1From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 4 July 1812 (Adams Papers)
Since the original of my last letter was written, I have received no letters from America, but there are newspaper Accounts and letters to other persons untill late in May—Universal War seems to be blazing out all at once—Here it has already commenced— I had indulged a faint hope that the tragical catastrophe which terminated the days of Spencer Perceval, was intended by Providence in Mercy to...
About 9. O’Clock this Morning we spoke a fishing Schooner from the Grand Bank, belonging and bound to Plymouth—We were in the midst of a thick fog, as we have indeed been most of the time since you left us, and still are. The Schooner was within g speaking distance when we first spied her, and our Captain had barely time to ask them on their arrival to give notice of their having seen us. So I...
3From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 24 January 1812 (Adams Papers)
It is probable that the opportunity by which I now write you, will be the last that I shall have of dispatching letters to America through Sweden before the return of the navigable Season here— It is the seventh occasion of which I have availed myself since the close of the last Season— But the Gentlemen who went from hence in October, November, and even the first part of December, for...
4From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 2 February 1811 (Adams Papers)
By turning to my files I perceive, that the last Letter I have received from you, is dated the 7th: of May last, and that it was answered by me, on the 27th: October—I have since then written several times to my mother, and should have written as frequently to you, had the opportunities of writing occurred, or had a different subject for writing presented itself by the same opportunities.—But...
5From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 23 October 1810 (Adams Papers)
It was a fortunate circumstance for us, that Mr. Jones had so prosperous and so expeditious a voyage and Journey—In sixty days after he went out to Quincy, to take my Mothers and your wifes letters for us, he delivered them into our hands—As they brought us the gratifying intelligence that all our friends were then well, it gave us not only the pleasure which such tidings must always bring...
6From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 27 October 1810 (Adams Papers)
On the principle of returning a separate answer or reply to every letter that I receive from you, I remain yet one in arrears to you, since in my last I acknowledged the receipt of two—dated 27. March and 7. May. With the last dated but first received of these came the number of the Anthology containing the most learned Critique upon my Lectures—It reminded me of a famous Speech of which I...
7From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 17 March 1811 (Adams Papers)
You will recollect that some time in the year 1799—or 1800, while I was at Berlin, a Mr: Charles Engel sent you a power of Attorney, and a large claim upon a house of Mark and Company, which I believe some time before that, had failed at New-York. Very soon after my arrival here, I received from this Mr. Engel two letters, one of which had been written in January 1809, and sent to America,...
8From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 29 March 1811 (Adams Papers)
At length after an interval of five months and seven days, since that when your last preceding letter came to hand, I have this morning enjoyed the pleasure of receiving your’s of 24. September—It is more than six months old; but as it is dated two months later than any letter that I had yet received from Quincy, it was as welcome and almost as grateful as if it had come with the speed of a...
9From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 7 August 1813 (Adams Papers)
By the arrival of Messrs: Gallatin and Bayard, I have had the pleasure of receiving your favour of 25. April last, numbered 28/19— Your last preceding letter, dated 6. Decr: 1812 has the same numbers; and in the interval between the two I have received the duplicate of your Account for the year 1811.—dated 2: March 1813.—The Account for 1812 I am still expecting, and regret that it missed both...
10From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 31 January 1813 (Adams Papers)
My last letter to you was of 14. November since which I have not had a line from you, nor indeed from any of my friends in America— The second year has passed away since I received last best account of my affairs in your hands. The intervals between my own letters to you, insensibly lengthen—It shall not be so if any thing should ever occur, the information of which can give you pleasure. The...
11From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 23 October 1813 (Adams Papers)
Mr. W. Story, arrived at Gothenburg on the 28th: of last Month, and forwarded to me from that place several Letters from Quincy, among which was your N. 25/16 May 7. 1812. and 30/21 May 21. and July 1. 1813.—In this last I read thus “With my present letter I shall forward a copy of our Current account, under a separate cover &c.” I looked anxiously for the separate cover, for reasons which I...
12From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 20 August 1812 (Adams Papers)
Since I wrote you last, I have had no letter from you, or indeed from any person in the United States. The Embargo, and the Declaration of War, have effectually superseded all arrivals here directly from America. To this general fact there is an exception occasioned by the Declaration of War itself.—A Pilot Boat was on the 22d of June dispatched from New York by certain Merchants of that City...
13From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 28 October 1809 (Adams Papers)
At length, after eighty days of tedious and dangerous navigation, we are all safely landed at the place of our destination—I have written to you twice upon our passage—first, from the Grand Bank of Newfoundland, and once in the Cattegat, the night before we expected to arrive at Elseneur—From that time, I shall now continue the narrative of our voyage, which though address’d to you, is for all...
