Tuesday, November 21, 2006
MR. ADAMS, DAMN YOU MR. ADAMS
A few weekends ago I visited Boston's Public Library for a look at the private book collection of the United States' first vice president, Mr. John Adams. It's amazing what a collection of books can reveal about its owner; in Adams' case, his interests ranged across almost every topic in existence, with the exception of contemporary lit. He was transfixed by the French revolution, largely because he didn't care for it and accurately predicted that it would end in tyrranical rule--an opinion which may have cost him the reelection, since when it started most Americans supported the uprising in France. Late in life, he threw himself into the study of religion, but remained a practical-minded skeptic, especially dismissive of the pomp of pagan worship (in the margins of a book on ancient Egyptian ceremony, he scribbled "This is a religion? Good God!"). Best of all, in the margins of many books he wrote his reactions to and opinions of the text he was reading, creating a dialogue between him and hundreds of authors that fulfills the grand purpose of literacy, which is a preservation of man's inquiries into life and nature. Adams' character comes through crystal clear; he was inquisitive, critical of others, demanded recognition when his predictions turned out to be right, fearful of how history might warp his legacy (or relegate him to a minor role in U.S. history), appreciative of discussion and debate, conversant in several languages, unbearable at times, enlightened at others, and altogether a remarkable and unique person, fit company for Jefferson and Franklin, and probably unmatched since.
One of the more unique items is a copy of the constitutions of all thirteen states, transcribed into French and bound in gorgeous editions; these were the first books ever printed with the Great Seal of the U.S. on the front page, and 100 of them were created as gifts for the soon-to-be-decapitated French court. Adams also had a rare unfinished volume by Newton, a similarly rare book by Adam Smith, and many books on the woeful (to Adams) rise of Napoleon. What happened to statesmen like this? Can anyone imagine Bush conversant with political philosophers besides Jesus, or Clinton (either one) editing volumes of religious and legislative history, or Reagan speaking Latin?
A few weekends ago I visited Boston's Public Library for a look at the private book collection of the United States' first vice president, Mr. John Adams. It's amazing what a collection of books can reveal about its owner; in Adams' case, his interests ranged across almost every topic in existence, with the exception of contemporary lit. He was transfixed by the French revolution, largely because he didn't care for it and accurately predicted that it would end in tyrranical rule--an opinion which may have cost him the reelection, since when it started most Americans supported the uprising in France. Late in life, he threw himself into the study of religion, but remained a practical-minded skeptic, especially dismissive of the pomp of pagan worship (in the margins of a book on ancient Egyptian ceremony, he scribbled "This is a religion? Good God!"). Best of all, in the margins of many books he wrote his reactions to and opinions of the text he was reading, creating a dialogue between him and hundreds of authors that fulfills the grand purpose of literacy, which is a preservation of man's inquiries into life and nature. Adams' character comes through crystal clear; he was inquisitive, critical of others, demanded recognition when his predictions turned out to be right, fearful of how history might warp his legacy (or relegate him to a minor role in U.S. history), appreciative of discussion and debate, conversant in several languages, unbearable at times, enlightened at others, and altogether a remarkable and unique person, fit company for Jefferson and Franklin, and probably unmatched since.
One of the more unique items is a copy of the constitutions of all thirteen states, transcribed into French and bound in gorgeous editions; these were the first books ever printed with the Great Seal of the U.S. on the front page, and 100 of them were created as gifts for the soon-to-be-decapitated French court. Adams also had a rare unfinished volume by Newton, a similarly rare book by Adam Smith, and many books on the woeful (to Adams) rise of Napoleon. What happened to statesmen like this? Can anyone imagine Bush conversant with political philosophers besides Jesus, or Clinton (either one) editing volumes of religious and legislative history, or Reagan speaking Latin?
# posted by toner_low @ 11:29 PM 
