8671From John Adams to Alexander Hill Everett, 14 March 1814 (Adams Papers)
If I did not feel “the faintness of declining days” if my eyes could see and my hands be steady; I would write you a long letter on the subject of your Remarks on the Governors speech and the preface to them. But I can now only thank you for the pamphlet and express my approbation of it. If you should live to be an octogenarian as I hope you will, you will know by experience, the delight that...
8672From John Adams to Charles Jared Ingersoll, 15 March 1814 (Adams Papers)
Philosophy and Theology being my principal Studies I am ill qualified to correspond with you upon Politicks. I have lately fumbled here and there in 7 Volumes in 8vo. entitled the Light of Nature pursued by One Search. He says there is a Family of that name. I believe him and perceive that you are of that Blood; and as I claim a remote relation, I hope you will not be offended, if hereafter I...
8673From John Adams to Alexander Hill Everett, 17 March 1814 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favour of the 15th. Inclosed with this Letter you will find “A Treatise on Expatriation ” by George Hay Esqr of Virginia a Son in Law of Mr Monroe, and a speech of Mr Charles J. Ingersol M C. Son of the Clintonian Candidate for V. P. who made the Address at the Antinapolion Dinner, and a Son of Jared of famous Memory, One Collector in Connecticutt and afterwards Judge of...
8674From John Adams to Timothy Alden, 21 March 1814 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is an Answer to your Questions, to the best of my Knowledge of a Subject to which I have never given much Attention: And it is now too late, to think much of it, for those who could have given details are all departed. I am Sir respectfully your respectful humble / Servant MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
8675From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 24 March 1814 (Adams Papers)
If weak Eyes and weaker fingers had not requird more time to write a Line than was once necessary for a page, I should sooner have aprissed my Sincere Sympathy with you and your whole Family on the loss of your amiable Grand Child. We who have lost all our Ancestors and Collaterals and Several of our Children and Grandchildren well know the pungency of Grief in younger Life under Such tender...
8676From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 3 April 1814 (Adams Papers)
I have recd Condorcet, in good order and your favour of 20th. Ult. Enfields History of Philosophy, is worth many Condorcets. This great Work is drawn up from Brucker’s “Historia critica Philosophiæ”; an immense Work in half a dozen folio Volumes of Greek and Latin. Can you give me the Sketch of this Brucker? Who was he? Neither Brucker nor his Abridger, had Seen the Asiatic Researches; nor...
8677From John Adams to Richard Rush, 6 April 1814 (Adams Papers)
As I have been, in the course of my life, 200 or 300 times in an “Agony of Embarrassment” I understand very well what the expression means. Mr Dexter too is not ignorant of it. When in Senate without the smallest expectation, or suspicion, or hope, or wish, or thought, of such a thing, he heard, Samuel Dexter nominated as Secretary of War, he was in amazement, and after a pause exclaimed “I am...
8678From John Adams to John Taylor, 9 April 1814 (Adams Papers)
I have received from Mr. John M Carter, Your “Inquiry,” in 656 Pages, neatly bound. If I had any rational Expectation in my 79th. Year, of Life health, unclouded Eyes and unparralysed fingers, for 20 Years to come: I would chearfully engage with you, in an analitical Investigation of all those Subjects, which you Say, have amused Some of your Leisure hours for 20 Years past. The Field is vast....
8679From John Adams to John Taylor, 15 April 1814 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Inquiry in a large Volume, neatly bound. Though I have not read it in course, yet upon an application to it, of the Sortes virgilianæ, Scarce a page has been found, in which my name is not mentioned and Some public Sentiment or expression of mine examined. Revived as they these Subjects are, in this manner in the recollection of the Public, after an Oblivion of So many...
8680From John Adams to John Taylor, 16 April 1814 (Adams Papers)
It is unnecessary to discuss, the nice distinctions, which follow in the first page of your respectable Volume; between Mind, Body and Morals. The Essence or Substance of Mind and Body, of Soul and Body of Spirit and Matter; are wholly witheld as yet, from our knowledge; from the penetration of our Sharpest faculties; from the keenest of our inscision knives; the most amplifying of our...