In the first place I will inform you, as I know how very particular you are, that I have received No 9 and 10 with its enclosures, the last of which I have sent to your old friend the good Revd: Pere, by Mr Smith ten minutes after its reception this morning at 10 oclock. In the next place you will observe that I have number’d my letter and that you are indebted to me two numbers. my first was...
I much fear you will accuse me of negligence in having omitted writing to you by the two last Posts you must make some allowances for the retirement in which I live and my being at the best a very poor Scribe to account for the great difficulty I find in spinning out a letter even to you and I am sure I can with much more reason boast of, “bestowing all my tediousness upon you. ” I have been...
As Mr & Mrs Smith are about leaving this Country I cannot suffer them to depart without a few lines although my Spirits are not in a state to render a letter from me very agreeable Mr Adams as you probably know has left me in Petersburg and it is very uncertain when we shall meet again; did I not fear to indulge my feelings I could make bitter complaints of the cruel separations I am obliged...
Still no Letter from you mon Ami! I can scarcely account for this, as Mr Hall wrote me, that you had had very fine winds, for six days after your departure, from Gottenburg. I wait impatiently for tomorrow, in the hope that the Post of to day, may have brought me a few lines, at least to announce your safe arrival. the irrisistable desire I feel to offer you my sincere congratulations on your...
95From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 14 July 1814 (Adams Papers)
You cannot think what a disappointment your not writing occasion’d me! I have been weighing and reflecting upon every thing which might have caused your silence and have only been able to attribute it to that of sickness, which fills my heart with uneasiness Your Aunt Smith, being about to return to America, I take the opportunity of sending you a Watch, which I request you will use in the...
The heartfelt delight I experienced at the reception of your last favour No. 11 is not to be expressed. there is always a sort of heavy anxiety attending the knowledge of our friends being at Sea, that neither reason or Wisdom can entirely subdue, and the news of a safe arrival, produces feelings of Joy, and gratitude, which is difficult to describe. how keen these feelings must be, when the...
I write you again my best friend; although I have nothing from you, since your Letter from Amsterdam; to inform you of the arrival of Mr Harris; he left London the 24 of June, and sailed from Harwich the 26, and reached this City on Sunday Morning at 4 o’clock; a journey of 20 days. He looks fat and well, and is very sanguine as it regards our affairs. The Emperor it is said is at Pawloski,...
Your two last No 12 & 13 were delivered to me at the same time I presume the first had been detained at the Post Office and closely inspected and even the second was also examined but not detain’d As to Day was our Wedding day and the day on which the Emperor’s return to us Capital was celebrated I went to the Te Deum and spent my morning in praying for the success of your Mission. when I...
I enclose you two Letters which I received for you some time since one of which I mentioned before Mr. Smith will give them to Willink should you not be in Amsterdam and he will forward them to you the last I read and did not think worth the Postage it having already cost 5 R. 61 C. It is two o’clock in the Morning and I have just return’d from Oraniumbaum I am so tired I can scarcely hold the...
100From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 28 July 1814 (Adams Papers)
Your No 14 is just put into my hands and the hope it gives me of your return has come most opportunely to restore me to something like happiness my spirits were so much depressed at the parting with my Sister and her Dear Babe and the house is so dull and gloomy without them that I roam about like a spirit without knowing what to do with myself or on what to fix my attention Charles is almost...
101From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 2 August 1814 (Adams Papers)
I received your three last numbers they arrived nearly at the same time No. 14 on Friday and 15 & 16 on Saturday. I am much concern’d at the prospect of affairs with you, and am fearful that the English will put it out of your power to return home, as soon as you think as I understand there is positive information here , that you will be kept on in the same manner, and that no Ministers will...
102From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 August 1814 (Adams Papers)
You must laugh at the information contain’d in my last as Mr. Harris tells me he wrote you by the same post that the resignation was accepted Mr. H.—as far as prevarication goes is certainly a good diplomat for he came to me very full of what I wrote you and told me he had it from the Gentleman himself. he was here last night with what he wrote you and at the same time stating that the...
103From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 August 1814 (Adams Papers)
I am so exhausted by fatigue that it is with the utmost difficulty I can scrawl a few lines having just return’d from a Fète at Pavloski which lasted two days & Nights I may say as you know at what hour the Balls break up The fète was most beutiful and we recieved every possible mark of Distinction the Emperor spoke to me and asked where you were I told him you had seen at Ghent he said he had...
104From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 August 1814 (Adams Papers)
The last time I wrote you I was so excessively fatigued and it was so late that I scarcely know what my letter contained since which I have been expecting a letter from you and am much disappointed at not receiving one though I shall cease to regret it if your silence is caused by the arrival of the English Commissioners we have news to the 22d from England from which we learn that Mr...
105From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 15 August 1814 (Adams Papers)
Your two last favours of the 19 and 22 of July were again deliver’d to me together at on Saturday last. I was delighted to hear you were so much pleased with your situation, owing to the amiability of your companions, but am very sorry that your absence is likely to be prolong’d; but as I have often said if Peace should really be the consequence, I should not repine at passing the whole of the...
