[lolinder]

This is a fascinating quote in part because you can see John Adams's thought process in the bits that are scratched out. He starts by saying that he needs to study politics and war so that his sons can study "painting and poetry", but then he scratches that out and replaces it with "mathematics and philosophy". The next sentence suggests that he realized while writing that it would take more than one generation to get to the leisure state he desires—that once his generation has won the war, his children will need to establish the nation, and only then will his grandchildren have enough leisure time to study the humanities.

[nicwolff]

And it seems he changed "My sons ought to study Mathematicks and Philosophy, Geography, natural History, Naval Architecture, navigation, Commerce and Agriculture, in order to give theirs a right to study Painting, Poetry, Musick, Architecture, Statuary, Tapestry and Porcelaine." to "in order to give their Children a right" to include women in that third generation.

[lolinder]

Ah! I was wondering what that change signified. I assumed it was just a corrected mistake, but you're right, it changes the gender of the third generation. Very interesting.

[nicwolff]

I think I can picture him, writing "...give their sons a right to study Painting, Poetry, Musick, Architecture, Statuary,... hmm, Tapestry... and Porcelaine? Let's make it 'children'!" ツ

[Apocryphon]

Must be ol' Abby's influence.