1Abigail Adams to John Adams, 13 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have lived to see the close of the third year of our seperation. This is a Melancholy Anniversary to me; and many tender Scenes arise in my Mind upon the recollecttion. I feel unable to sustain even the Idea, that it will be half that period e’er we meet again. Life is too short to have the dearest of its enjoyments curtaild. The Social feelings grow Callous by disuse and lose that pliancy...
2John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 27 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
You will believe me, when I inform You, that I am grievously disappointed in only having to acknowledge the reciept of just two Lines and an half from You by Capt. Grinnell. I am sorry that the Shortness of your Notice has deprived me of so much Happiness. The Card however will keep alive my Expectations ’till the promised Letters arrive. But lest Miss Nabby should think I set no Value upon...
3Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 3 July 1784 (Adams Papers)
Since Mrs. Adams’s Departure I have revolved within myself, whether you would not have an Inclination to purchase the piece of Land on Pens Hill (belonging to the Estate of the Honle. James Verchild late of St. Kitts deceased) which you have for some years past improved. His Heirs, I am informed, are now in England, that the Estate in the West Indies is under Mortgage, But that part of it...
4Abigail Adams to John Adams, 11 February 1784 (Adams Papers)
Two days only are wanting to campleat six years since my dearest Friend first crost the Atlantick. But three months of the Six Years have been Spent in America. The airy delusive phantom Hope, how has she eluded my prospects. And my expectations of your return from month to month, have vanished “like the baseless Fabrick of a vision.” You invite me to you, you call me to follow you, the most...
5Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 15 March 1784 (Adams Papers)
As I did not write you by the last conveyance I will not omit the present. I supposed your sister had got a Letter for You, but I found afterwards that she did not send it, because she could not please herself. This Week I received your trunk which Mr. Dana brought with him. You cannot conceive the pleasure I took in looking it over. The Books it is true were in a language that I understand...
6John Adams to Abigail Adams, 27 February 1783 (Adams Papers)
I read in a great Writer, Montesquieu that “l’honneur, en imposant la loi de servir, veut en être l’arbitre; et, s’il se trouve choqué, il exige ou permet qu’on se retire chez Soi.” C’est une des Règles suprêmes de l’honneur, Que lorsque nous avons été une fois placés dans un rang, nous ne devons rien faire ni souffrir qui fasse voir que nous nous tenons inferieurs à ce rang même.” These being...
Mr. and Mrs. Adams present their Compliments to Dr. Franklin and hope to have the Honour of his company to day at Dinner, with his Grandson Mr. Bache. They also beg the Favour of him to lend them the Assistance of one of his servants this morning if he can without Inconvenience as they are so unlucky as to have both their Men servants confined to their Chambers by very serious Sickness. RC in...
8John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 28 March 1783 (Adams Papers)
Peace seems to have closed all Communication with America. ’Tis a very long time since any Vessels or Letters have arrived either in France or Holland. We cannot account for this Circumstance, but upon the Supposition, that News had reached America of Negociations for Peace being opened, and that while this Business was pending the Merchant prefered a State of Inactivity to putting any thing...
9Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 3 October 1784 (Adams Papers)
Accept my dear Sister a thousand thanks for your charming Journal, it is just Such an one as I wish’d, so particular that while reading it, I could not help fancying my self with you. We hoped as we had Such fine weather for six weeks after you Sail’d, that you would have had a quicker Passage than I find you had. You did not feel more joy when you set your feet upon the British Coast, than I...
10John Adams to Abigail Adams, 1 September 1783 (Adams Papers)
I have not received my Letters of Recall from Holland and therefore must disappoint you and my self. I have requested them anew and Suppose I shall receive them about Christmas, but whether I do or not, I shall come home, at latest in the first Spring ships, unless I should receive Some new Commission in Europe, which is not likely. I am unalterably determined not to stay in Holland where I...
