History Resources

John Adams describes George Washington’s ten talents, 1807

A Spotlight on a Primary Source by John Adams

John Adams to Benjamin Rush, November 11, 1807. (GLC00424)Eight years after George Washington’s death, John Adams penned this letter to Benjamin Rush explaining why George Washington was considered a hero by the American people. He wrote it on November 11, 1807, in response to a letter from Rush that described Washington as "self-taught in all the arts which gave him his immense elevation above all his fellow citizens."[1] Adams disagreed. The physical "talents" Adams attributes to Washington include a "handsome Face," an "elegant Form," and "graceful Attitudes and Movement"—all features Adams himself could not claim. He concludes:

Here you See I have made out ten Talents without saying a Word about Reading Thinking or writing, upon all which Subjects you have Said all that need be Said. – You See I Use the word Talents in a larger Sense than usual,

comprehending every Advantage. Genius Experience, Learning, Fortune Birth, Health are all Talents, though I know not how, the Word has been lately confined to the faculties of the Mind.

The bitterness Adams displays may have had more to do with his own lack of public recognition than a dislike of Washington himself.

A full transcript is available.

Excerpt

Self taught or Book learned in the Arts, our Hero was much indebted to his Talents for "his immense elevation above his Fellows." Talents? you will say, what Talents? I answer. 1. An handsome Face. That this is a Talent, I can prove by the authority of a thousand Instances in all ages: and among the rest Madame Du Barry who said Le veritable Royaute est la Beaute. 2. A tall Stature, like the Hebrew Sovereign chosen because he was taller by the Head than the other Jews. 3 An elegant Form. 4. graceful Attitudes and Movement: 5. a large imposing Fortune consisting of a great landed Estate left him by his Father and Brother, besides a large Jointure with his Lady, and the Guardianship of the Heirs of the great Custis Estate, and in addition to all this, immense Tracts of Land of his own acquisition. There is nothing, except bloody Battles and Splendid Victories, to which Mankind bow down with more reverence than to great fortune. They think it impossible that rich Men especially immensely rich Men, Should Submit to the trouble of Serving them but from the most benevolent and disinterested Motives. . . . Such is their Love of the Marvellous, and Such their Admiration of uncommon Generosity that they will believe extraordinary pretensions to it and the Pope Says, Si bonus Populus vult decipi, decipiatur. Washington however did not deceive them. I know not that they gave him more credit for disinterestedness, than he deserved, though they have not given many others so much. 6. Washington was a Virginian. This is equivalent to five Talents. Virginian Geese are all Swans. Not a Bearne in Scotland is more national, not a Lad upon the High Lands is more clannish, than every Virginian I have ever known. They trumpet one another with the most pompous and mendacious Panegyricks. The Phyladelphians and New Yorkers who are local and partial enough to themselves are meek and modest in Comparison with Virginian Old Dominionisms Washington of course was extolled without bounds. 7. Washington was preceeded by favourable Anecdotes. The English had used him ill, in the Expedition of Braddock. They had not done Justice to his Bravery and good Council They had exaggerated and misrepresented his defeat and Capitulation: which interested the Pride as well as compassion of Americans in his favour. . . . 8 He possessed the Gift of Silence. This I esteem as one of the most precious Talents. 9. He had great Self Command. It cost him a great Exertion Sometimes, and a constant Constraint, but to preserve So much Equanimity as he did, required a great Capacity. 10. Whenever he lost his temper as he did Sometimes, either Love or fear in those about him induced them to conceal his Weakness from the World. Here you See I have made out ten Talents without saying a Word about Reading Thinking or writing, upon all which Subjects you have Said all that need be Said. – You See I Use the word Talents in a larger Sense than usual, comprehending every Advantage. Genius Experience, Learning, Fortune Birth, Health are all Talents, though I know not how, the Word has been lately confined to the faculties of the Mind.

[1] John A. Schutz and Douglass Adair, eds., The Spur of Fame (San Marino, CA: The Huntington Library, 1966), 95.

Questions for Discussion

Read the introduction and the excerpt or the full transcript and view the image of the letter. Then apply your knowledge of American history to answer the following questions and engage in the suggested activity:

  1. From your reading of the letter, how would you describe Adams—as an admirer of George Washington or jealous of Washington’s reputation? Explain your response.
  2. How does Adams explain his decision to omit reading, thinking, and writing in his list of Washington’s talents?

Suggested activity:

  1. Students should be placed in small groups and randomly assigned two or three of the ten talents Adams listed in his letter to Benjamin Rush. There can be overlap of talents between groups.
  2. Students should discuss the talents they were assigned and then reword the phrasing and vocabulary so that each numbered talent will be understandable to peers.
  3. In a debriefing session, the groups will each receive copies of all the talents and then discuss their group findings. Students and the teacher will then determine acceptable “translations” and interpretations.
  4. Students should then revisit the first question above and write an argumentative paragraph supporting their response, using evidence from the prior classroom discussion.
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