14From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 16 November 1809 to 28 November 1809 (Adams Papers)
My last Letter brought our good Ship Horace to anchor safe in the Road of Elseneur—on the 28th: of September.—At that place we were detained a full week, by adverse winds—Having been informed upon my landing there, that the king of Denmark, and his principal Minister, Count Bernstorff, were both absent from Copenhagen, I gave up, in the first instance the intention of going thither—But having...
15From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 28 April 1812 (Adams Papers)
The only notice of existence directly from yourself that I have received since your letter of 2. June 1811. is by a scrap of half a dozen lines dated 5. January last which I received together with a letter of the same date from my Mother, by the way of Paris— This scrap was also enclosed with three or four newspapers, and short as it was gave me great pleasure— The letter which it mentions as...
16From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 10 April 1811 (Adams Papers)
You observe in your letter of 24 September last, that my Son George was losing much of his french conversation idiom, that is, precisely one of the things upon which I had most earnestly set my heart, in his education. Walter Shandy Esqr was of opinion that there was a great, and mysterious virtue in the name given to a child—He intended to call his son Trismegistus, and the name which above...
17From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 24 January 1814 (Adams Papers)
I avail myself of the opportunity by Mr: Gallatin and Mr Bayard, who have concluded upon their departure to offer you my affectionate remembrance on the entrance of the New Year and the assurance of my Prayers to Heaven that it may be propitious to the comfort and happiness of yourself and all your family— and that it may be succeeded by many many others of pleasantness and peace for you all....
18From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 26 October 1814 (Adams Papers)
The enclosed promissary Note for two hundred dollars is signed by Mr. Jesse Nichols of Providence Rhode Island. I have lent him the money to Enable him to return to America and he promises me it shall be repaid immediately after his arrival He goes as passenger in the Chauncey, and this Letter will go by the same opportunity—I request you to obtain the payment as soon as you can with...
19From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 17 September 1814 (Adams Papers)
With the copy of my last Letter, which was entrusted by me to Mr Dallas, I now transmit also one of a preceding Letter, written last January—We have reason to hope they will all arrive safe as they go by Cartels, and this appears to be the only good effect that will result from the Negotiation at Ghent. I have nothing now to add to what I wrote you in my two last Letters, concerning my affairs...
20From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 31 July 1811 (Adams Papers)
No more scolding about your accounts—No more petty complaints about trifles instead of hearty thanks for the faithful care, and trouble which you have taken in the management of my affairs—The hints about the state of your health, given in your letter of 7. April No 16/6 which I received the 22. of this month, have not only given me the heart-ache in themselves, but have brought me under my...
21From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 14 December 1809 (Adams Papers)
The messages from the Governor of the island of Bornholm, which I mentioned in my last were sent and received, in the midst of a brisk gale of wind, while we were stretching to and from the shore of the island, under close reefed top-sails—Close under the high lands of the Coast, the boats were able to come out to the ship, but she could not lay to there without drifting beyond the length of...
22From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 22 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
More than four months have again passed away, since I have received a line from you, and nearly seven since the date of your last Letter—I should feel this less severely, if that and your other most recent letters had not left a source of uneasiness upon my mind, which nothing but more agreeable information can remove—Although the communication direct from this Country to the United States was...
23From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 19 August 1814 (Adams Papers)
I have now barely time to enclose you a Press-Copy of my last Letter; the original of which I sent to England, to be forwarded by the earliest opportunity from thence. It is of no inconsiderable importance to me, and I must request your particular attention to the enquiry, how you have disposed of the balance of $2528..26 due to me on your account ending 31. December 1810; and why you have...
24From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 29 April 1811 (Adams Papers)
I am informed that a vessel belong to Mr: W. R. Gray, called the Washington, which sailed from Boston the 20th. or 28th: of February last has arrived at Baltic-Port, not more than two hundred miles distant from this place, and is expected at Cronstadt as soon as the Navigation of the gulph will be entirely clear—We had heard a week or ten days since the arrival of this vessel at Elseneur, and...
25From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 13 May 1811 (Adams Papers)
The Austrian Minister, Count H. Julian, some time since, jokingly asked me if I had received any very late advices of the year before last from home—When I turn to the last letter that I have received from you, and find it dated 7. May 1810. the Count’s wit seems to have lost all its exaggeration. The longer we remain absent from our Country and our friends the more uneasy we feel under the...
