![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() He prefers diversity, freedom, the "endless delight" of sensual impressions, and occasional "outlawry." But by the time he travels to Washington with his father in 1850, he is already becoming curious about larger issues. This is the one constant throughout his life.Īs a young boy, Henry is attracted to the same things that attract most children. He is interested in almost everything around him, and this interest helps him to distinguish, to select, between mundane and worthwhile pursuits. ![]() Because of his unusual intellectual curiosity, Henry is more attracted than most to "highest forces," the ultimate levels of knowledge. "Susceptibility to the highest forces is the highest genius selection between them is the highest science their mass is the highest educator," Adams says. In discussing his "Dynamic Theory of History" (Chapter XXXIII), Adams suggests that mankind began to evolve beyond the apes because of a capacity to respond to the "attractive forces" that one may over-simply call knowledge. What sets Henry apart is his intellectual curiosity. As impressive as all that is, however, it is not the reason that we know about him today. The grandson of one President of the United States and great-grandson of another, Henry inherits a respected family name, automatic contacts with some of the most powerful people in the country, and financial security. The narrator is quick to point out that few people born in 1838 find themselves in more favorable circumstances than Henry Adams. ![]()
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