11John Adams to Abigail Adams, 10 September 1783 (Adams Papers)
We have received from Congress a Resolution by which We are to be impowered to negotiate a Treaty of Commerce with G. B. My self Mr. Franklin and Mr. Jay. This will detain me in Europe this Winter. If this Letter arrives in Season, that you can come to me this Fall with Miss Nabby, I shall be Supreamly happy to see you. But Still Things are so unsettled in Congress that you may expect to...
12John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 10 June 1783 (Adams Papers)
It would give me great Satisfaction to have it in my power to reply to any Letter from you since October last. But that pleasure is denied me. I feel that I am deprived of one Source of Instruction and Entertainment, in being deprived of your excellent Letters. And I support the Privation with little Philosophy. I am thoroughly tired of this cold Consolation, “wait with Patience.” Tis...
13John Adams to Abigail Adams 2d, 4 December 1782 (Adams Papers)
Your Solicitude for your Papa is charming: But he is afraid to trust you to the uncertain Elements, and what is infinitely more mischievous, the follies and depravities of the old world, which is quite as bad as that before the Flood. He has therefore determined to come to you, in America, next Summer, if not next Spring. Duty and Affections where due. RC or Dupl , in Charles Storer’s hand (...
14Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 6 – 30 July 1784 (Adams Papers)
I have been 16 days at sea, and have not attempted to write a single Letter; tis true I have kept a journal when ever I was able, but that must be close locked up; unless I was sure to hand it you with safety. Tis said of Cato the Roman censor, that one of the 3 things which he regreted during his Life, was going once by sea when he might have made his journey by land; I fancy the philosopher...
15Charles Adams to William Cranch, 14 March 1784 (Adams Papers)
NB This is not performing the promise of writing to one another every week. I know you can write if you have a mind to for you have as much enough time to write. I have just done getting my mornings lesson, began at the verbs in ao eo oo at the indicative mood have got the active voice out. Have I not been spry. Had I began Virgil when you went away. Oh yes well I have got the second Georgic...
16Elizabeth Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams, 26 March 1784 (Adams Papers)
The Roads have been so bad for several Weeks past, that there has been but little travelling, and it has been difficult to get a conveyance. I did not know when Cousin Charles sent his Letter. I intended to have written and conveyed them together, and to have thanked you most heartily, most tenderly for your excellent Care of Mr. Shaw, and for your ingenuity in managing his Case so exactly...
17Abigail Adams to Royall Tyler?, 14 June 1783 (Adams Papers)
You wish me to devote half an hour to you in your absence; you requested and I comply, to shew you that I have a disposition to oblige, but I am very unequal to the task you have assigned as I have no Herculian properties, but can say with Gays Shepard “the little knowledge I have gaind is all from simple nature draind.” I study her as my surest safest guide, for our actions must not only be...
18Joseph Palmer to Abigail Adams, 29 September 1784 (Adams Papers)
I heartily rejoice to hear of Your safe arrival; pray make My best respects acceptable to Mr. Adams, Miss Nabby, and Your Son. I can write but little, being very weak, confined by lameness, about 8 Weeks, but am growing better; this day, I was carried out and put into a Chaise (the first time of being out) and rid out on the Farm; but I hope to go to Connecticut, next Month. They at Mr....
19John Adams to Abigail Adams, 7 April 1783 (Adams Papers)
It is now compleatly five Years, Since I first arrived in Europe, and in all that time I was never more impatient to hear from you and from America in General, than I am now and have been for some months. Not a Word, Since the Beginning of January, except a Line from your Unckle, and Scarcely any Thing Since the 26 of Oct. when I arrived in Paris. I have no intimation of the Arrival of my...
20John Shaw to Abigail Adams, 15 October 1784 (Adams Papers)
Most Sincerely do I congrattulate you, Madam, and your amiable Daughter upon your Safe arrival at the wished for Port: my busy imagination persued you through the whole of your voyage untill it Saw you Safely and joyfully Landed upon the British Shores. I doubt not but long before this, you have been made happy, in meeting with Mr. Adams your long absent Friend. May Heaven reward him for the...
