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CHAPTER XXX.

FIRST OF AMERICAN WOMEN-THE CAPITAL ON THE POTOMAC-MR. ADAMS AND HIS FAMILY-THE

IN

SHRINE AT QUINCY.

N the summer of 1784, with her daughter, Mrs. Adams joined her husband in Europe, and for one year they mainly resided at Auteuil, near Paris.

In the following year she accompanied Mr. Adams to London, and was the first American woman who appeared in any thing like a diplomatic capacity in England. The following extract from one of her letters will show her reception and the manner of her appearance before King George and his queen :

"One is obliged here to attend the circles of the queen, which are held in summer once a fortnight, but once a week the rest of the year; and what renders it exceedingly expensive is, that you can not go twice the same season in the same dress, and a court dress you can not make use of anywhere else. I directed my mantua-maker to let my dress be elegant, but plain as I could possibly appear with decency; accordingly it is white lutestring, covered and full trimmed with white crape, festooned with lilac ribbon and mock point lace, over a hoop of enormous extent. At two o'clock we went to the circle, which is the drawing-room of the queen. We passed through several apartments, lined as usual with spectators on these occasions. We were placed in a circle around the drawing-room, which was very full, I believe two hundred persons present. Only think of the task. The royal family have to go around to every person and find small talk enough to speak to all of them, though they very prudently speak in a whisper, so that only the person who stands next you can hear what is said.

The king enters the room, and goes round to the right; the queen and princesses, to the left.

"The king is a personable man, but, my dear sister, he has a certain countenance which you and I have often remarked, a red face and white eyebrows. The queen has a similar countenance; and the numerous royal family confirm the observation. Persons are not placed according to their rank in the drawing-room, but promiscuously: and when the king comes in he takes persons as they stand. When he came to me, Lord Onslow said, 'Mrs. Adams;' upon which I drew off my right-hand glove, and his Majesty saluted my left cheek; then asked me if I had taken a walk to-day. I could have told his Majesty that I had been all the morning preparing to wait upon him; but I replied, 'No, Sire.' 'Why, don't you love walking?' says he. I answered, that I was rather indolent in that respect. He then bowed and passed on.

"It was more than two hours after this before it came to my turn to be presented to the queen. The circle was so large that the company were four hours standing. The queen was evidently embarrassed when I was presented to her. I had disagreeable feelings too. She, however, said, 'Mrs. Adams, have you got into your house? Pray, how do you like the situation of it?' whilst the Princess Royal looked compassionate, and asked me if I was not much fatigued; and observed that it was a very full drawingroom. Her sister who came next, Princess Augusta, after having asked your niece if she was ever in England before, and her answering 'yes,' inquired of me how long ago, and supposed it was when she was very young. And all this is said with much affability, and the ease and freedom of old acquaintance. The manner in which they make their tour round the room is, first, the queen, the lady-in-waiting behind her, holding up her train; next to her the Princess Royal; after her Princess Augusta, and their lady-in-waiting behind them. They are pretty rather than beautiful, well shaped, with fair complexions, and a tincture of the king's countenance. The two sisters look much alike; they were both dressed in black and silver silk, with a silver netting upon the coat, and their heads full of diamond pins. The queen was in purple and silver. She is not well-shaped nor handsome. As to the ladies of the court, rank and title may compensate for want of personal charms; but they are, in general, very plain, illshaped, and ugly."

Mrs. Adams greatly enjoyed and was profited by her long residence in England and on the continent, and the qualities and tastes which furnished her much gratification when abroad, brought her into general favor when by the side of her husband in higher stations at home. Although her simple, open, and intelligent manners gained for her general respect in Europe, her reception was cool and unsatisfactory, like her husband's, at the Court of St. James, and for it she never quite forgave the English.

Upon her knowledge and experience abroad she made the following characteristic reflections:

"I have witnessed the luxury and pomp of state, the power of riches, and the influence of titles, and have beheld all ranks bow before them as the only shrine worthy of worship. Notwithstanding this, I feel that I can return to my little cottage, and be happier than here; and, if we have not wealth, we have what is better, integrity. As to the ladies of this country, their manners appear to be totally depraved. It is in the middle ranks of society that virtue and morality are yet to be found. Nothing does more injury to the female character than frequenting public places; and the rage which prevails now for the watering-places, and the increased number of them, are become a national evil, as they promote and encourage dissipation, mix all characters promiscuously, and are the resort of the most unprincipled female characters who are not ashamed to show their faces wherever men dare to go. Modesty and diffidence are called ill-breeding and ignorance of the world; an impudent stare is substituted in lieu of that modest deportment and that retiring grace which awes while it enchants.

"To derive a proper improvement from company, it ought to be select, and to consist of persons respectable both for their morals and their understanding; but such is the prevailing taste, that provided you can be in a crowd, with here and there a glit tering star, it is considered of little importance what the character of the person is who wears it.

"Few consider that the foundation-stone and the pillar on which they erect the fabric of their felicity, must be in their own

hearts, otherwise the winds of dissipation will shake it, and the floods of pleasure overwhelm it in ruins. What is the chief end of man! is a subject well worth the investigation of every rational being. What, indeed, is life, or its enjoyments, without settled principles, laudable purposes, mental exertions, and internal comfort, that sunshine of the soul."

In 1788, after having spent one year in France, and three in England, and visited Holland, Mrs. Adams returned to the United States, and soon afterwards, by the election of Mr. Adams to the VicePresidency, she was destined, in some way, to aid in the formation of the social usages of the Republican Capital. While Congress sat in New York, she resided mainly at Richmond Hill, and like most other women, whose husbands were connected with the Government, she regretted the necessity which compelled her to remove from the beautiful scenery of the Hudson.

In Philadelphia her health was not good, and this, to some extent, interfered with the importance of her position in society, and partly from this cause and partly from the necessity of looking after their farm at Quincy, both before and after Mr. Adams became President, she spent much of her time at home. Her habits and tastes prevented her being a society favorite, but, as the wife of the Vice-President, she maintained a generous establishment at Bush Hill, Philadelphia, and as mistress of the White House she filled the position with great acceptableness. Her sincere, open manners, fine judgment and knowledge of the affairs of the Government and country, and, withal, the cheerful and bright aspect she gave to all the ills of the Administration and times, made her exceedingly popular with those directly connected with the Government.

For twelve years, only interrupted by her visits to Quincy and the superintendence of affairs at their home, Mrs. Adams remained at the Capital of the Nation, where her influence for good was not unfelt at any time, and no woman in America was more thoroughly well-informed or accurate in her views upon public matters. There is no doubt, however, that the belief in her extensive influence over President Adams has been greatly exaggerated. That he had the highest respect for her sentiments and judgment, is quite certain. It is also certain that she never doubted the correctness of his principles, and had unbounded confidence in his skill to carry them out, and consequently entertained no idea of exerting her power to change or direct his designs or preferences in public affairs. Still she was his confidential adviser. All his thoughts, even, were made known to her. Nothing was concealed from her. So closely were their lives united, and so similar were their sentiments and wants that a thought of erecting a standard of her own to which to bend him never could have entered her mind. While her intellect was of the masculine type, she was still a true woman, and felt that not only the beauty, but also the glory and completeness of her individual character and nature lay within that of her husband's, which it was the great pride of her life to exalt. Their path was one. To him she looked for its light.

To her he looked for its vital warmth and cheerfulness.

In external beauty and social elegance some of the mistresses of the Presidential Mansion have probably stood before Mrs. Adams, but in intellectual fitness and many other admirable traits, it is hardly doubted that she stood at the head. Her sincere and open

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