1From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 September 1813 (Adams Papers)
I endeavour that you should hear from us by writing in every direction, yet when I take my pen my heart sinks, and my hand trembles. my last Letters which were in August were Sent to Halifax by a cartel to be conveyd to England to mr Beasley, and they contain’d such heart rending intelligence that I know not how to repeat it—Bad news has swifter wings than good, I have lost, O what have I not...
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...
Received Quincy 9th Feby 1810 of T. B Adams Twenty-five Dolls and fifty Cents in full for One quarter’s interest due upon J Q. Adams’s Note due the first instant. $25.50 MHi : Adams Papers.
I received yesterday your Letter of Novbr 27th. and was rejoiced to learn that you and the Children were well. I was just contemplating writing a Letter to my son to chide him for not writing to inform me, how George was grown, and improved, what he said when he saw his pappa again, and how mister John came on, whether he is as grave as his Brother George was how Master Georges socks fitted...
5From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 6 June 1815 (Adams Papers)
I return you Cs Letter, I think she will not be here untill the last of this month. I fear W’s situation an unpleasant one, it cannot be otherways, with a family and without means of supporting them—whether John will obtain the place he wants, I know not, nor am I very solicitious for it. I have written two letters for him. at his request, but knew not, if I was not essentially injuring his...
6From Abigail Smith Adams to James Monroe, 3 April 1813 (Adams Papers)
upon the 23d of Feb’ry mr Adams addrest a Letter to you, and inclosed a private Letter from my Son at St Petersburgh to me, requesting a return of it by the next Mail. as the Letter has not been received I presume in the multiplicity of buisness, It has been forgotten. You will oblige me by sending it, and at the same time do me the favour to forwarding the packet which accompanies this Letter...
I ought to have thanked you for your kind Letter, which gave me both pleasure and consolation, but I have not been able to write oweing to an inflamation; first in my Eyes; and then upon my Lungs, Which deprived me of my Speach; and this you know, to a person who loves to be sociable, as much as your Friend, was a great privation. this disposition to loquacity with which you know we are...
8From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 April 1813 (Adams Papers)
I have already written to you, in replie to your Melancholy Letter of Sepbr 20th. and have offer’d to the wounded Bosoms of my dear Children all the consolation which a participation in their Sorrows could impart. “Some feelings are to mortals given with less of earth in them, than heaven And if there be a human tear From passions drop refind and clear A tear So limpid and So meek It would not...
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...
10From Abigail Smith Adams to Abigail Amelia Adams Smith, 19 June 1808 (Adams Papers)
Here we are Sitting by a good fire in the parlour, and wearing, our winter coats to meeting, whilst our windows are coverd with a profusion of roses, our Wall’s decorated with flowers expanding their Beauties to the cold Northern blast, which rudely lacerates their delicate texture, unmindfull of their Beauty; and headless of their fragrance. I rose the other morning delighted with the visit I...
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...
12From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 17 December 1805 (Adams Papers)
I began a Letter to you on the 10 of this Month left it unfinishd, and so it is like to remain, an old Letter being of no more value than an old almanack—for to know how things are, when absent from the Scene, is better than to learn how they were a week before. At that period I had not heard of your safe arrival at Washington. Since I have received two Letters, one dated the 29st Novbr and...
13From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 6 October 1815 (Adams Papers)
Last week I Sent Letters to Newyork for you Mrs Adams, and the children. I write now to Say that we are all well, and because I would not let a vessel go without a Letter for you I inclose one for George. we have not any Letters of a later date from you than july— Harper is displaying his Anti American Principles, if Principles he has. in Maryland a Part of that State are as turbulent as our...
14From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, July 1813 (Adams Papers)
altho I wrote to you on the 14 of this month I know that my Letter will have a dubious conveyance as it had to first make its way to France & then to find a passage to you—mr Gordon who is ever attentive to us, has just informd us of a sweedish vessel & a passenger going by whom I might forward Letters to you—if you do not hear from us often it is oweing to the obstructions occasiond by the...
15From Abigail Smith Adams to Thomas Baker Johnson, 20 February 1817 (Adams Papers)
Having just closd a Letter to your Sister Buchannan my next is due to you. I am in arrears for a Letter dated in july, as well as for your last favour of December the Eleventh. In reply to your queries respecting mr Adams being designd for the office of Secretary of State, I must confess that I have not any better authority for it than you have, which is the News papers. the Southern papers...
