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Subject Area: Political Theory
Topic: The American Revolution and Constitution

TO A. M. CERISIER. - John Adams, The Works of John Adams, vol. 9 (Letters and State Papers 1799-1811) [1854]

Edition used:

The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: with a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations, by his Grandson Charles Francis Adams (Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1856). 10 volumes. Vol. 9.

Part of: The Works of John Adams, 10 vols.

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TO A. M. CERISIER.

The Hague, 22 February, 1784.

I thank you for your favor of the 21st, and for the communication of the letter from my friend the Abbé de Mably.1 I am very sensible of his partiality for a man who, he thinks, has contributed, from virtuous principles, to a great event. His approbation is the more precious to me, as I know his principles to be pure, and his spirit independent. You may be sure my advice to you will be, to write your preface, because I love to read your compositions always, for the same reason. But take care to caution your reader against an implicit adoption of the sentiments of any writer, how great soever his name may be, or how justly soever his writings in general may be esteemed. It is with great pleasure that I see the pens of a De Mably, a Raynal, a Cerisier, a Price, turned to the subject of government. I wish the thoughts of all academies in Europe engaged on the same theme, because I really think that the science of society is much behind other arts and sciences, trades and manufactures,—that the noblest of all knowledge is the least general, and that a general spirit of inquiry would produce ameliorations in the administrations of every government in every form. I have read with pleasure the dissertation of the Baron de Hertzberg in the academy of Berlin on the 29th of last month, not because I am of his opinion, but because the example of a minister of State and an academician will probably be followed.

Mr. Van den Corput’s observation upon the plan of a loan seems to merit attention; but I must leave it to the three houses, in whose experience and judgment I confide.

I return you your friend’s letter, and hope soon to see his book.

[1 ]The Abbé de Mably had published his Observations upon the Government and Laws of the United States, in the form of letters addressed to Mr. Adams. Of this work a translation in Dutch was about to appear in Holland, with a preface by M. Cerisier.