I heard of you at Providence from mr Fearno , and I was yesterday informd that the News paper reported your arrival at N york on Saturday. I hope tomorrows Mail will give me Some direct intelligence as the two or three first days of your journey the weather was very oppressive, I fear you must have endured great fatigue. By this time I hope you are compensated for it, by the happy meeting of...
Since the 18th July, I have not received a Line from you or my Son, altho I have been in daily expectation of hearing that you were sitting your faces this way. I have learnt from mr Cruft that mr Adams contemplated being here, as I understood him by the last of this Month, or sooner if he could. The intercourse between us, is not so frequent as I could wish. Even tho it consisted of “How do...
33From Abigail Smith Adams to Sarah Smith Adams, 12 April 1817 (Adams Papers)
Susan has written you, I Suppose that mr Clark has returnd, and that he is very desirious of being married. She has also informd you of his income and means of Support. Will you under these Circumstances consent to their being married at present? They are Young, neither of them disposed to Habits of dissipation, but Such limited means I fear will involve them in difficulties. To keep House...
34From Abigail Smith Adams to Sarah Smith Adams, 18 August 1817 (Adams Papers)
This Evening my dear Daughter, will give you a Son, and me a Grandson, whom I have no doubt will prove himself worthy that Relation—He has plead So hard, and appeard so anxious and distrest, that it Should be so, before he again went abroad that I could no longer withhold my assent, and hav Susans Grandfather also joind with me, altho my former objections Still remained the Same. Tomorrow they...
35From Abigail Smith Adams to Sarah Smith Adams, 28 May 1817 (Adams Papers)
When I received your Letter of the 8th, written upon a Sunday, for which you apologize, it brought to my mind a Letter I once read written upon a Sunday morning by the Revd dr Mayhew of Boston, to mr James otis, respecting Some secular affairs of importance. he began his Letter with these Words—“To a good man all time is holy, and none too holy, to do good.” I think you may have absolution...
36From Abigail Smith Adams to Sarah Smith Adams, 5 May 1817 (Adams Papers)
The account of your Health and your debility gives me much concern. the frequent bleedings your Physician thinks Proper for you, quite allarms me. I am sure Louisa could not have Survived, if any blood had been taken from her. for more than a month, She could not rise from her Bed: to Sit while it was made, without fainting, and looking as if she could not be yet back alive. She has now So far...
37From Abigail Smith Adams to Sarah Smith Adams, 20 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
I received your letter of Feb’ry 19th inst, was rejoiced to find you writing again. It was my intention Sooner to have replied to you, but your own experience under Similar Circumstances will allow for my omission, when I inform you that Louisa was Suddenly seizd with bleading, like that which has twice attackd you, and this from being a large vessel in the Stomack, was so profuse, as to...
38From Abigail Smith Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 30 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
enclosed is Harriets account which I wish you to Settle when you go to Town. I have had it some time She received 15 dollers of you—Your Father has a Bill to pay to mr Cary—and the marble chimney peice is to be included—Both amount to 28 dollars.—I have his Bill. I beleive there is some money due in B office I presume there is also something due in Philadelphia, and as we can get flower here...
39From Abigail Smith Adams to Ward Nicholas Boylston, 14 March 1818 (Adams Papers)
Agreable to your Request we have concluded to Send you the picture. Mr Adams has been So occupied by public Buisness that he has not given any directions respecting it.—but as we know it will receive the greatest care from you; we have concluded to commit it to you; relying upon the promise given, that you will deliver it to our Son John Quincy Adams, when ever he calls for it— With...
40From Abigail Smith Adams to Ward Nicholas Boylston, 30 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
We promise ourselves the pleasure of visiting you on fryday next, and hope that a Severe Cold now attacking both the President and myself, will yiald before that day, to Herb Tea, and mild weather. nothing but indisposition will prevent our accepting Your kind invitation, or I Should add, Stormy weather. Many thanks for the Balsam My Neice continues way weak, altho’ She has not had any return...
41From Abigail Smith Adams to William Cranch, 26 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
Mr W S Smith with Mrs Smith are upon a visit to her Relations in Washington. he is desirious of paying his Respects to you, as a Relation, and as a desendent of the Venerable Characters, whom he remembers with Respect and veneration— He is desirious of obtaining employment under the Government. in what Capacity I do not know. His being So nearly Related to me, deprives him of all the advantage...
42From Abigail Smith Adams to Hannah Phillips Cushing, 17 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
There is Surely a Secret Sympathy between us, for the very week in which you have written me I was contemplating to write you a Letter. I was only doubtfull where to address it. You have kindly removed this difficulty, and I have the pleasure to learn by your Letter that you have past the winter Socially with your Friends at Plimouth—Solitary you never were when inhabiting your own...
“Delightful praise, like summer rose, That brighter in the dew-drop glows.” They were sweet drops which flowed from the heart to the eyes both of your grandfather and grandmother, when I read to him the two letters you had transcribed to your uncle and to your father, in commendation of your brother. You could not have offered a sweeter incense to your grandfather; and flowing from the pen of...
As Dean Swift says, “eyes with writing almost blind,” I commence a letter to you, near ten o’clock at night, after having written seven letters to go abroad by the Milo. I have been wishing to write to you all the week, but last Friday, in a snow storm, who should come to make me a visit, but Mrs. Cushing, who is always a welcome guest; she stayed until Tuesday; I could not leave her to write....
45From Abigail Smith Adams to Abigal Adams Shaw Felt, 10 February 1818 (Adams Papers)
Why my dear Neice so loth to use your pen? But I do not hear from it twice in a year? Altho you possess many of the virtues of your Mother, and inherit many of her amiable qualities, you do not keep up that literary intercourse with your nearest Relatives, which was a distinguished trait in her Character. few persons held so eloquent a pen; or could find such ready access to the Heart: I...
