Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-07-07


appearing divided into three
series: Series I, the Adams
Diaries; Series II, the Adams
Correspondence, and Series
III, General Correspondence
and Other Papers. The first
four volumes of diaries which
were published in 1861, and
the present two volumes Of
letters are certain evidence
that the undertaking is ex-
ceptional in far more than its
magnitude, that not only are
the literary remains of a
family consciously dedicated
to the task Of recording ev-
erything that touched the
lives of its members a genu-
inc history of the United
States as seen and in part
created by the writer's, but
also that what the Adamses
had to say through the years
is of great interest to the
general reader, not only to
the historian.
On July Z, 1776, five days
after Americas first indie
pendence Day John Adams
insisted that July 2, not July
4, was the day to be cele-
brated with "Pomp and Pa
rade, with Shews, Games,
Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires
and Nominations from one
End of this Continent to the
other from this Time forward
forever more"-and no opin-
ion on this matter is more
valid than his) the Massa-
chusetts delegate to the Sec
ond Continental Congress
wrote his wife Abigail Adams
in Braintree his thoughts on
what makes a good letter.
writer:
"It is worth the while Of a
Person, obliged to write as
much as I do, to consider the
Varieties of Style. The
Epistolary, is essentially diff
ferent from the oratorical,
and the Historical Style
Oratory abounds with Figures.
History is simple, but grave,
majestic and formal. Letters,
like Conversation, should be
free, easy, and familiar. Sim
plicity and Familiarity, are
the characteristics Of this
Kind of Writing. Affectation
is as disagreable, in a Letter,
as in Conversation, and
therefore, studied Language,
premeditated Method, and
sublime Sentiments are not
expected in a Letter. Not
withstanding which, the Sub
lime, as well as the Beautiful,
and the Novel, may naturally
enough, appear, in familiar
Letters among Friends
Among the ancients there are
two illustrious Examples Of
the Epistolary Style, Cicero
and Pliny. :"
It is notable that in the
midst of the exciting events
of which Adams was a lead
ing figure, he could turn so
easily to such general pre-
cepts and maxims. Once,
years later, during delicate
and important negotiations in
Paris, he entered a long
speculation in his diary about
magnetism, 1.-THE Loadstone
is in Possession Of the most
remarkable, wonderful and
MYSTERIOUS Property in Ma
ture ;" remarking: IF
anyone should ask how it
happened that ! should amuse
myself with subjects and
questions so entirely out Of
my sphere, my answer is, that
Mr.. Hartley's communica-
tions had convinced us that
the coalition had determined
to do nothing by treaty, but
determined all things ex
parte, by their orders in
Council. I was therefore idle
as we'll as ignorant" But 1t
is also notable that his wife
Abigail was not a person con-
spicuously in need of advice
how to write q good letter,
for these two volumes, made
up for the most part Of letters
of John and Abigail, show
that the wife was in no way
inferior to the husband as a
correspondent. Witty in the
days of courtship, a keen OBJ
server during the time her
husband was away in Phila-
delphia, New York and Balti-
more, always a cultivated and
sensitive reader and compan-
ion, always a genuinely heroic
neighbor and patriot, Abigail
now is to be seen in her true
stature, for her chief past
editor was q grandson who
often robbed her Of some Of
her humanness, deleting pas
sages of connubial devotion,
Of humor, Of honey pictur-
esqueness. Nothing could pos
sibly be less like Abigail
Adams than a typical colonial
housewife in a Paul Green
pageant, saying La, General
Washington, and may / offer
you something Of this or that,
LAP" She had a vigorous per-
sonality, a mind that ex-
pressed itself forcefully and
Independently; she was we'll
read, and graced her writing
with a flow Of apt allusion:
she was always ready for
repartee with her husband or
any other person.
The present edition cites
a humorous example Of how
Abigail was improved by
her 10th century editors.
Writing her husband, Abigail
tells Of the indignation caused
by war-profiteers: ut was
rumoured that an eminent,
wealthy, stingy Merchant
twho is a Batchelor) had a