Thematic allusions

…ire came to its Destruction as soon as the People got set against the Nobles and Commons as they are now in England, and they went on Quarrelling, till one Brutus carried all before him and enslaved em all.—Caesar, you mean Dr.—No I think it was Brutus, want it?—Thus We see the Dr. is very Book learnt. And when we were drinking Tea, I said, 500 Years hence there would be a great Number of Empires in America, independent of Europe and of each other.—Oh says he I have no Idea that the World will…

1771. Wednesday June 5th.

Classification cues: would be, No

…was become extreamly Obnoxious to Mr. Hancocks Party by his zealous Attachment to Mr. Samuel Adams and Mr. Richard Henry Lee. Such I supposed were the motives which excited Mr. Hancock, to bring forward Mr. Harrison. 2 Although Harrison was another Sir John Falstaff, excepting in his Larcenies and Robberies, his Conversation disgusting to every Man of Delicacy or decorum, Obscaene, profane, impious, perpetually ridiculing the Bible, calling it the Worst Book in the World, yet as I saw he was to be often nominat…

[Fryday March 15. 1776.]

Classification cues: another, every

…ar. I shall be on Horseback in a few Minutes, and then I shall enjoy the Morning, in more Perfection. I spent last Evening at the War-Office, with General Arnold. . . . 2 He has been basely slandered and libelled. The Regulars say, “he fought like Julius Caesar.” I am wearied to Death with the Wrangles between military officers, high and low. They Quarrell like Cats and Dogs. They worry one another like Mastiffs. Scrambling for Rank and Pay like Apes for Nutts. I believe there is no one Principle, which…

John Adams to Abigail Adams, 22 May 1777

Classification cues: another

…to be, they think they may be brought low by the English, and in such Case they might be able to purchase Peace by the Sacrifice of America. In this they are deceived again: but if they were not, there is a baseness of Soul in it that would disgrace Shylock the Jew. Thanks be to God it is < neither > not in < the > their Power < of Jews or Dutchmen > to Sacrifice America. In Short the Nation has no Confidence left in its own Wisdom, Courage, Virtue or Power. It has no Esteem nor Passion, nor desire for…

John Adams to the President of Congress, 4 August 1781

Classification cues: if they were, no

…in some Ages and Countries: and if this fact is admitted, Wise Men Should never despair, but always remember that no Effort will be lost. When I Said “the Sooner they fulfill their destiny, the better, I Said as peevish and extravagant a Thing as Brutus did, When he Said he found Virtue but a Shadow, though he had worshiped her all his days as a Goddess. Such foolish Escapes of ill humour ought not to be remembered; or if not forgotten they ought to be reprobated. Pensilvania is not alone. Every St…

From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 7 July 1805

Classification cues: no

…etween the Red Rose and the White Rose, that is to the Treachery Perfidy Treason Murder Cruelty Sedition and Rebellions of rival and unballanced factions, if he can keep his Gravity and his Attention from being diverted by the Gaiety and Drollery of Falstaff, Pistol, Nym, Peto, Fluellin and the rest of those Rakes, & Bullies he will find one of the most instructive Examples for the perusal of this Country. Hitherto we have gone no further than a few Duels, in actual Violence. In Slander We have gone as…

From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 January 1805

Classification cues: of this Country

…to the Ambition of Kings. Is this conformable to Truth? Does not the History of all the Republicks of the World shew, that they have been as ambitious, as Monarchies. Even the most democratical Republick of < Athens > Antiquity Athens, was a perfect Hotspur. Even our People in America, have been more inclined to a War, than their Government for these fifteen years past. There has been no year within that Period when they would not have gone to War with England with pleasure. There is always in a Democr…

From John Adams to William Heath, 14 December 1807

Classification cues: a perfect, no

…ly, and the more important to the republic; for it may be depended on that the cause of America will grow every day stronger, and that of her enemies every day weaker, whenever or however this nation may declare itself. Is the answer of Statillus to Brutus, perfectly just? Is it not the duty of a wise man sometimes to expose himself to dangers even for the good of fools and knaves? Is not the sentiment in any other ancient writing more correct, that a whole city is worth saving for the sake of ten hon…

From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 12 July 1810

Classification cues: every

…ght not to be conclusive. Improvements may be made, perhaps on all of them. Credit has been thought necessary; but it may be made a Question too, whether all laws against Usury are not pernicious. There is no end of questions. Who shall answer them? Shylock & Shavers or Bankrupt Merchants? Or young Traders, without capital? It may be a question whether all public credit be not an evil. Who shall answer it? The Jews? The Armies and Navies of Europe or Col. Duer and Alexander Hamilton? Or—Callender’s…

From John Adams to John Adams Smith, 12 December 1812

Classification cues: no

…e English have insinuated into the World against Napoleon, and by no means wish his death, I think his retirement with Life is the greatest Action and most fortunate Event of his Life. If he can and will write Commentaries they will be worth many of Caesars. The Cause of religious Liberty, on which all other Liberties depend, there are reasons to fear, will be no gainer by the Revolution. That France will be friendly to Us there can be no doubt. Her Friendship however, cannot be very efficacious for So…

