After a year’s absence I came yesterday to make a visit to my friends for three days. Our anxiety to hear from you, led me to send to the office this morning for letters; there I found yours of May 31st, containing tidings that my fears had anticipated, as you will find when you receive my last letter. My dear child, you will be again called to severe and afflictive scenes; may you be...
Your Apology for not having written before was accepted by your grandmother. To be attentive to our guests is not only true kindness, but true politeness: for if there is a virtue which is its own reward, hospitality is that virtue. We remember slight attentions, after we have forgotten great benefits; sweetness of temper, easiness of behaviour, and kindness of disposition, are peculiarly...
last Saturday my Dear Children and grandsons viz William your Brother, and little Charles Adams sailed in the Ship Horace Capt Beckford for Saint petersburgh this Seperation from a dear son at the advanced Age both of your Grandfather and me, was like taking our last leave of him, and was felt by us both, with the keenest anguish. our hearts were, “garnerd up in him” perhaps too closely and we...
Your neat, pretty letter, looking small, but containing much, reached me this day. I have a good mind to give you the journal of the day. Six o’clock. Rose, and, in imitation of his Britannic Majesty, kindled my own fire. Went to the stairs, as usual, to summon George and Charles. Returned to my chamber, dressed myself. No one stirred. Called a second time, with voice a little raised. Seven...
I received your letter this day, written from Springfield; this has been a relief to us to hear that you were well, and that your dear mother bore her journey so well. After you left me I felt no restraint upon me, and could give way to all I felt and all I had suppressed; my harp was upon the willow, and my spirits at a very low ebb; I have in some measure recovered them, and follow you daily...
“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...
Yesterday was our Thanksgiving day. In our own way, and with tempers suited to the occasion, we gave thanks for those blessings which we felt had been granted to us in the year past, for the restoration and recovery from dangerous sickness of members of our own family; and, although in one instance we had been called to weep, in many others we had cause of rejoicing. We were in health; we had...
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....
Thursday the 30th of November was our thanksgiving day. I was not able to go to meeting owing to my eye, which I regretted very much, as our good minister is always excellent upon particular occasions, I am told he was upon this At dinner I looked round, I hope with a thankful heart, but alass! how many of my dear children were absent, not one of them to give pleasure to the festive table, for...
I do not know how our account stands, whether I am indebted for a letter or you, but I shall not be very strict with you; I am always delighted with your letters, whether to me or to Susan; we talk daily of you, and wish for you, and when I think how far you all are from me, I am ready to sit down and weep. We go on much in the old way here—now and then a large party, then a few friends....
Your Letter, my dear Caroline, gave me pleasure. As all your’s are calculated to enliven the spirits, I take them as a cordial, which during the residence of the baldpated winter and a close confinement to my chamber for several weeks, I have been much in want of. And now what return can I make you—What can you expect from age, debility and weakness? Why, you shall have the return of a...
This morning’s post brought me your letter of the 20th. We were all delighted; grandfather’s tears watered his cheek when he read the letter; Susan skipped with all her warmth and ardour, into every part of the scene. “In joyous youth, what soul hath never known, Thoughts, feelings, taste, harmonious to its own.” S. walked her mile and a half to communicate the grateful tidings; every heart...
Your letter of May the 8th, your grandpapa brought home with him from church, on Sunday the 20th; owing to sickness I was not able to go, and am yet confined to my chamber. My fever and cough are both leaving me, and I hope a few days more will give me health sufficient to enjoy the fine season. I have been reading a novel called the Wild Irish Girl. Why the term wild is given, I know not,...
my dear Caroline must be informd that her Grand mothers Eyes are so much afflicted as to oblige her to put on the Green Shade which her dear Mother made for her Grandfather, and this prevents her reading or writing for the present, Yet she cannot refrain from addressing a few lines to her to acknowledge her welcome Letter of and to congratulate her upon the Restoration of peace to their...
I can scarcly belive that I have not written to my dear Girl for so long a time as two months, yet upon opening her Letter in replie to mine, I find it bears Date 28 Sep’br This Letter I hope will receive a double welcome for it incloses one from your Friend which of them I know not, but it came under cover to your Grandpappa this week. Your Aunt E. Adams has been sick almost ever since she...
If you find as many joyful faces to receive you, as you have left sorrowful hearts behind you, you will have no reason to complain. When upon former occasions you have been separated from me, it was always with the expectation of having you again with me; since I have considered you as mine, you have been to me one of the chief props and supports of my declining years. By your watchful...
It was with a heavy heart and trembling hand, that I yesterday broke the seal of your letter to your uncle. I knew that he was gone to Boston, and as I had not any letter myself, I could not wait in such suspense; the contents of the letter has left me little expectation of hearing that the lamp of life is not nearly extinguished. I had written thus far, when Louisa brought me the paper, with...
delightfull praise! like summer Rose that brighter in the dew drop glows— they were Sweet Drops from the heart to the Eyes both of your grandfather & grandmother when I read to him the two Letters to your Father and uncle this day in praise of your Mother. you could not have offerd a Sweeter incence to your Grandfather— to know that flowing from the hand of Friendship in a Strain of Sincerity...
I write you a few lines just to say that I send your mother a century Sermon, preached in this town when your Grandfather was about four years old. He says he recollects the day—as his mother carried him to meeting and pointed out to him the old lady Penniman mentioned in the Sermon said to be near an hundred years old—The Sermon had got out of print—A number of persons who wished to preserve...
I inclose you a volm from Harriot, and I have written to your Mother so late, that I have not a brain prolific enough to entertain you. I could inform you that our old gardner went to France this winter and did not expect to return soon enough to garden, and we have got another in his stead, who like most successors, finds fault with his predecessor, that this should have been so, and that...
Thursday, 30th November, was our Thanksgiving Day; I was not able to attend church, owing to my eye, which I regretted: our good minister is always excellent upon particular occasions; I am told he was upon this. At dinner I looked round, I hope with a thankful heart, but alas! how many of my dear children were absent, not one of them to give pleasure to the festive table; the young shoots and...
To-morrow will be a fortnight since you left me; I have watched the weather with much solicitude, and when we had snow, as we had the Thursday after you set out, I hoped it might speed your journey, provided there should not be too great a quantity; although the storm was severe and cold on Saturday, it was pleasant sleighing. I flattered myself we should enjoy it for a week or ten days, but...
I have not written to you this year! and this is the second month of it, and let us ask the rising year, now open to our view yet wrapped in darkness, whither dost thou lead? Let cheerful hope receive the welcome guest, gratefully recollecting the many blessings of the past year, and committing ourselves to the wise and overruling providence, who suffers not a sparrow to fall to the ground...
I hope you received the letters safe which I inclosed to you from your brother. I wish I could gratify you with some more, but we must wait with patience, and put up with one less, for such we must have had by the capture of our vessels. The book you want I cannot get, without the whole set of 4 volumes, which come very high. I have sent you Walter Scotts, lady of the lake which I think will...