed speaking of hh
er,o in order that might gain the time and do it
justice.
The work which Mr.. Adams has undertaken comprises, as
we learn from the advertisement, the following parts l..
Diary O. Private Letters on Public subjects l774 to 1901
Works upon Government; A. Political Papers, including
Controversial Publications of the Revolutions s. Messages
and Public Papers g. Private Letters from 1855 1926
Life, by John Quincy Adams continued by the editor
g. Original Unpublished Letters Of Franklin Jefferson Jay
zard the Lees Lauens Gerry, Danna, and other eminent
Patriots Of the Revolution.
The volume before US contains the first of hese-the Diary
together with passages Of autobiography which fs
some blanks in the former The following extract from re-
view Of the book in the last number of the North American
Review bears testimony to the excellent in which the
part Of the editor has been performed
4" would be unjust close article without bearing
witness the ability with which the volume is edited Much
labor and time have evidently been bestowed in preparing it
for the press The text to all appearance, is presented in
its original integrity The editor in the preface
that nothing has been omitted because bore hard either upon
the writer Of the Diary those mentioned by him. suf
cient explanation generally brief one is given Of every inn
portant transaction alluded to- Suitable biographical notices
given Of the public characters introduced and commend
able mparaly observed n remsrkng upon their conduct
The editor is imbued with the principles of the revolution
without being nhamed by the heats of temporary
sizes. There s aduaton avished upon the eminent nd
vdual whose memory the work Is consecrated He is left
to speak for himself in his record Of the crowded
Of bis life. Regarding the present volume fair specimen
of the work. confident that it will prove contribution
In the of
ance and interest to Of the great publications with which
il is most obviously to be compared.
We may remark further that the reader has the satisfaction
of knowing that the Diary placed in his hands, is really
the Diary written by John Adams and series Of selec
tons thererom made by editor with the view Of exhibit
ing or demonstrating particular view Of his life and charac
ter We glad to find that the editor entertained such
correct opinions Of the proper method Of giving the Diary
the world the extracts which give below from the pre-
face Indicate Every reader feel assured that he has all
that Of importance of the Diary before him. and build
his opinions the data afforded by it. Indeed the
omissions few that is almost tempted wish that
those few had not been made for them without hardly
increasing the size of the volume, he would feel absolute
certainty that nothing he might be interested suppress
ed. The passages omitted according the indications Of
the foonotes however, to have contained merely
demonstrations, &C. of great interest to most
readers. 81
These extracts from the preface will also explain the state
Of completeness in which the Diary left by John Adams
and how the gaps in partially supplied by his own au-
photography
The broken and partial nature of this Diary the cir
cumsance most to be regretted about it. As the time ad
vances towards the interesting events in the Revolution the
record becomes less and less satisfactory 1t is great dsad
vantage attending the most reguarkept Of such works
that just in proportion to the engrossng interest Of the action
n which the writer finds himself engaged is the physical ina
by to command the leisure necessary to describe it. Thus
happens in the present case that the sketches sometimes
stop just when the reader would have them begn and at
other times notice whatever is taken Of which are
the most prominent in the life of the writer Yet after max
ing all suitable deductions from the value Of these papers on
this account is believed that much is left richly to reward
perusa particularly since of the marked instances
Of deficiency compensated for by resorng the remn
cences Of later period The passages from autobiogra
ply not indeed entitled claim quite high ground on
the of authority in matters Of fact the contempora
neous record but they merit attention well of
The superior animation of the style Of the circumstance that
hey do supply Of the details that wanting in the
other Even the of accuracy the papers of other
treating of the events which have since found
heir way to the light great way establish the substan-
ia truth of the narrative from memory good degree of
red may therefore be confidently assigned it. even though
We admit that belongs to different class Of evidence"
is proper in cases of publication Like this, define the
xtent to which il has been carried. The editor has SUP
pressed altered nothing in the Diary which might be con
dered bearing either against the author himself or against
my other person for that alone Wherever any
mission has been made, has been from other motives than
hose Of fear favor The main purpose has been to pre-
ent to the public fair and unbiased picture of the mind
md heart of individual far this may be supposed
command any interest To do this, as necessary to
etain the favorable unavorabe opinions expressed of
men, including himself those Of things or of events No
rue, honestly Diary be regarded as in itself
correct general history good always as biography
'en furnishing materials for history and that Just in pro-
portion appears its face have been written
prepared for publication But, this be rue obviously
oerveng its character to attempt make patchwork Of it.
selecting to be only such passages as show single
de. Rather than this were wise not to publish at all
The effect to make opinion for the reader instead of
allowing him to form for himself; control rather than
develop his judgment In the present instance at least
he fact may be relied that experiment Of the kind has
tried The reader likely feel disposed to find
aut with being supplied beyond his than with having
ess than he might get.
Ths volume embraces all of the Diary written prior to
February, 77s the period Of the writer's first departure for
Europe but that portion Of the autobiography covering his
Congressional life is barely commenced likewise includes
Ill the taken of debates in the Continental Congress
which the editor has been able to find The meager and
nature Of these would forbid their publication
were not Tor the circumstance that they constitute almost
he sole remaining memorial Of the kind that has come down
u.s. Imperfect they are, il is believed that they will
throw light upon the civil history or that po
ion which is least understood Of the great Pre-
ace, PIP. vi, vii, viii, tx.
Having already spoken of the manner in which the Diary
comes before the world let say few words about the
Diary ITSELF
journal kept by situated like John Adams would
% worthy of attention, necessarily, all events Besides
ne light it throws on important political transactions the