801From John Adams to David Sewall, 8 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
Though I cannot, read, nor write, I can feel as sensibly as ever, a friendship of seventy years of age. Your letters always give me pleasure; The difficulties arrising in your State, are nothing at all, they will be nothing but an amusement to you for a few years to come; what is a penitentiary, or a seat of Government, they will occasion a little squib scribbling and sparring for a few years,...
802From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 10 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
Your Virginia Ladies have always been represented to me, and I have always believed it, are among the most beautiful, virtuous, and accomplished of their Sex, One of them has given me a most luxurious entertainment in a narration of her Visit to your Domicil. Her discription of the Mountain, the Palace, the Gardens, the vast Prospect, The lofty Mountains at a distance. The Capacious Valley...
803To Thomas Jefferson from John Adams, 10 February 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Virginia Ladies have always been represented to me, and I have always believed it, are among the most beautiful, virtuous, and accomplished of their sex. One of them has given me a most luxurious entertainment in a narration of her visit to your Domicil. Her discription of the Mountain, the Palace, the Gardens, the vast Prospect, the lofty Mountains at a distance, The Capacious valley...
804From John Adams to Alexander Bryan Johnson, 12 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
Of making and reading Books, there is no end, And therefore it is hardly worth while to make a begining except for the necessary purposes of common life; I have never been afraid of a Book.—Brand Hollis, my Friend, said to me, there never was a bad book in the World.—Perhaps a Man of Sense and rectitude might learn something from any one; But there are many bad Books, and I have read...
805From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 14 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
Thanks for your Journal of the 26th. There is in human nature a germ of superstition, which has cost mankind very dear, and there is an other germ the love of finery, and which has done almost as much harm, and both have been employed with great sagacity by temperal and spiritual politicians to debase, degrade and subdue mankind, even with their own consent under the cruel iron rod of...
806From John Adams to Littleton Dennis Teackle, 15 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have received with gratitude the letter you did me the honour to write me on the 4th. instant— The report of the Committee for a system of Education for the State of Maryland has been read to me, and I have heard it with admiration. It appeared to me the most perfect system of Instruction that I have ever known, or read for any community; It will do immortal honor to the noble natures of the...
807From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 15 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
Thanks for your Journal of the 26th. There is in human nature, a germe of superstition which has cost mankind very dear; And there is another germe, the love of finery, And which has done almost as much harm, And both have been employed with great sagacity by temporal, and spiritual politicians, to debase, degrade and subdue mankind, even with their own consent under the cruel iron rod of...
808From John Adams to William Tudor, Jr., 16 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your favour of the 10 feb 1823 I have the satisfaction to find that every body gives as good a character to of your book as I have done in my letter to you. Judge Quincy our friend Shaw & all, who have read it, speak of it as I do—And to my little surprize the daily advertizer speaks of it as it ought and let me add one circumstance more I am well informed that it sells...
809From John Adams to John Thornton Kirkland, 17 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have received the honor of your Circular of February 1823. The System of regulations contained in it has my most cordial approbation. It appears to me to be admirably calculated to preserve the morals and secure the Studies of those young Men who are to be the future Masters of the World. The Corporation may be assured of my higest respects and my zealous co-operation as far as respects my...
810From John Adams to Harrison Gray Otis, 19 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
I think you cannot have entirely forgotten a Conversation at my Table; I had invited a small company of ten or a dozen Gentlemen who had always professed to be my friends, among whom were yourself, Mr. Bayard of Delaware and I think Mr. Sedgwick, It is not necessary to recollect any others It was at the time when I had nominated ambassadors to France a measure which produced a real anarchy in...
811From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 21 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
How deeply I thank you. Our Quincy Library will be honord with the name of Vanderkemp. Virgil and Manilius, shall be sent to Mrs. Quincy, and Mrs. Gould. Oh that I had begged Manilius while I could read, for I believe much may be discovered in him, on the remotest Ancient mythology, his ratio I believe is the logos of Pythoagoras and Plato, and all our modern Trinitarians— I do not love to...
812From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 24 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
In your last letter you request copies of my letters to Dr Price. They are inclosed. These letters and many others & other writings & conversations to the same effect destroyed my popularity, with mankind. The Turgoites the Reondoccettians — Roachfocaution the Brissotians, the jacobins & the Sans Cullots, in france took offence & pronounced me an aristocrat, & would have guillotined me if I...
