Lot 1

JQ Adams Handwritten & Signed Poem: "Power like this can ne'er be mine" - Mentioned in His Diary

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JQ Adams Handwritten & Signed Poem: "Power like this can ne'er be mine" - Mentioned in His Diary

Estimate: $3,000 - $4,000

Current Bid: $2,400

(8 Bids)

April 23, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Live Auction
Wilton, CT, US

Description:

John Quincy Adams
Washington, DC, June 20, 1844
JQ Adams Handwritten & Signed Poem: "Power like this can ne'er be mine" - Mentioned in His Diary
AQS

A fine autograph poem signed on a lined sheet, Washington, June 20, 1844. Adams dedicates a two-stanza verse to "Mrs. Mary N. Morris." Flattened folds and a minute stain here and there, else, near fine condition. 1p. 8.5" x 10".

In a shaky but quite legible hand, Adams writes:

"Rise, on Fancy's fleetest wing:
Ply the spur to thy desires;
Snatch from adverse Fate his sting:
Aft whatsoever Hope inspires;
Then from Destiny obtain
Power's resisting want for me;
Wish of thine shall ne'er be vain;
Fortune never false to thee

This alas! Is Fancy's dream:
Power like this can ne'er be mine:
Joy and Sorrow's mingled stream,
Must in changeful lot be thine.
Yet shall Orion ascend;
Woes, if clustering shall annoy;
Hands unseen shall with them blend
Floods of never failing Joy.
John Quincy Adams
Washington, 20 June 1844."

Adams' dedicatee was Mary N. Spencer Morris, the daughter of John Canfield Spencer (1788-1855), Secretary of the Treasury under President John Tyler.

This very poem is mentioned in Adams' diary on June 20, 1844 as having given him some vexation. He writes: "I have little acquaintance with this Lady, but she has been very courteous to my wife and family, and earnestly solicitous that I would write some verses addressed to her— I did write a couple of Stanzas which puzzled me in the composition not a little— For I began with a line of seven syllables and in following out the verse fell unconsciously into the blunder of mingling 7 and 8 syllable lines together— I discovered it only by the want of harmony in the lines upon reading them over— I never before the peculiar property of the seven syllable line, which consists in the uniform location of the accent and emphasis on the first syllable of each line— The inadvertent admission of a word accented on the second syllable, changes the measure to the eight syllable verse, and the mixture of the two measures produces dissonance— It took me hours to Procrustesize my lines to Mrs Morris…".

Adams was an enthusiastic, and accomplished, poet, frequently favoring young ladies with his charming verse, as he does here. Now in his last few years, Adams pauses to reflect upon imagination, destiny...and power which, in contradiction to this modest verse, most definitely belonged to him.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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    Dimensions:
  • 8.5" x 10"
  • Artist Name:
  • John Quincy Adams
  • Medium:
  • AQS<br />

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