21John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 10 September 1783 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your Favours of June 26 and July 5 and for your obliging Congratulations, on the Peace. The Articles respecting Refugees had better have been omitted , but we could not have Peace without them and the Peace as it is, is better than none. The se Articles must be explained by a Consideration of the words of them and the whole Treaty, and I do not consider myself at Liberty to Say...
22Abigail Adams to Royall Tyler, 14 June 1783 (Adams Papers)
I had thoughts of writing to you before I received my last Letters from abroad, because you have frequently flatterd me with an assurance that my advise is not unacceptable to you. I thought I had some hints to drop to you which might Serve your interest. I feel an additional motive to take my pen, and communicate to you a passage from my Last Letter. “My dear daughters happiness employs my...
23John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 15 December 1782 (Adams Papers)
I intended to have wrote largely by this Opportunity, but have been confined ever since last Sunday night to my Bed and Chamber, with a most violent Cold, a kind of Punishment for Pride and Curiosity. I was last Sunday at Versailles, the day was extremely cold and foggy, much was to be seen, and but little time for the purpose. I drove about without Hat and with thin Shoes all day long, gave...
24Abigail Adams 2d to Elizabeth Cranch, 9 July 1784 (Adams Papers)
My Dear Eliza will be one of the first to inquire after the welfare of her friend. Nor shall she be the last unanswered. Thus far we have proceeded on our voyage with as good weather and in as good health as we could expect. We find many things disagreeable and many inconveniencies, which might have been remedied had we have known them. Others that are the necessary attendants of a sea Life...
25John Adams to Abigail Adams, 28 December 1782 (Adams Papers)
I dare Say there is not a Lady in America treated with a more curious dish of Politicks, than is contained in the inclosed Papers. You may Shew them to discrete Friends, but by no means let them go out of your hands or be copied. Preserve them in Safety against Accidents. I am afraid We shall have another Campaign: but do not dispair however of a Peace this Winter. America has nothing to do...
26John Adams to Abigail Adams, 26 July 1784 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 23d. has made me the happiest Man upon Earth. I am twenty Years younger than I was Yesterday. It is a cruel Mortification to me that I cannot go to meet you in London, but there are a Variety of Reasons decisive against it, which I will communicate to you here. Meantime, I Send you a son who is the greatest Traveller, of his Age, and without Partiality, I think as promising...
27John Adams to Royall Tyler, 3 April 1784 (Adams Papers)
I Yesterday received your Letter of the thirteenth of January. The Subject of it has for some time been to me an Occasion of Solicitude, chiefly on Account of the Uncertainty in which I have been too long left respecting every thing which concerns me and my Family. Your Connections and Education are too respectable for me to entertain any objections to them: Your Profession is that for which I...
28Abigail Adams to John Adams, 20 June 1783 (Adams Papers)
If I was certain I should welcome you to your native Land in the course of the summer, I should not regret Mr. Smiths going abroad without me. Should it be otherways, should you still be detained abroad—I must submit, satisfied that you judge best, and that you would not subject me to so heavy a dissapointment, or yourself to so severe a mortification as I flatter myself it would be, but for...
29John Adams to Abigail Adams 2d, 14 April 1783 (Adams Papers)
By this time, I hope, your inclination to travel has abated, and the prospect of peace has made you more contented with your native country. You little know the difficulties of a voyage to Europe, even in time of profound peace. The elements are as unstable in peace as in war, and a sea life is never at first agreeable, nor ever without danger. In foreign countries few persons preserve their...
30Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams, 29 October 1784 (Adams Papers)
It gives me great Pleasure to hear of your safe Arrivall in Europe, and that you are once more enjoying the Society and Friendship of Your Bosom Friend. I have wrote to Mr. Adams, relative to a piece of Land you He formerly exchanged with Thos. Thayer and now claimed by his Son in Law James Thayer. You will be able to refresh his Mind with respect the Exchange and inform him of the...