The friendship of M Hawley is among the sweetest recollections of my life I first met him at the trial of the negro at Springfield from that day to his death we were friends he would not do anything in the House of R—without consulting me—he would not act upon the committe to answer Hutchinson respecting the Parliamentary authority over us unless I were present & that answer prevail’d was...
814From John Adams to Elkanah Watson, 28 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your note of Feb’y 12th. and for the communication of Judge Troups letter. I am very much obliged to him for his civility to me as well for his testimonies in honor of your meritorious exertions for the public good. Your active life has been employed as far as I have known the history of i, in the promoting useful Knowledge and useful arts: for which I hope you have received or...
815From John Adams to John Graham, 28 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have rec’d and heard y’r favor of Feb 23d and the pamphlet enclosed, it is a free manly & independent argument at the bar—it is quite orthodox in liberty, humanity, & in law—at least I think so as far as the judges express’d their sentiments—“The court agrees with Dr Graham, in most of the points wh’ he has taken on the subject of examinations & confessions taken in the police office;.” A...
816From John Adams to Hezekiah Niles, 28 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
M I sent you some years ago an original short letter to me dated in ’74 from Major Hawley which you very faithfully printed in one of your collections—But you have not return’d the original to me, will you be so good as to return it as soon as convenient for I have a kind of veneration for it somewhat similar to that of the Roman Catholics for their relics—the friendship of Major Hawley from...
817From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 28 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
In your last Letter you requested copies of my Letters to Dr. Price. They are inclosed— These letters and many others, and other writings and conversations to the same affect destroyed my popularity with mankind.—The Turgotests, the Condorcetians, the Rochefaucaultians the Brissotians the Jacobins and the Sans Cullotts—France took offence and pronounced me an aristocrat Rochefoucauldians; and...
818From John Adams to Alexander Bryan Johnson, 1 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
I like your philosophy very well, I will pursue an idea suggested in my last; I do sincerely wish that the Mandarins of China, the Bramins of Hindostan the Priests of Japan, and of Persia, could be influenced with the same zeal de propaganda fide as the Roman Catholics and Calvanists of this day are for propagating their Creeds, and ceremonies, I wish they would form into societies, open their...
819From John Adams to Peter Perpignan, 4 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have rec’d y’r letter of the 26th of last month—and I thank you for y’r infinitessinal miniature of President Washington—I cannot see it even with the help of a solar microscope & should not be able to distinguish the features or the figure, clearly enough to know; whether it is a fair representation of the hero —I am always pleased to see correct representations of that great man—the more...
820From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 6 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
As I consider y’r ladyship as always imprison’d during a session of Congress I congratulate you upon y’r jail delivery by their rise they have not been very angry during this session consequently not very entertaining—our two sons arrived here in good health & spirits at the proper season and a furious snow wh’ blocked up all the roads detain’d them here for three or four days and enliven’d my...
821From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 7 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
In one of your letters if I remember right, you expressed a desire to see my letters to Mr. Calkoen, the history of those letters is this. At a dinner with a large company I met with that learned, civilian who came to me and seated himself by my side and expressed an ardent curiosity to converse with me upon the subject of the American war he asked me many questions in French in which language...
822From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 10 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
The sight of your well known hand writing in your favour of 25. Feb. last, gave me great pleasure, as it proved your arm to be restored and your pen still manageable—may it continue till you shall become as perfect a calvinist as I am in one particular. Poor Calvins infirmities his rheumatism his gouts and sciatics made him frequently cry out Mon dieu Jusque au quand Lord how long! Prat once...
823From John Adams to William Cranch, 10 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have received your kind letter of the 27th. Feb—with great satisfaction and sincere gratitude, I can reciprocrate your sentiments with great truth, the loss of my sight and a parilitic quiveration of my hands have rendered it impossible for me to write, And the dictation of a letter costs me more pain, than to write four, when I could write, You have rarely been out of my thoughts and I have...
824To Thomas Jefferson from John Adams, 10 March 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
The sight of your well known hand writing in your favour of 25. Feb. last, gave me great pleasure, as it proved your arm to be restored and your pen still manageable—may it continue till you shall become as perfect a calvinist as I am in one particular. Poor Calvins infirmities his rheumatism his gouts and sciatics made him frequently cry out Mon dieu Jusque au quand . Lord how long! Prat once...
825From John Adams to Robert Hallowell Gardiner, 16 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your favour of the 1 March inst. and the valuable pamphlets inclosed. The inaugural address of Mr. Hale by its ingenuity & ample intelligence is perfectly adapted to the deep utility & novelty of the institution of the Gardiner Lyceum. You will be please to present my thanks to the first principal for his inaugural address, & receive the same for yourself from your very humb...