26From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 8 January 1810 (Adams Papers)
The cypher consists of two parts—a Lock and a Key. The Lock is a sheet of paper, with four columns of letters at the left, and three columns of words at the right side of the page.—The Key is a strip of paper, adapted to the Lock, in the middle of the page, between the columns of letters at the left, and the columns of words at the right.—On the left border of the key, is an alphabet of Small...
27From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 3 April 1813 (Adams Papers)
After an interval of a few days less than Nine Months, I had the day before yesterday the happiness of receiving your number 28/19 dated 6. December last—I have regularly acknowledged the receipt of every scrap of Paper from you that has come to my hands—of your New Series I have the first seven numbers—but since then, only 10. 13. 14. and 19—So that numbers 8. 9. 11. 12. 15. 16. 17. and 18...
28From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 27 August 1811 (Adams Papers)
Four days after I closed my last Letter to you, which was sent by the Iris, Captain Woodberry, I received your’s of 2. June, with all the tokens of the Doctor’s stuff upon it—I disliked the looks of this, I dare say as much as you did its taste—But as your letter was evidently written in so much better Spirits than the preceding number, as it assured me that you had recovered your health upon...
29From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 30 June 1810 (Adams Papers)
There have been within the last Month a large number of arrivals at Cronstadt from the United States, and a sufficient proportion of them from Boston and Salem; but we have had the pleasure of receiving letters from Quincy, only by one—The Express-Captain Thomas—Who brought me your letter of 12. January, and a packet of sundries for my wife—We are apt to repine a little when we hear of a...
30From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 21 June 1813 (Adams Papers)
The duplicate of your Account for the year 1811. has at length reached me; but without comment or explanation—Part of it I therefore cannot fully understand—Upon that which is intelligible I shall not multiply remarks, recollecting the destiny which befell those that I had intended exclusively for yourself on a former occasion So far as I can judge I have less inducement to make in this...
31From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 14 February 1810 (Adams Papers)
I sent you by an American Gentleman who went from this place a few days ago to London, a cypher, with an explanatory sheet to enable you to use and understand it.—He will forward it by the first convenient opportunity; but I know not from whence—I hope it will reach you some time or other, but as it was not dated, and was not acompanied by any letter, you will perhaps be disappointed at...
32From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 27 May 1811 (Adams Papers)
The Washington, Capt. Brown, has at length arrived at cronstadt, and we have received the letters by her, which we had so earnestly expected, and for some time had abandoned the hope of receiving. Among them is your letter of 9. Feby.—numbered 13/4 which if accurate, leaves five still outstanding.—Three sets of my lectures came at the same time, and all in good condition. I have a letter from...
33From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 14 July 1812 (Adams Papers)
Although I wrote you not more than ten days ago, having yesterday received your letter of 18. March, and having now an excellent opportunity to write, by a Gentleman who goes Passenger in Mr W. H. Gray’s ship Minerva, I cannot consent to lose it, and to omit renewing the assurance how truly and deeply we sympathize with you and your family at the affliction which your letter announces, and of...
34From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 24 September 1809 (Adams Papers)
The original of which the within is a duplicate, was dispatched to you on the 16th: of August, by the Dove, a fishing vessel belonging to Plymouth, which we spoke on that day—As she had been laying only one week on the Grand Bank, and expected to continue there four or five weeks longer, it is doubtful whether you have yet received our letters forwarded by her; but not having had an...
35From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 21 November 1814 (Adams Papers)
Mr: Nichols who gave the promissary note of which I now enclose the duplicate saild in the Chauncy from Ostend for Newyork on the first of this month—By the same Vessel I wrote you a Letter of which the within is a copy, and conformably to which I wish you to obtain payment and so dispose of the money. I retain the triplicate in my own hand, of the note, and request you to give me notice as...
36From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 20 June 1811 (Adams Papers)
The letters by Mr. Ewing have arrived—And among them I have to acknowledge the receipt of your numbers 1. 2. and 3. of the new series, dated 20. 22. and 31. Jany. together with your account to the close of last year—I have already acknowledged the receipt of your number 4/13 and I have within a very few days recd: your 5/14 dated 3. March. In one of my late letters I sent you an exact list of...
37From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 24 November 1812 (Adams Papers)
Although I do not inflexibly persevere in the rule of writing individually to you once at least in the course of every Month, according to the proposition which I made nearly two years ago, and from which I have very rarely swerved; and notwithstanding the multiplication of obstacles to the conveyance of letters since the new Wars that this inauspicious year eighteen hundred and twelve has...
38From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 25 September 1811 (Adams Papers)
The flood of our letters from America, as well as of vessels arriving from the United States has almost entirely subsided. From the last week in May to the first in August we received nearly thirty letters from Quincy, so that I began to think I had entered rather rashly into the engagement, among others of answering separately every individual letter—Nor have I yet since that time completely...