From John Adams to Richard Rush, 25 June 1814

Classification cues: pluralised: Caesars

…in the place of it, if you think it worth while. “Alienation” you Say, “is the Remedy for an Aristocracy, founded on landed Wealth.” But Alienation only transfers the Aristocracy from one hand to another. The Aristocracy remains the Same. If Brutus transfer to Cassius, a Villa, or a Principality purchased by the unrighteous profits of Usury, Cassius becomes as influential an Aristocrat as Brutus was before. If John Randolph should manumit, one of his Negroes and alienate to him, his Plantation…

From John Adams to John Taylor, 16 January 1815

Classification cues: another

…if you think it worth while. “Alienation” you Say, “is the Remedy for an Aristocracy, founded on landed Wealth.” But Alienation only transfers the Aristocracy from one hand to another. The Aristocracy remains the Same. If Brutus transfer to Cassius, a Villa, or a Principality purchased by the unrighteous profits of Usury, Cassius becomes as influential an Aristocrat as Brutus was before. If John Randolph should manumit, one of his Negroes and alienate to him, his Plantation, that Negro would b…

From John Adams to John Taylor, 16 January 1815

Classification cues: another

…have negatived the Resolution.”— And you will also see the confused manner in which they were first recorded, and how they have since been garbled in History.—My remarks at present will be confined to the anecdote in page 65.— Caesar had his Brutus, Charles the first his Cromwell—and George the third.—Treason cried the Speaker—Treason—Treason—echoed from every part of the House.—Henry finished his sentence, by the words—“May profit by their example”—If this be Treason make…

From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 5 April 1818

Classification cues: every

…England as their Mother-Country; and while they Thought her a kind and tender < Mother > Parent, (erroneously enough, however, for She never was Such a Mother,) no Affection could be more Sincere. But when they found her a cruel Beldam willing, like Lady Macbeth, to “dash their Brains out,” it is no Wonder if their fillial Affections ceased and were changed into Indignation and horror. This radical Change in the Principles, Opinions Sentiments and Affection of the People, was the real American Revolutio…

From John Adams to Hezekiah Niles, 13 February 1818

Classification cues: no

…ust wait with patience to learn. in the mean time we may speak hypothetically. if Buonaparte declares for royalty either in his own person or of Louis XVIII. he has but a few days to live. in a nation of so much enthusiasm there must be a million of Brutuses who will devote themselves to death to destroy him. but, without much faith in Buonaparte’s heart, I have so much in his head, as to indulge another train of reflection. the republican world has been long looking with anxiety on the two experiment…

Thomas Jefferson to Harry Innes, 23 January 1800

Classification cues: pluralised: Brutuses

…them were those of Bacon, Newton & Locke. Hamilton asked me who they were. I told him they were my trinity of the three greatest men the world had ever produced, naming them. he paused for some time: ‘the greatest man, said he, that ever lived was Julius Caesar.’ M r Adams was honest as a politician as well as a man; Hamilton honest as a man, but, as a politician, believing in the necessity of either force or corruption to govern men.— you remember the machinery which the federalists played off, about…

Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 16 January 1811

Classification cues: some

…sembly des cinq cens, 18. Brumaire (an. 8.) from that date however I set him down as a great scoundrel only. to the wonders of his rise and fall, we may add that of a Czar of Muscovy dictating, in Paris , laws and limits to all the successors of the Caesars, and holding even the balance in which the fortunes of this new world are suspended. I own that, while I rejoice, for the good of mankind, in the deliverance of Europe from the havoc which would have never ceased while Bonaparte should have lived in…

To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 5 July 1814

Classification cues: pluralised: Caesars

…embly des cinq cens , 18. Brumaire (an. 8.) from that date however I set him down as a great scoundrel only. to the wonders of his rise and fall, we may add that of a Czar of Muscovy dictating, in Paris , laws and limits to all the successors of the Caesars, and holding even the balance in which the fortunes of this new world are suspended. I own that, while I rejoice, for the good of mankind, in the deliverance of Europe from the havoc which would have never ceased while Bonaparte should have lived in…

Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 5 July 1814

Classification cues: pluralised: Caesars

…olks in the Virginia line jealous of his glory had the folly to get him arrested. He has been tried and acquitted with the highest honor. 6 Lee unfolds himself more and more to be an officer of great capacity, and if he had not a little spice of The Julius Caesar or Cromwell in him, he would be a very clever fellow—Adieu Yrs most sincerely A Hamilton Apropos—Speaking of a Casar & a Comwell—Don’t you think the Cabal have reported that I declared in a public house in Philadelphia that “it was high ti…

Alexander Hamilton to Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens, [11 September 1779]

Classification cues: a very, would be