John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

77 Washington Sunday 13. March 1842

13. VI.15. Sunday—

Hughes Christopher Dickens Charles Mrs Catherine Dickens. Barnard Daniel D. Saltonstall Leverett Stanly Edward Winthrop Robert C Hellen Walter Johnson William Bartlett Francis Mrs Bartlett Bartlett Edwin Cutts Richard D Mary E. E. Cutts.

Morning service at the Presbyterian Church— Mr Moore made the prayer; and Mr Clarke preached from Luke 15.10— “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God, over one sinner that repenteth.”— Mr. Clarke observed that the existence of Angels, ministering Spirits was a fact revealed to us in the holy scriptures; and of which there is no other evidence— He referred to several passages of the old and new covenant in which these mysterious persons are mentioned and some of them are named— But he did not enter deeply into the subject, nor descant upon the War in Heaven, by which one third of this celestial hierarchy rebelled against the Lord God omnipotent.— Matter for meditation— My wife had sent an invitation to Mr and Mrs Dickens to dine with us this day at half past two— They were engaged to dine with Mr Greenhow at 5. but Mrs Dickens answered that they would come and take their lunch with us at our dining hour— They came accordingly— I had invited Barnard, Saltonstall, Stanly and Winthrop to meet them—and Walter Hellen— Granger had also promised to come, but was detained by the arrival of some of his friends from New-York— Mr and Mrs Dickens left us about 4. O’Clock.— They are so beset with civilities, and kind attentions, that they have not a moment of time to spare, and it was only by snatching an hour from other engagements that they could see us at all— Dickens’s fame has been acquired, by sundry novels and popular tales published in England under the name of Boz—republished in this country in many newspapers, and more universally read perhaps than any other writer who ever put pen to paper— He came out in the January steamer to Boston, and his reception has transcended that of La-Fayette in 1824. Our other guests remained with us till dark. William Johnson came to tea— Mr and Mrs Francis Bartlett, Mr Edwin Bartlett, and Richard D. Cutts, and his Sister in the Evening— News from England— The Caledonia safe— Creole case in the house of Lords.