39From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 8 September 1810 (Adams Papers)
Just one month ago, arrived here Captain Haskell, in the Ship Lucia, belonging to Mr. Gray, who sailed from Boston about the 15th: of June.—He brought me letters of the 13th. of that month, from him and your favour of the 20th: of Febuary—I was indeed almost as much rejoiced as if your letter had been dated four months later; but I could hardly keep the thoughts out of my mind how agreable it...
40From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 22 May 1812 (Adams Papers)
Your N 19/10 dated 10 Septr: 7. Decr: 1811. and 3. Jany: 1812 was forwarded to me from Gothenburg, and received by me the 8th: of this present Month—And this day I received from Captain Henry, a letter dated Paris 12. April, enclosing yours N. 22/13 of 29. Feby—Your N 20/11 it seems had fallen into the hands of the Halifax Admiralty-Court, and is not to be expected—18/9 and 21/12 are therefore...
41From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 21 October 1811 (Adams Papers)
The original of the enclosed did not go, as I had expected by the Cordelia; for she sailed on the very day that it was written, and before I could send it down to Cronstadt. But it was dispatched by the Hector, Captain Hetherington, which sailed, only three days later, for Providence—All the vessels which had arrived here during the regular season, are now gone—The last, or last but one that...
42From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 21 April 1810 (Adams Papers)
I have already drawn for three hundred pounds Sterling, of the credit, for which Mr: Gray gave me a letter upon his correspondents here. He will call upon you for the money; which does not quite amount to the balance I left in your hands for the purpose—I have written to you that I shall in all probability be compelled to draw upon you for more, but as by the course of exchange I draw at great...
43From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 4 March 1812 (Adams Papers)
I have not forgotten the engagement which I voluntarily undertook, at the beginning of the last year, not to suffer any month to pass over without writing at least once to you, and once to my Mother, and I am sufficiently sensible that in regard to yourself I have failed in the fulfillment of this promise; inasmuch as my last Letter to you bears date the 25th: of January—the last opportunity...
44From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 14 June 1812 (Adams Papers)
I have not received from you any letter of later date than that of 29. Feby. but I learn from a Boston Newspaper of 12. March that your fears for you youngest child were unhappily too well founded—Most sincerely and deeply do I sympathize with you upon this afflicting bereavement; and I pray that it may be made instrumental to you, and to your partner, and to us all in the only way by which...
45From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 2 April 1816 (Adams Papers)
To acknowledge in their order the Letters that I have received from you, since my last of 22. January, I am first to mention a short one of 1. December, which was delivered to me, by Mr Tarbell—And I mention it particularly, because it contains an erroneous position, that the Aliens and Post–Office Laws of this Country, do not allow the conveyance of Letters by private hands—There have been...
46From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 10 July 1811 (Adams Papers)
We are in the midst of the bustle of a removal—I wrote you some time since that we were in the predicament of having the house in which we live sold over our heads—afterwards I told you, as I was told by my land l ord that the bargain was broken off, and we should remain in the house—About ten days ago my Landlord came and informed me that it was sold, and that if I could go out on the first...
47From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 5 February 1817 (Adams Papers)
Mr Sargent who arrived in London, about ten days ago, delivered to me your Letter of 6. December; and I am now in daily expectation of receiving your annual account, and your final arrangement for making the second payment upon the Bank Shares. Your anticipation that the price of the Script would fall, as the day to make the payment drew near, was so well founded, that I hope you did not wait...
48From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 13 May 1811 (Adams Papers)
There was one of the small English Poets, I think it was Dodsley, who on the reformation of the Calendar in England published a Poem upon the Tears of Old May-Day—As this is the only Country of Europe where Old May-Day is yet held in honour, it would not be expected that here too is precisely the spot where she sheds the most tears—If she sheds none upon the present visit which she is making...
49From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 6 November 1811 (Adams Papers)
Since I wrote you last (which the enclosed will shew you was very lately) though I have not have had the pleasure of hearing from you, I have at least enjoyed that of hearing of you—Mr: Ducoster, brought me a letter of 24. July from my Mother, and Mr Ingraham has brought us verbal information three days later—The thread of life, as somebody says in Shakespear is of a mingled yarn; our...
50From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 29 September 1812 (Adams Papers)
A War between the United States and Great-Britain, and a War between France and Russia, having commenced on the same Week in the month of June last, have concurred almost entirely to annihilate, the few and precarious opportunities of Communication with you, which I had previously possessed— Our War has banished our flag from the Baltic, and stopped the channel of conveyance though England of...