If the Sympathizing Tear’s of Friendship could assuage the agonizeing Bosom of my Friend; freely could I pour them there. I cannot Say how much I was shockd the last Evening at receiving a Letter from Louissa from Boston, informing me of the Sudden Death of your dear daughter Hellen O! my Friend this is indeed a trial. what can I Say, or how administer comfort? The circumstances attendent upon...
The Horace arrived last week after a passage of 85 days—I hope she brought Letters for you. as I learn the captain was charged with dispatches for the President. I inquired if there was any thing for you; but could not find that there was, as vessels Saild at the same time for Baltimore. perhaps mrs Adams made use of that conveyance I have a Letter from her of 2d June, and one from him of the...
3From Abigail Smith Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, 13 July 1810 (Adams Papers)
you will Smile my dear Madam when I tell you, that I began a Letter to you, wrote two pages, and was then call’d down to company, left it upon my table by the side of a window, and when I returnd to finish it, it had taken to itself wings and flown away, not a trace of it could I find pray have the faries borne it to you in its unfinished state as a punishment to me for having so long delayed...
4From Abigail Smith Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, 30 May 1810 (Adams Papers)
upon my return from a visit to my Sister in Newhampshire, where I had been in pursuit of health; I found your obliging and interesting Letter of May 14th. I thank you for the communications, and embrace the opportunity offered, of writing to my Son, tho from my absence, I fear it may prove too late for the conveyance. if it should, you may return it, I begin to feel quite impatient for Letters...
At last it is decided—it is as I conjectured in my last Letter to you, the Situation of Mrs Adams prevents their return to America this Season, and obliges mr Adams to decline his Appointment as Judge. I have received from him Several Letters of an old date Since I last wrote to you, but it was not untill yesterday that I received a Letter from my Grandson William Smith, of June 25th in which...
I have to acknowledge the receipt of your favour of december 15th. and the pleasure of congratulating you, upon the safe arrival and safety of your son; Who I hope enjoys good health, pray tender him my regards, and assure him of my sincere wishes for his prosperity! and success in buisness. You have a double joy also in the return of Mrs Pope to your city. I hope she has not sufferd any...
I was much rejoiced to receive your kind Letter of Sep’br 26th I began to be very anxious that I had not heard from you for a long time, I so often had experienced your punctuality. that I was apprehensive, that either You or Some of your Family were Sick. altho my anticipation was realizd, I rejoice that the cause was so far removed, as to enable you to write with so great a Share of Spirit...
8From Abigail Smith Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, 6 March 1811 (Adams Papers)
The great quantity of snow upon the Ground has obstructed the travelling So much, that the post did not get in last week, and your Letter which Should have come by that Mail, did not arrive untill yesterday. The Nomination and appointment of mr Adams, had been announced in the public papers, and in Some private Letters, before I received yours— Supposing that his absence would be an...
9From Abigail Smith Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, 19 May 1811 (Adams Papers)
I received your favour dated at Baltimore of April 28th, with the Letter inclosed for Mrs Adams, which I had an opportunity of immediatly forwarding by a vessel which saild last week for St Petersburgh I find by Letters from my Son, that those Letters which have gone by way of France have had the most speedy conveyance, and I regret that I have not oftener made use of it, altho they may be...
10From Abigail Smith Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, 15 October 1809 (Adams Papers)
I requested judge Cranch, when he returnd to washington, to apologize to you; for my not replying sooner, to your obligeing favour of Septr 17th. and to give you the reason for it; which was a very bad finger upon my Right hand, which prevented my holding a pen. altho the cause is not wholy removed, I cannot deny myself the pleasure of incloseing to you a Letter from our daughter: written at...
11From Abigail Smith Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, 30 March 1811 (Adams Papers)
The Letters you forwarded to me, for Saint Petersburgh, I had an opportunity of Sending immediatly through the Russian Consul. mr Gray has a vessel which will Sail Soon, for the North, by which I can Send Letters, if you please to forward any. would their be any impropriety in inquiring, either of the Secretary of State, or Navy; if any vessel is orderd to petersburgh to bring home mr Adams?...
12From Abigail Smith Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, 23 February 1810 (Adams Papers)
I have been frozen up almost ever since I received your last kind Letter. such severe weather we have not experienced for many years. writing has been quite out of the question with me. To keep myself from quite congealing to a statue, I have kept close to the fire side, reading porters travelling sketches in Russia, and Sweeden. I could never have read them; feeling so much interested as at...
13From Abigail Smith Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, November 1809 (Adams Papers)
upon my return from Boston where I passt a few days I found your very agreable Letter of october 28th for which accept my thanks. it afforded me much entertainment. the contrast between the Simplicity of Republicanism and the plain the, and then Manners, contrasted with the Stile of magnificence you describe affords ample scope for reflection, not that I consider it improper or unfit that the...
14From Abigail Smith Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, 31 July 1811 (Adams Papers)
yours of July 21, I received by the last Mail I was just going to ask the cause of your long Silence, when your Letter arrived and fully explaind it to me. I regrret that it arose from so many painfull causes, but our Lot is a Checkerd one. I have had a Share of late my dear Sister, whose Life I despared when I wrote last to you, Still Survives, for some little time We flatterd ourselves that...
15From Abigail Smith Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, 18 August 1810 (Adams Papers)
No further intelligence from our Children has yet reached us my Dear Madam, than a Letter from mr Gray to his Mother dated in March, in which he mentions that mr Adams has an inflamation in his Eyes,and had hurt one of his Legs. I have always had a fear for Eyes, one of which was threatned with a complaint which might call for Surgecal operation, the constant glare from ice and snow in so cold...
16From Abigail Smith Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, 4 May 1810 (Adams Papers)
I am indebted to you my dear Madam for three Letters. I have made two attempts before to acknowledge two of them; but was unable to accomplish my intention. The Spirit was willing, but alass the flesh so weak and feeble that my hand would not guide my pen. I have had a Severe Sickness, which has left me very low, and a slow fever continues to consume my strength and Spirits. When your Son in...
17From Abigail Smith Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, 19 December 1809 (Adams Papers)
Since I had the pleasure of writing to you, I have received further accounts from our Children, which I hasten to communicate to you, knowing from my own feelings, what a cordial for low spirits agreable news from a far Country is. The Letter from my Son is written at sea, and is a continuation of that which we before received from the Banks of Newfoundland. he writes, that after leaving the...