826From John Adams to Harrison Gray Otis, 16 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have received your kind letter of the 12 March instant—the contents of which are entirely satisfactory to me. Your memory is quite as particular as I could expect any gentleman of the company to retain except myself. I must confess I was very sore on the subject of my mission to France. I was attacked by two armies—a french army & an English army—each working warring upon me to conquer me...
827From John Adams to Harrison Gray Otis, 17 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have received your kind letter of the 12th. march instant—The contents of which are entirely satisfactory to me—Your memory is quite as particular as I could expect any Gentleman of the company to retain, except myself. I must confess I was very s ure on the subject of my mission to France I was attacked by two armies, a french army and an English army—each warring upon me to conquer me into...
828From John Adams to Robert Mayo, 18 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have received and procured to be read to me your pamphlet—The very title of a Juvenile Company Liberary Company sounds delightfully in the ears of an old Man who wishes well to posterity—The vivacity intelligence ingenuity and elegance of the address has given me great pleasure, And the whole plan appears to me to be judicious and meritorious—To reccommed Books of merit to your adoption...
829From John Adams to Alexander Bryan Johnson, 26 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
I begin my letter, as you end yours of March 13th. with the word Amen . I admire your liberal philosophy and the large scale of your Religion, I cannot conceive however in your preferance in Presbyterianism, the presbytery have too much priestly Authority in matters of faith, like that which is claimed by the Episcopal Church, And the doctrines of both the Churches are too Calvinistical for...
830From John Adams to William Tudor, Jr., 27 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 20th. is received, I have not Delaplaines Biography. I have no reverance for catch penny publications, or ephemeral Repository’s, This Gentleman has long been a Correspondent of mine, he has long solicited me to write my life but as it would take me eighty seven years, I have neither expectation, hope, or wish to live so long, And there-fore have never begun it, And never...
831From John Adams to Harrison Gray Otis, 28 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
Since my last letter to you fate, or fortune as Jefferson says, has thrown into my hands two Volumes of amusing Travels, entitled a Journal of a Tour and residence in Great Britain by a Native of France; who it seems has resided a quarter of a Century in America, by the name of Simond.—in page 247. of the first Vol I read as follows.— “ Since 1801. The United States have had a philosophical...
832From John Adams to Harrison Gray Otis, 29 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
Voltaire at eighty, raved Tradgey; And I fear that you will think that I, at eighty seven and a half, am raving politicks and history. Be it so. but a regard to my own family and above all, to the sacred regard to the honour, the interest and duty of my Country, imperiously, demand of me that I should rave on—I must confess to allude to some former figures, when I was running the gantlet, and...
833From John Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 29 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
I am much pleased with your letters, to your Parents and to your Sisters, as well as those to me, and I advice you to write as many as you can, but have a care not to write in too much haste, acquire a habit of care and attention not only to the beauty and distinctness and legibility of your hand writing but to the correctness of your Grammar, spelling and even punctuation by this habit, you...
834From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 30 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
Your journal which has become a necessary of life to me has failed me for so a long a time but I must excuse it because it too severe a tax upon you & I hope & presume that George is too deeply absorbed in the studies of his profession to be able to spare time to copy your records. We are here in a newspaper flurry of flickerings for Govenor & they will associate your husband with Mr Otis as...
835From John Adams to Harrison Gray Otis, 4 April 1823 (Adams Papers)
Ridendo dicere verum quid vetat. Mr. Simon has given us a factitious sketch of the last years of the last Century, and the first years of the present—And why should not I add a few commentary’s, still ridendo, for I cannot review that tragicomico farce, grave as it was to me, without laughing—I was President a mere cipher, the Government was in the hands of an oligarchy consisting of a...
836From John Adams to William Rotch, 13 April 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have received the letter you write me on the 10 April instant and I thank you for it because it gives me an opportunity of making an apology & that is none other than the one you have pointed out viz “old age bordering on second child hood” When I read those letters in the old Colony memorial I regretted those offensive passages & was sincerely glad that the editor had done you justice....
837From John Adams to Alexander Bryan Johnson, 22 April 1823 (Adams Papers)
I admire your checks and bridles which you call maxims. To allude to Bolingbrokes figure, Man is a Noble Animal he is a bucephalus that requires an Alexander to ride him, And I believe he could not, without whip, spurs, and bridle. But of all the whips spurs and bridles, those of the Priests are the most detestable; and those of the Presbyterians are not much better, than those of the...
