1Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 4 April 1798 (Adams Papers)
To know that one Cannot freely say that Black, is Black; even tho it be “darkness visible,” or that white is white, tho the new fallen snow is not purer, is fettering ones faculties, as well as restraining ones pen. Yet in such perilious Times as the present, freely to discuss motives which lead to measures, or to Characterize the Actors “who fret and Strut their hour upon the stage” would not...
2Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 18 March 1798 (Adams Papers)
When I have written to your Brother I feel as if I had exhausted all the subjects which it is proper for me to write upon, but as your Hand writing allways gives me pleasure tho I see it only upon the superscription of a Letter, or in a few Promissory lines in the cover, I judge you will allways be gratified with a few words from me tho they contain no more than a Bullitin of our Health and...
3Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 3 January 1798 (Adams Papers)
I Embrace the opportunity by the British packet of writing you a few lines, tho I have not any thing very material to communicate to you. I have already informd your Brother and sister of the safe arrival of her Parents and sisters at George Town after a passage of 60 days. Since which, I have received Letters both from mr and Mrs Johnson both of whom with the young Ladies were well. young mr...
4Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 7 November 1797 (Adams Papers)
Your Letters have become Such a model of elegant composition, that I cannot but think you must discover So many dificencies in my untoutord stile, that I feel a little anxious in Exposing it to your Eye. your desire however to obtain intelligence from your Native Land, and from the Friends, and Relatives you have Left there, will induce you to pass over with a less scrutinizing Eye the...
5Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 16 July 1797 (Adams Papers)
Tis expectation that make a Blessing sweet, says the poet. how sincerely sweet would it be to me to fold my dear Thomas to my Maternal Bosom in his own Native Land. I hope and wish, wish & hope that the Day may not be far distant.— This Day, the 14 of July I received by way of N york your kind Letter of April 7 th , more than 3 months Since it was written, from your Brother no one of a later...
6Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 20 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
Your Friend Quincy is married, truly married and to a Nyork Lady, by the Name of Morten, without Beauty and without Money, but amply compensated by the accomplishments of her mind and the Virtues of her Heart, as I am informd, for I have not the pleasure of knowing her. Having told you this peice of News, I shall proceed and would acknowledge the date of your last Letter to me, but I...
7Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 21 February 1797 (Adams Papers)
I fear to look back to the Date of my last Letter to You, least it should accuse me of omission. There have been but very few opportunities this Severe Winter, of writing to You Rude Boreas laid an embargo, and our harbours have been frozen for six weeks, so that not a vessel could go out, or come in. for about a Week we have had a Thaw. I have received within a fortnight your Letters of...
8Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 8 November 1796 (Adams Papers)
I have just received Your Letter, sent by the Gen’ ll Green, Captain Sheldon via RhoadeIsland, dated August 27 th . I believe I have scarcly lost a Letter from You or Your Brother notwithstanding the many hazards and Chances to which they have been liable. accept My thanks for Your last Communications. I rejoice at the return of your Health Strength and spirits, and most sincerely wish that...
9Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 25 September 1796 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of June the 29 th was as refreshing to me as cold water to a thirsty Soul. the very superscription gave a flow to my spirits which I had not experienced for many Months before. be assured not one unkind thought ever enterd my mind at not hearing from you. it was anxious Solisitude for Your Health, painfull suspence at what might be the cause of Your long silence. Your Brother had...
10Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 16 August 1796 (Adams Papers)
There has been an interval of Eight Months Since I received a line from Your Hand. this Suspension of intercourse grows Daily more and more painfull to me as I learnt from your Brother that you had been sick first with a severe attack of the Rhumatism, and after ward with a Billious Remitting fever; I fear that the Climate of Holland is peculirly unfavourable to you, as your constitution is...
11Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 10 June 1796 (Adams Papers)
A Neighbour of ours Captain Richard Beal is going this week to sail for England, and I do not know a more direct conveyance to you. the Communication between America and Holland is not half so frequent, as with England. The last Letter which I had the pleasure to receive from you, was dated the 1 of December. Your Father has received two from you of a latter Date, but none Since December. From...
12Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 10 March 1796 (Adams Papers)
I never feel so great a propensity to write as when I have just received a Letter. Yours of Nov br 10th reach’d me on the 28 th of Feb’y, and gave me a flow of Spirits which I have not experienced for a long time before. I had been mourning and sighing to hear, from my Dear sons in vain. The Letters by Mr Lamb were lost, together with the vessel captain, and all but one of his Hands and mr...
13Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 30 November 1795 (Adams Papers)
I Love to receive a Letter from both Brothers at once, and I suppose each of You like to have a Seperate Letter. I write all my politicks to the Minister and then am as much at a loss, what to write to you, as I Sometimes am, to find conversation for a company of Ladies. I go but little from Home, and many interesting events, pass unnoticed. of Domestick occurrences I believe I wrote you, that...
14Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 17 September 1795 (Adams Papers)
This very Day twelve month You lost sight of your native Land. Your Native Land is not I trust the less Dear to you, tho the account I must give you of some of its inhabitants will not tend to heighten your National Pride or vanity. A real American will remain Such under all circumstances, and in all Countries, but an Anglo American or a Frenchified American, is an unnatural Character, and...
15John Adams and Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 26 April 1795 (Adams Papers)
Your kind Letters of Nov. 2. and Dec r 20 are before me. You will Soon learn the meaning of the Word Ennui, among others in the French Language, which have no parallel Expression in English. I Suffered more from this Dæmon in Europe than I can express; more for what I know than from all the other Pains of my whole Life. had I not found in Books a relief from it, I should have perished under...
16Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 23 April 1795 (Adams Papers)
I did not receive any Letters from You when your Brother wrote last to me the 11 of Nov br . I suppose you felt quite out of Sorts at not having received any Letters from Your Friends here. you must not however judge that your Friends have not written to you this is the fourth Letter which I have written, and your Friend Quincy I trust has written to you. I know he has received several Letters...
17Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 11 February 1795 (Adams Papers)
When you address me again, let it be by the endearing Epithet of Mother, instead of the formal one Madam; I Should have thought your partiality for your Friends the Quakers would have prevented your substituting any other Epithet. and now having in a few words setled a point respecting titles, a subject which has occupied a great Legislature for many days, and occasiond much warmth and Heat,...
18Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 10 January 1795 (Adams Papers)
Should a vessel cross the Atlantick, and my dear Thomas not find a few lines from his Mother, I know he would feel sadly dissapointed, yet not a Solitary Scrip, has reachd her yet, to assure her, of his, or his Brothers Safety. The arrival of the vessel has been confirmd by a Letter, received in Boston, in replie to one which went in the Alfred, so that my anxiety respecting the Ship was...
19Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 30 November 1794 (Adams Papers)
Well my Dear Son, how did the watery world agree with you? I hope it was propitious to your passage, and that thirty or 40 days, at furthest Landed you safe in a Country, for which I have ever Since my residence in it, entertaind a fondness and partiality. As you are a New Traveller I expect from your pen; many judicious observations, but what will be most valuable to me, will be the News of...
20Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 15 March 1787 (Adams Papers)
I would not omit writing you, because you seem to think you have been agrieved. I do not recollect what I wrote you, but I have Some Idea, that it was an enumeration of the various accidents you had met with, and advising you to more care and attention in future. I had no occasion to chide you for want of application to your studies, because your uncles your Aunts & your Brothers had been...