From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia John Adams (poet)
John Adams (poet)
John Adams (1704 – January 1740) was an American poet. He died at Cambridge, Massachusetts in January,
1740, at the age of 36, deeply lamented by his acquain-
Biography tance.[2]
Adams was the only son of Hon. John Adams (merchant)
of Nova Scotia, and he graduated from Harvard Universi-
References
ty in 1721. He joined the ministry of the Congregational [1] Who Was Who in America: Historical Volume, 1607-1896.
Church at Newport, Rhode Island, on April 11, 1728, in Chicago: Marquis Who’s Who, 1963.
opposition to the wishes of Mr. Clap, who was pastor [2] ^ Allen, William. An American Biographical and
there. Clap’s friends formed a new society, and Adams Historical Dictionary: Containing an Account of the
was dismissed in about two years.He also was in a period Lives, Characters, and Writings of the Most Eminent
of time where the French and Britain were in war. Persons in North America From Its First Settlement, and
Adams was distinguished for his intellect and piety. a Summary of the History of the Several Colonies and of
As a preacher he was much esteemed. His uncle, Matthew the United States. 2nd ed. Boston: Hyde, 1832.
Adams, described him as "master of nine languages," and Persondata
claimed that he was conversant with the most famous
Name Adams, John
Greek, Latin, Italian, French, and Spanish authors, as well
as with the noblest English writers. He also speaks of his Alternative names
nephew’s "great and undissembled piety, which ran, like Short description
a vein of gold, through all his life and performances." Date of birth 1704
Adams published a sermon on his ordination, 1728,
Place of birth
and a poem on the love of money. He published two
volumes of poetry: A Collection of Poems by Several Hands Date of death 1740
(1744), and Poems on Several Occasions (1745),[1] which con- Place of death
tains imitations and paraphrases of several portions of
scripture, translations from Horace, and the whole book
of Revelation in heroic verse, together with original
pieces. The versification is remarkably harmonious for
the period and the country. The following is an extract
from his poem on Cotton Mather[2]:
What numerous volumes, scattered from his hand,
Lightened his own, and warmed each foreign land?
What pious breathings of a glowing soul
Live in each page, and animate the whole?
The breath of heaven the savory pages show,
As we Arabia from its spices know.—
Ambitious, active, towering was his soul,
But flaming piety inspired the whole.
(Massa.-mag. for Apr. 1789;Backus’ hist. abr. 158 ; Pref. to
his poems;Specimens of Amer. poetry, I. 67.[2]
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia John Adams (poet)
Categories:
• 1704 births
• 1740 deaths
• American Congregationalists
• Harvard University alumni
• People from Boston, Massachusetts
• People from Cambridge, Massachusetts
• People from Newport, Rhode Island
• 18th-century people
• American poets
• Writers from Rhode Island
• Writers from Massachusetts
• Congregationalist writers
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