16From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 24 April 1815 (Adams Papers)
you always collect some comfort or consolation for your Friends—your information respecting the packet was particularly so that, which respected the Boys. I have been distrest for them this terrible North East wind and Storm—I never knew a more voilent one at this season—it must have been worse for those comeing in, than those going out; provided they had sea moon—but I will not distrust the...
I recieved your Letter by the last Mail inclosing one for your daughter, who left me last week, to our great regreet. I expostulate with her for making her visit So short She Said She had been five weeks with us. I could Scarcly credit it, untill I looked back, and then So many events had during that period rapidly Succeeded each other, that I had not calculated how the time had passed It was...
18From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 December 1813 (Adams Papers)
Altho I have already written to you by this opportunity, and my Letters are now quite old, I know I shall give to you renewed pleasure by adding a few lines more, as they may bear to you a token of my returning health, after a very Severe attack of a Lung fever of a very dangerous nature I am Still confined to my chamber weak and debilitated, but my Cough has nearly left me, and I feel that I...
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...
20From 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...
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...
22From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 August 1815 (Adams Papers)
I closed a Letter to you last week, and sent it to Liverpool by the Juno Captain Emery—full of wailings for Letters at that time we had not received a line since those brought to us by mr Smith, untill thursday the 23d of this month, when the Galen arrived. by her you Father received one of 19th June, and from each of my Grandsons I had the pleasure of hearing from under their own hand’s I do...
23From Abigail Smith Adams to Julia Stockton Rush, 25 September 1813 (Adams Papers)
Since my last Letter to you I have been call’d to drink deep of the bitter cup of affliction—my dear and only daughter mrs Smith, died here the last month. You will recollect that by the advice given her, two years since by our late Dear Friend, She underwent an opperation for a cancer. it Succeeded so as to remove all our fears—but early in the last year she was attacked with voilent pains in...
24From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 25 February 1816 (Adams Papers)
I was very sick yesterday, and obliged to take an Emetic, to clear of a quantity of Bile, which the dr said was the occasion of my sleepless Nights. I hope he may be right; for they weaken me much. I was very much worried with it. I took it at half past three, pure delicious Indian Root and it never closed its opperation, until eleven at night. It is slow you know in its opperation. I did not...
25From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 14 June 1813 (Adams Papers)
As there is Some prospect of mr Russels being appointed to Sweeden I hope to convey Letters to you through him I have been more than usually unfortunate in the loss of those which I have endeavourd to convey to you, not having omitted writing to you every Month. yet I have not any acknowledgement from even your latest Letter dated in Feby 1813 that you had received a line from me of a more...
26From Abigail Smith Adams to Richard Rush, 5 December 1816 (Adams Papers)
My good Friend’s when they are going to make a visit to Washington, wish an introduction to the most Eminent public Characters there, and I embrace with pleasure the opportunity of bringing you acquainted with one of our best Divines. He is a gentleman of Liberal Sentiments, both in Religion and politicks—Knowing that he designed a journey to washington, the Electors, have committed to him,...
27From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 20 June 1813 (Adams Papers)
your Letter this morning received So kindly inquiring after my Dear Daughter, demands from me, not only my thanks, but an immediate reply. Mrs Smith, through her whole Life has enjoyd good health, untill the painfull opperation She endured the last Summer, after which her nerves were much affected. Soon after her return to the valley She wrote me word, that She had been Severely attacked with...
Through Caroline De Wint, I was last Evening informd that your Mother has had a return of the complaint which so much allarmd Us, when She resided here.—Caroline supposed mr Johnson has or would write to inform us of it. but as we have not received any information from any other quarter, I would fain flatter myself that your Dear Mother is better. I have not acquainted Susan, as I wish much to...
I congratulate you upon your safe arrival in the cold Regions of the North: to which I hope your constitution will get enured: you must borrow the ermin from the inhabitants of the forests, and wrap yourself in the furs which Nature has amply provided in those cold climates. How does my dear Boy Charles? I have learnt by way of young Mr Grey, that he was quite an amusement to them upon the...
30From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 4 June 1815 (Adams Papers)
I must abide by the rule I have establishd, which is not to let any opportunity of writing to you, pass unimproved.—altho I have no later letters from you, to acknowledge than, that, from Paris of the 19th March. Since the receit of which, I believe I have written you half a dozen. I have little more to say now, than that we are all well, anxiously longing for Letters from you, and for...