838From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 22 April 1823 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 16th. is a reviving cordial in which I have languished for a fortnight—But I have to complain, that it is only two days, since I heard since I heard of George’s misfortune. I suppose it has been concealed in tenderness to me, but I wish to hear the worst of bad news from the begining. This tenderness for me has concealed many misfortunes which if they had been communicated to...
839From John Adams to Selleck Osborn, 27 April 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter of the 24 April & have desired my friend Mr Shaw to subscribe my name to your proposals. I am Sir your very hum Sert MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
840From John Adams to Caesar Augustus Rodney, 30 April 1823 (Adams Papers)
I am honored by your favor of the 20th. April with a Copy of Gov McKeans letter of 22 August 1813—inclosed. I have no doubt that Mr. McKean sent an express to Delaware to summon Mr. Rodney to Congress—that he arrived at the critical moment with boots and with spurs—went into Congress and made a speech which Mr McKean rehearses and voted for independence thereby deciding the vote of the State...
841From John Adams to Charles Carroll, 9 May 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter of the 26th April—You are entirely mistaken in supposing that the second article of the Convention with France was stricken out at my desire or information, on the Contrary I was desirous of retaining them [it]; so much so that I sent a message to Senate, and explicitly told them it would have been more agreeable to my inclination to have ratified the Convention as...
842From John Adams to Harrison Gray Otis, 9 May 1823 (Adams Papers)
The amount of my former letters to you is this that all the sovereignty there existing in the nation was in the hands of Alexander Hamilton & that his conduct of it was delirious or in the strong language of my last letter stark mad I am now to justify these conclusions. The manner in which this oligarchical triumvirate was introduced into power is to be explained hereafter; but in the manner...
843From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 10 May 1823 (Adams Papers)
Thanks for your favor of the third—With great pleasure I learn that you are all convalescent, and that your Brother is well and intends us a visit with you—Our John performed his part at the Exhibition with applause and approbation; But something has happened since, that has brought him here, where I wish he could remain, till next August twelve months, but I cannot advise him so, for his...
844From John Adams to Alexander Bryan Johnson, 10 May 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of May 5th. The King of England has performed one noble action, and I hope he will many more, his Fathers library was a glorious one, when I saw it, it was well chosen, elegantly printed bound and lettered, but not gorgeously, it has been greatly increased since I saw it. If it was in my power I would give as many Books to my Quincy Academy, but this is only a...
845From John Adams to William Sumner, 19 May 1823 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for the privilege of hearing read your manuscript dissertat concern the mil I scarcely know how to express the satisfaction & delight I have received from its perusal. It is so conformable to all my feelings—all my inquiries & all my opinions concerning it from my cradle that is seemed to be living my life over again. The delight of my childhood in the trainings will never be...
846From John Adams to Nathaniel F. Williams, 29 May 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favour of May 21st: You request a copy of President Washington’s letter to me concerning my Son It is not in my power to oblige you, that letter and all others I have long since packed up and stored away in trunks and given away, so that they are no longer my property nor in my possession. Stung by some provocations in the agony of my heart I did, some twelve or fourteen...
847From John Adams to Joseph Adams, 29 May 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have received your kind letter of the 28th and the terse and nervous pamphlet inclosed My friend Mr Shaw of the Atheneum brought up that Pamphlet and read it to me a fortnight or three weeks ago I thank you for the present and feel a pride that a man of our name should have written it you I presume you are a sprig from the old Mount Wollaston stem and should be glad to know from which...
848From John Adams to William C. Somerville, 2 June 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have received your kind letter of May 8th. and a valuable publication inclosed and I know not how to express my obligation to you for it. I have heard it tranthintly read & it has afforded me exquisite entertainment and much instruction, it has awakened so many recollections of what I saw and heard in Europe from 17 8 78, 17 7 88, dureing the ten years that I resided in that quarter of the...
849From John Adams to Ward Nicholas Boylston, 23 June 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have received two kind letters from you not yet answered. Mr Curtis sent me the fish which I found very fine & I beg that you would not give yourself the trouble of sending me any such delicacies for I am not and never was much of an epicure. And now all kinds of food are much alike to me—my own beef & mutton are the best for me. My health about which you seem to be anxious would be best...
850From John Adams to John Jay, 4 July 1823 (Adams Papers)
The excellent president, governor, ambassador and chief justice, John Jay, whose name, by accident, was not subscribed on the declaration of independence , as it ought to have been, for he was one of its ablest and faithfulest supporters. A splendid star just setting below the horizon. Printed Source--Niles’ Register..