the details and the history; there was not even an opera, or a celebrated
musical composer, of which or of whom he could not point out the
distinguishing merits and the chief compositions. Yet he was a
hard-working, assiduous man of business, in his particular vocation, and a
more regular, punctual, comprehensive, voluminous diplomatic
correspondence than his no country can probably boast of; and it is
thought the more necessary to note this fact, because sometimes an opinion
prevails that graver pursuits must necessarily exclude attention to what
used to be called the "humanities" of education--those ornamental and
graceful acquirements, which, as Mr. Adams well proved, not only are not
inconsistent with, but greatly adorn, the weightier matters of the law and
of diplomacy. I could dwell with much satisfaction upon the memory and
incidents of the days to which I am now adverting, but am admonished, by
the length to which these remarks have already extended, that I may not
loiter." [Footnote: Eulogy on John Quincy Adams, by Charles King.]



CHAPTER VI.

MR. ADAMS APPOINTED SECRETARY OF STATE--ARRIVES IN THE UNITED
STATES--PUBLIC DINNERS IN NEW YORK AND BOSTON--TAKES UP HIS RESIDENCE IN
WASHINGTON--DEFENDS GEN. JACKSON IN THE FLORIDA INVASION--RECOGNITION OF
SOUTH AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE--GREEK REVOLUTION.


James Madison, after serving his country eight years as President, in a
most perilous period of its history, retired to private life, followed by
the respect and gratitude of the people of the United States. He was
succeeded by James Monroe, who was inaugurated on the 4th of March, 1817.