46From Abigail Smith Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 29 April 1817 (Adams Papers)
What right have I to be one of your tormentors? and amongst the numerous applicants for introductory Letters? Why I will plead, old acquaintance, old Friendship and your well known Benevolence—but to the Subject of my present address. Mr Theodore Lyman, who possesses an ardent thirst for Literature, and whose Father, is one of our most respectable Characters for probity, honour, & wealth, this...
47Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 29 April 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
what right have I to be one of your tormentors? and amongst the numerous applicants for introductory Letters? why I will plead, old acquaintance, old Friendship and your well known Benevolence— but to the Subject of my present address. Mr Theodore Lyman , who possesses an ardent thirst for Literature, and whose Father , is one of our most respectable Characters for probity, honour, &...
48From Abigail Smith Adams to Thomas Baker Johnson, 18 October 1817 (Adams Papers)
I will not let so good an opportunity pass without writing you a few Lines, to inquire after your Health, and to rejoice with you upon the return of your Sister, and Family to America, in good health, and with a more youthfull countanance than when She left us—but like Birds of passage, they left us, in one month for Washington— your three Nephews are with us George who has grown to the...
49From Abigail Smith Adams to Hezekiah Niles, 20 January 1818 (Adams Papers)
Upon taking up your Register the other day, a communication respecting drawing rooms, attracted my attention. Your correspondent must have been misinformed when he states, that there was any distinction of party made at the drawing room while I had the honor to preside there; any gentleman or lady, of either party, who chose to visit there, were received with equal civility. And from your...
50From Abigail Smith Adams to Julia Stockton Rush, 15 October 1817 (Adams Papers)
I am indebted to you, for two very kind Letters The first, was written after my Grandaughter miss de Wint, had made you a visit. I ought to have inform’d you, how much She regreted, that it was not in her power to repeat it, and writing to me upon her return, that She was gratified in having visited a Lady, whom She knew; was much esteemd by her Grand Parents: as well as by her own Father, and...
51From Abigail Smith Adams to Richard Rush, 24 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
I was rejoiced when I found the justice of Congress had made some necessary Provision for the office you now hold, altho they withheld a Clerk. I Should have been more gratified if their Liberality had extended to that, and an increase of the Sallery. the Duties of your office, must I am Sure, occupy the greater part of your time; but nothing is harder than to convince the purse holders that...
52From Abigail Smith Adams to Richard Rush, 12 August 1817 (Adams Papers)
I received your obliging favour of july 29th with the inclosure. I had not any objection to your taking a copy. It was my wish that you Should,—altho I hesitated at Saying So, least the partiality of a Parent Should mislead me. I feel that you take an interest in my present happiness, in the Safe return of my Son to his Native Country, altho I have not yet Seen him.—it is no Small...
53From Abigail Smith Adams to Richard Rush, 14 July 1817 (Adams Papers)
I owe you many thanks for the early notice which you transmitted me, of mr Adams’s acceptance of the Appointment of State. untill yesterday, I have remaind without any direct communication from him. The Letter which I inclose for your perusal, I regret not having received a day or two Sooner, that I might have had the pleasure of communicating it to the President when he did us the favour of...
54From Abigail Smith Adams to William Smith Shaw, 13 September 1817 (Adams Papers)
By a Letter which I received from Caroline dated 1st Sepbr She acquaints me that a mr Verplanck has a Letter of introduction from mr dewint to you, and that She wishes him to come to Quincy to See us, that he has with him two Sisters, one much out of Health, very particular Friends of mrs Dewints. they proposed taking Lodgings at mrs Delanoes. If any Such persons have come into Town, you will...
55From Abigail Smith Adams to John Adams Smith, 12 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
I have not noticed your Letter bearing date 10 Novb’r—I had begun to think that you had renounced me as a correspondent—not having had a line from you for a long time—Like other Ladies who when Slighted turn their Backs or otherways express their Sense of it I did not feel myself obligated to write again—and gratified myself by reading Your Letters to Your Grandfather, and discharging my duty...
You justly appreciate the Sympathy of your Quincy Friends under the heavey affliction you have met with. they do in deed feel for you. when the Aged fall, it is the Curse of Nature, but when the young and promising are cut down e’er they reach the meridian of Life, we are led to inquire wherefore? and it is only in the belief of a “Being of unerring wisdom and goodness, that the from whom the...
It would be ungratefull in me not to feel & pleased thank you for the interest you take in the Return of my Son to his Country to his parents and Friends; I do rejoice in the hope of Seeing him, yet with Sense Some trembling least my sanguine hopes may be blasted. we know not what a day my bring forth. he has been preserved through many dangers to which voyages across the ocean are always...
When President Munroe was upon his Tour Surrounded by the Military, encompassed by Citizens, harased by invitations to parties—and applications innumerable for office—Some Gentleman asked him if he was not compleatly worn out with fatigue —to which he replied—o No—a little flattery will Support a man through great fatigue—I may apply the observation to myself and Say that the flattery in your...
59From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 10 August 1817 (Adams Papers)
Thank you thank you dear Harriet for the Letter from mr Adams you sent me last Evening. tho only a few lines, it informd me that after a passage of 50 days from Cowes they had arrived all well—and should remain no longer in N york than to get out their baggage & necessary arrangements, that in a week or ten days they would be here—I presume by the close of the week or sooner—It will indeed be...
60From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 12 June 1818 (Adams Papers)
But once Since You left us, have I received a line from you. Twice I have written, and twenty hundred times twenty; thought of you, and Sometimes with an exclamation, what can be the reason that H. does not write? now you who have Eyes, fingers at command, and the pen of a ready writer, ought to employ them, when they are So much Sought after. I presume they are so: and that you have Some...