1From Abigail Smith Adams to John Adams, 23 October 1817 (Adams Papers)
mr Dexter will come to Boston tomorrow for the Trunks you must go with him to mr Crufts who when you pick out the Trunks will deliver them—I See that nobody here will attend to them if I do not—they are lodged at mr Thorndikes Store Custer lies very dangerously sick your GM MHi : Adams Papers.
2From Abigail Smith Adams to John Adams, 15 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
So, so master John, your Back is up, because you have not been written to, as often as you thought your dignity required—why I really think there is Some reason for you to complain of your Hingham School Mates—but I beleive they are Scatterd now, not one of them remaining with mr Thimbull who were your companions—new ones Succeed Politeness requires that notice Should be taken of letters of...
3From Abigail Smith Adams to John Adams, 17 September 1817 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter by mr Beals, and was very glad to learn that you and your Brother had enterd School you will very soon get familiar with it, and if you do as well as you know how, you will not be behind your Class. If Charles is really unwell; mrs Welsh will give him something to take, and he must restrain his appetite which was too keen for the season of the Year. I would have you call...
4From Abigail Smith Adams to John Adams, 25 June 1818 (Adams Papers)
enclosed is the money which mrs Welsh advanced upon your account which you will pay her, and get her to Sign the Receit enclosed. you have not sent your shoes to be mended—& Charl e s if bare foot I have no compassion for as he would not take the trouble to call upon the shoe maker, he ought to feel the concequence—I Shall expect to see you on Saturday your affectionate G M MHi : Adams Papers.
5From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 17 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
I write you a few lines in addition to what I have already written, and inclose you the Copy of a Letter from mr Otis to your Father, by which you will learn that your Nomination as Secretary of State, was confirmd, with one only dissenting vote, just sufficient to save you from the war. whose it was I neither know or care for no president since Washington, has been chosen by the people, with...
6From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 January 1818 (Adams Papers)
I write but seldom to you, least you should feel as tho’ you were obliged to replie, when you must be much occupied with public Business and as I am now engaged to address you in that line, You will feel obliged to listen. My present design is to name to you a Gentleman for office conditionally. It is reported that Major Warren of plymouth is about to resign, or be removed from the office of...
7From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 June 1818 (Adams Papers)
enclosed is a Letter which you will see contains a request to me; and through me to you. the ploughing with the Hiffer is not yet out of date. were the object an office, I should refuse to medle with it, but as it is only a simple renewal of a midshipman from one ship & station to an other, I would hope no great interest necessary; particularly as his Health has sufferd severely in this...
8From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 May 1817 (Adams Papers)
I will write to you again, and untill I learn from you, that you have taken your passage home.—I have now to acknowledge a succession of Letters from you, arriveing nearly all together No 106. No 107 No 108 No 109 No 10010 and No 111 March the 16th which is the late date— I hope you did not think, when I wrote to you pressing your return to America, that my object was the office to which you...
9From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 April 1817 (Adams Papers)
Your Letters are always Common property with the Family to hear from you, and know that you are all well, is a mutual gratification to us all—Your Father is not so punctual in acknowledging Letters, dates and numbers as you are, so that your last Letter to him of Janry 14th No 56 is left for me to notice, and laugh, at your excuse for its brevity. I have received several from you of the like...
10From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
The voice of the Nation call’s you home. the Government call you home—and your parents unite in the general call to this Summons. you must not, you cannot refuse your assent, nor will you, I presume have a disposition to regret so honorable an appointment, as is assignd to you; by so unanimous a vote— It is now more than four months Since the News papers from all parts of the united States,...
11From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 August 1817 (Adams Papers)
Through the kind of attention of mr Crafts we learnt yesterday morning of the arrival of the Washington, and in the Evening, through our watchfull centinal Harriet, I received the gratefull intelligence under your own hand, that you were Landed and all well for which joyfull News to your parents; God be thanked—we now wait, in pleasing expectation of welcoming You; one and all, to the old...
12From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 14 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
As you accused me last Evening, or rather Night with preventing the Ladies from writing to you; I apologized by saying that I had a Letter written to you at home,which was really the case. I made a Fairy visit to Washington last night, in which time I visited mrs Munroe, mrs Madison &c, and meeting you and mrs Adams in the street, in fine Health and Spirits, you accosted me as above—I was too...
13From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 15 October 1817 (Adams Papers)
The president has thought it Safe for the Students to assemble at Cambridge upon fryday last, and George has followd yesterday. we Shall miss his Society much. he has been company for his Grandfather Since Louissa has been Sick—I hope he is properly imprest, with the necessity of arduous application—John and Charles appear to like their Preceptor very well and perform their lessons I am told,...
14From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 May 1818 (Adams Papers)
I think I once heard you Say—to make a thing choice it Should be rare. your kind Letter last Evening received—possesst both those qualities. The very Sight of your hand writing—addresd as formerly gave a Spring to my Spirits, and your Father Sprung from the settee to place himself by my Side, while I read it to him—I have foreborne writing to you, during the Session of Congress, being...
