The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-09-17
Unpubllshea Letters or John @. Adams.

Unpublished Letters or John q. Adams.
The following letters, from the late ex-
President JOHN QUINCY ADAMS to ROBERT
WALSH, esq, then residing in Philadelphia,
have come into the possession of the New York
Journal Of Commerce in the handwriting OF
the author. They were never before pub
lished
WAsHINGToN, 18th February, 1929.
ROBERT WALSH, ir,, esq, Philadelphia.
Dear Sir
C'est en- vain qu'on Parnasse un temeraire auteur,
Pense de Part DIES Vers atteindre la hauteur
Sill ma roeu du ciel Pinhuence secrete,
ST son astre en- naissant ne Ia forme Poete,
Dams son genie etroit II est toujours captif;
Pour lui Phebus est sourd, ct Pegase est retif
1t is just half century-ffty years complete
since these lines given me at school upon the
line between the villages of Passy and Chalet, al
the foot of the HILL on the brow OF which was loca-
ted the convent de Minimes, as part of my daily
lesson to learn by heart. have perhaps not read
them since, and in writing them down from mem
DRY mean only to give you now an idea of the
impression they made upon my mind These
verses, and those that follow them, closing with
Craigner DUN vain paisir les trompeuses amorces,
Et consulter long TENS votre esprit ct vos forces,
are perfectly familiar to you; but wish you would
give me your opinion philosopher, critic, and
poet, whether, according to the natural operation of
good advice upon the disposition of the animal
man, their tendency is to stimulate or to silence
the man of rhyme? You know at least that they
have not entirely sienced me. have never writ
ten line of rhyme without having this admoni-
ton of the poet full before me; and yet at diverse
times and in sundry manners, through the whole
course ofmy life, have put on for a moment the
cap and bells ofApollo.
You some years since published with commenda-
ton translation of the 18th Satire Of Juvcnal,
made in my younger days, and just printed in
the Port Folio, and you have since noticed they
deserved few feeble coupets written on the sum-
NIT of the Riesenkopfe in Silesa.
Some twelve or fourteen years since, and shortly
before my eldest son, George, entered the univer-
sity, wrote few stanzas upon each of the four
cardinal virtues-temperance, prudence, Justice
and fortitude- my principal object instruction
to him; and thought 1t might be more effectualy
conveyed in verse than in prose. believe there is
no copy OF them extant except that which then
gave him, and my own, with this one Of the stan
upon fortitude, taken from it, which now in
confidence send you. know well enough that the
star Of my birth did not make me poet; but of the
verses that have occasionally written, never was
able to form estimate satisfactory TO nv own
Judgment. If you think the enclosed worthy of pub
licaton in tho National Gazette with or without
comment, it ia at your service; upon eonditon that
1t shall be known to one that you have il from
me, and that you shall by no allusion, public or
private, make me known as its author. commit
il to you, in professional confidence, exactng from
you only inviolabie secresy from whom il comes
If you think it, in composition in sentiment. un-
worthy Of publication or ofme, return it to me, to-
gether with this letter, and it shall remain Sc
crct between us.
My own expectation is, that if published in any
vacant corner of the paper, without any editorial
reference to it, no notice will be taken of it, and
that perhaps not twenty readers of the paper will
ever peruse it. This will exactly suit my purpose,
which is now merely to have it in print in the Ga
zette, if entirely agreeable to yourself and not
otherwise.
would send you the three other odes, but two
of these are, in my own judgment, not worthy of
publication at any time; and the tourth-Justice-
has stanzas which do not wish to see published at
present.
One word more saw few days since, in the
Essex Register, translation of French epigram,
of which had many years since made what
think better translation. 1t is addressed to n
lady who had closed letter to the author by say-
ing she sent him kiss Here is my translation:
You send me, lady, by the mail,
joyle5s, cheerless kiss
But now such kiss avail
To touch my lip with bliss?
to all favors such these
Stone-cold shall ever be;
That fruit has naught my taste TO please
Save--gathercd from the tree.
Adieu, J.Q A.