106From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 19 August 1814 (Adams Papers)
I intended writing you a long Letter this evening my best friend but was interupted by a visit from Mr. Harris who had however nothing new to relate he appears to be a little impatient to learn what will be your fate and you can “guess why ” I believe he only does me the honour to visit me to find out if I am not likely to quit the Country soon and I am mischievous enough to flatter him with...
107From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 22 August 1814 (Adams Papers)
Your two last numbers 21 and 22 came together as usual on Saturday last. I could not help smiling at your idea of the Rose bud which though very pretty I have no sort of claim to Master Charles painted it and without my knowledge slipped it into the Letter to shew you what he could do Martha was his instructress and I had nothing to do with it at all. I always doubted the fact of the Crown...
108From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 25 August 1814 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Harris was here last evening, and made me an offer of a House, which as times go is remarkably cheap, and I have thought it prudent to accept it upon condition that he will let us have it by the Month. the rent is 3500 Rubles it is the House in which Von Essen lived in the Place St Isaac. as I know not how you are going on, or at what time you expect to return, I have delayed taking any...
109From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 August 1814 (Adams Papers)
Your No 21 and 22 were recieved by me as usual last Saturday, or rather Sunday morning, as it was so late at night they could not send them to me. I was particularly anxious to have them as Mr. H had been to me with a load of bad news, stating that the Mission was broken up, and that all prospect of a Peace was entirely at an end &.. &ca. The fact is however ascertained that the Ministers had...
I was so fortunate as to recieve your No 25 on Wednesday which was the day in course but as it was the first time I mention it as something extraordinary I shall certainly be very cautious as you request about your letters— I cannot help smiling at your affected difficulty about filling a sheet of Paper and were it possible that a compliment from your wife could have any value I should almost...
Having recieved your very affectionate letter of the 12 August No. 26 this morning I hasten to answer it although I know the Post will not leave this place untill Wednesday. I am very sorry that a foolish jest in my letter should have made you so serious; the manner in which you have answer’d it, has indeed proved to me that your spirits are but little better than they were, and that I have...
Your No 28 was deliver’d to me yesterday morning. Your fears of bad news from America in the autumn fill me with alarm, and I open all your letters with trembling, lest I should find some horrid circumstance relating to our families, or friends. that Proclamation of Cochran’s is always present to my imagination, and the consequences which may result from it, that I turn from it shuddering. You...
From your last Letter of the 19 I am led to believe that you are not likely to return home so soon as you expected, I shall therefore persevere in writing untill you positively forbid it. Our Old friend Mr. R. B. Forbes has just been to visit me he is come to Petersburg on his way to Ghent and expects to return to America he says Boston is become intolerable to live in, that his family are...
As this is probably the last opportunity I shall have to write you I sieze it with avidity, and hope notwithstanding the failure of our negociations, that some favorable circumstance may occur, which will render the communication more frequent, and more safe. Our prospects are dreadful, and I see no end to our banishment, unless some miracle should release us from our present difficulties. I...
I had entirely left off writing under the idea that you would have been on your way home very shortly after writing your Letter of the 2d which I answer’d and sent to Dresden. You appear to be under great anxiety about my discretion, and I am very uneasy likewise because every thing that you right write me is know before your letters arrive not from your letters but from England and I am...
I had left off writing entirely from the idea that you would have left England Ghent befor a Letter of mine could reach but from all the accounts which we here recieve I find that it is possible you may remain at Ghent half the Winter therefore I have resolved to write again and trust to chance for the return of my Letters in case you should be on your way— I have moved into Town and made...
Some how or other By some mistake I think I misdated my last Letter to you and it is only to day that I discover’d it. Had yours last of the 23d of Septr. not been accompanied by one from Mrs. Smith I should have been extremely uneasy, at the great depression of Spirits under which you appear to labour. The melancholy situation of our Country, warrants almost any degree of apprehension, and we...
No 39 arrived in due time and I have for some time been perpetually satisfied with the Post Office I hope however that we shall not long stand in need of their civilities as I am rather impatient to have you home the rappid approach of winter encreases my impatience and as the event of this negociation appears to be still unfavorable I cannot help feeling fretful and half angry at the delay...
The surprize and sorrow I felt at the receipt of your last letter cannot be expressed and I felt my exile even more than I had ever done before you will I know be displeased at my thus writing but I cannot help it and the bad news which is continually arriving makes me too unhappy to attempt to conceal my feelings. Tell Boyd how very very much I regret not seeing him the disappointment I met...
I received your kind letter of the 30 of September in due time and although it confirmed the bad news which had flown to us here from every quarter it contributed much to console me and the revived hopes which have been created by this very calamity have nearly restored me to health though not to spirits our good friend L. is all of a sudden become so sanguine as to the affairs of America that...