Your Journal No 7. to Janry 30th, Harriet brought me to day, just as we had sat down to dinner; It being thursday, John and Charles thought they would treat themselves, and miss Harriet with a Sleigh ride to Quincy—our Friends and acquaintance do not fail to improve the Season, and sometimes come upon us a little unwarily, for one day last week, I had nine at once to dine, when I knew only of...
Your Letter of May 2d was so long comeing, that I feared Sickness had arrested your pen—as Subjects for the use of it are always within your power, because subjects of a domestic Nature are every day occurences, and always interesting to Friends. and judging by myself, I communicate to you the pleasure I enjoy in finding that your admonitions to George have had a salutary effect, both as it...
The fine Sleighing has tempted So many visitors to make use of it, that we have had a Constant Succession of company, altho the weather has been Severely cold—This day thus far, I have not been interrupted, and I take my pen, to acknowledge your favour of Febry 4th received upon the 12th. on that day Mrs Quincy with miss Storer & miss Quincy, came to take Tea with us. John and Charles, having...
I received your journal No 4. containing the drawing Room History, which amused us much. What would have been Said in my day, if So much Style, pomp and Etiquette had been assumed? the Cry of Monarchy, Monarchy, would have resounded from Georgia to Maine.—but according to the old proverb—some persons may Rob; better than others look over the hedge.—I am not condemning this new order of...
A long period has elapsed since I addrest a line to you—I have not taken my pen for three weeks—I have been so constantly occupied with my visitors, and a sick domestic, who has been near dieing with a Billious fever the whole time my Friends were with me, that I could not find a leisure moment. mr & mrs DeWint his Mother their children and servants left us last week, about the time when...
My correspondence has been much interrupted the last fortnight Susan has been So feeble and weak, that She has required much care and attention She is now but just able to leave her Chamber, and that only for a short time, and we have had ten days of dismal wet weather, in which the Sun has not once Shone,—it has produced much Sickness, of the Quincy and Croup kind, with Children—My Son T B As...
I received yesterday your journal to the 21st of Jan’ry. Washington Seems to be in a whirpool of dissipation—well described by Scott in his tales of my Landlord—“a chase through Life, after follies not worth catching; and when caught successively thrown away; a chase pursued from days of tottering infancy to old Age—Toys and merry makings in Childhood, Love and its absurdities in youth....
I received Your Letter of July 18th on Saturday 25th. It was a great damper to me, who had been pleasing myself with the expectation of Soon Seeing you, and my Son—nor can I now relinquish the hope, that the impediments you mention, may be so accommodated as to give mr Adams a few weeks respite at least. From the account you give of your health, I Should think you would be benefited: by a...
I write a line to enclose a Letter from Harriet. George has been so steady at Cambridge that I have had but one visit from him since he went there. I expect Him and his Brothers to keep thanksgiving with us; there is then a vacation of nearly a week—.John will want an additional pr of pantaloons. he is such a wrestless active Being that he is always in motion and his blews which he has worn so...
I this morning received Your Second Letter, by way of journal. we have all been highly entertaind. it makes me a Sharer with you, in your various occupations—brings me acquainted with Characters, and places me at your fire Side. one Single Letter conveys more information in this way, than I could obtain in a whole Session of Congress.—I hope you will continue this method altho you will receive...
you will I know excuse my not haveing written to you more than once; when you learn the additional care and anxiety I have had in my Family by the Sickness of Louisa, who has had two other allarming attacks of pukeing blood, more than half a pint each time, and a much larger quantity passing down. She is much reduced, and for several days unable to leave her Bed—She is now able to sit up...
I have been haunted with the Deamon of omission, and a hundred Sprights in the garb of excuses, Such as Company, family avocations Noisy Boys &c &c This morning, being very Stormy, I determined to expel them all, and commence writing a Letter to you. I beleive I had promised to write to my Son. I know that he must be so enveloped in publick Buisness, that he can ill afford time to attend to...
I received your Letter of March 2d which has increased my anxiety to hear again from you, for a series of misfortunes Seem to have clustered around you. pray inform me how mrs Frye her Husband and Children are? I scarcly expect to hear the last are living. what a Scene you had to pass through? I do not wonder you were Sick—That Erysipelas which has Several times troubled you, is a very...
The Children Say that they have your permission to come to Town to dine with Commodore Hull—and to Stay untill Saturday to visit the Carval I have accordingly let them take the Stage this morning—I think they had better accept mrs Fosters invitation & Lodge there, but that as you judge best; mrs Adams will be calld home, Elizabeth being again very sick—I hope to See you in Town tomorrow— yours...
I received your very kind Letter, in which you take so great interest in my health, that I am bound to say much of myself in return; for I have profited by your admonitions and those of my other Friends.In the first place, I indulge myself in the morning, and seldom rise before the sun I use no more exercise than I think my health requires—altho I frequently hear, o do not go there, do not do...
I have not yet acknowledged your favour of June 27th I go so seldom into the buisy world, that I can get little to amuse or entertain you with. Harriet too is yet with her Sister. She always had something of foreign or domestic to amuse us with—I miss her much, and that upon the Childrens account, as well as my own—The fourth of July has past with much Eclat, and good humour in Boston, with an...
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...