John Adams, of Edmonton; Teacher of the Mathematics, Navigation, &c.

Born at Pondersend 1737/8. Aged 56. To his numerous Pupils, both at sea & on land; to his extensive acquaintance, & particular friends, this Portrait is respectfully inscribed by their obedient Serv^t^ J. T. Smith.    Engraving on a single sheet of wove paper (237 x 187mm)., fine engraved portrait of Adams by John Thomas Smith with various scientific instruments accompanied by a dedicatory text beneath. A few minor spots in places, some marking on the blank verso where the portrait has been removed from an album but otherwise a very good impression.   London: painted and engraved by J.T. Smith.published by N. Smith, Feb 1,  Rare. We have found copies of this print at the Royal Museum Greenwich, Wellcome Library and British Museum.    A very fine portrait of John Adams of Edmonton, produced by his neighbour, the engraver John Thomas Smith - part of the intellectual community at Edmonton at that time - and intended to celebrate the award of a silver medal to Adams for his invention of, "an artificial Horizon to be used on Land", declaring "the honour of the original improvement" due to Adams rather than his rival John Dollond.   In his early life Adams had been a sailor on "various voyages to Brazil and other parts of Spanish America" before settling down as a schoolmaster where he developed a reputation as a skilled - if fearsome - teacher.   The portrait of Adams shows him bewigged and holding a pair of spectacles and sat at a table with various instruments in front of him including a telescope and his prize-winning artificial horizon.   The text beneath the portrait directs the viewer to the Transactions of the Society of Arts vol. 4 which records:   "The Thanks of the Society, and a Silver Medal, were presented to Mr. John Adams, Master of an Academy, at Edmonton, Middlesex, for his Invention of an artificial Horizon to be used on Land; and for the Communication of the same to the Public by means of the following Letter and historical Account addressed by him to the Society.At the Committee to whom the Consideration of Mr. Adams's Invention, and the Merits of his artificial Horizon were referred, it was declared by Mr. Dollond, with that Candour and Liberality which have constantly formed parts of his Character, that although he had made many Instruments on the Principle laid down, yet the Honour of the original Improvement was certainly due to Mr. Adams"   (Transactions of the Society, Instituted at London, for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, Vol.4 1786 p.203).   Adams addressed the Committee:   "Few men can claim many useful inventions to their own share; I have  laboured to attain many, but have been too often unsuccessful. One, I can claim as my own, viz. an artificial Horizon, the principles of which I communicated some years ago to Mr. Dollond, and am pleased to find that, through his care in the construction, it is gotten into universal esteem: all I wish is the honour of being recorded the inventor, in any manner consistent with the plan of your Society. I shall be happy at any time to attend and make my claim; but flatter myself, that Mr. Dollond, who is one of your honourable Society, will be a sufficient voucher for." (see above)   Adams contributed a number of sections on navigation to popular seafaring manuals at the end of the 18th-century. He also appears to have had a formidable reputation as an exacting if successful schoolmaster. See for example John Chandler's The seaman?s guide and new coaster?s companion (1795) and Wilson?s Epitome of geometrical, trigonometrical, arithmetical, logarithmical, instrumental & practical navigation (1783) a tenth edition "revised, corrected and improved by John Adams.)   In John Thomas Smith's memoirs he recalls "Dolly alias Matthew Booth, a half-witted fellow, was stoutly caned by old John Adams, the astronomical schoolmaster, for calling him a 'moon-hauler'" (A Book for a Rainy Day: Or, Recollections of the Events of the Years 1766-1833 p.123).    Sm. …