I write you a few lines to apologise for the liberty I took in requesting you would affix you Seal to what I supposed would have been a small paper parcell containing some very trifling articles for which Mr. Adams had permitted me to send, and which I thought too trifling to request an order for as it is always obtained with difficulty—I flatter myself you will pardon the error and believe me...
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...
Will you have the goodness my dear Sir to send the enclosed to Mrs. C King, as I do not know her address. I take the liberty of making this request having witnessed your readiness to serve the Ladies, and feeling and how happy they are to receive an obligation at your hands— Present my respectful Compliments to Mrs. Gallatin and believe me, Sir, with the highest sentiment of esteem and...
On the Portrait of My Husband. The painters Art would vainly seize That harmony of Nature; Where Sense and goodness joined with ease Shine forth in every feature.— That open front where wisdom sits, That eye which speaks the Soul; That brow that study gently knits That bright attempered whole, That vast variety of mind Capacious, clear and strong, Where brilliancy of wit refined Enchants the...
Another Letter was yesterday brought me but it gave me no hopes of your return and I dare not flatter myself yet that you will obtain any answer more decisive to this last effort, than they have hitherto given upon any point. as I wrote you once before notwithstanding I am so anxious to see him you I could almost wish you might be detained untill the coming Spring, so fearful am I that this...
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...
I recieved your letter my dear Child only a few days since and am charmed to find that George and you are such good boys I am sure you are much obliged to Cousin Abby for your letters. and I you will soon learn to write them yourself I hope as they will afford me double pleasure George is now near ten years old and is I am sure too much of a man to play truant any more and I am sure you never...
We have proceeded thus far on our journey as well and with as much pleasure as we could possibly have expected and the day I have passed at this place will ever be remember’d by me with gratitude and pleasure from the very polite and kind attention of the Governor and his Lady to whom Mr Harris gave me letters of recommendation they are a charming couple exact suited to please me as they are...
My last letter mentioned some good news which I had heard from America I thank God this has been confirm’d and a great deal beside which I had neither thought’s or hopes of I was in expation of your last Letter’s being filled with the particulars but the date from London was precisely the same and you could not recieve it untill two days later your next will however contain all this news and...
I found your note this morning on my plate when I enterred the breakfast room and hasten to offer you my congratulations on the birth of your Little Grandson for whose happiness and welfare in this world of trouble I most sincerely pray may he prove a joy and blessing to his Parents. Mr. Adams has been afflicted with an inflamation in his eyes which terminated in an Abcess in the under-lid of...
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 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...
Your kind letter arrived just in time to cheer us. Charles and I were both quite sick, but are now thank God much better, though Dr. Galloway has order’d me to keep him at home for some days, the weather being uncommonly cold, and the Bridge not likely to be put up for some days. We have nothing new. there is some talk of the Emperor’s return, some say immediately, others not untill August....
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...
I was much disappointed at the receipt of your last letter having flatter’d myself that you would have had some letters from our friends both in Boston and Washington The Conservateur of to day announces that you have at last recieved the answer to your last Note and that it is of so favorable a nature that peace will be the consequence of the truth of this I can form no opinion but the report...
As another opportunity offers my dear Mother which I am told is a very safe one I cannot refrain from writing a few lines to assure you of the health of the family in general and to entreat you will write by every opportunity. we have only heard three times from you since we left you and you who have been placed in the same situation know how much frequent intelligence of your health and would...
I am charmed to find by your last letter that you pass your time so agreeably at Ghent: it would be almost a pity that the Congress should break up, as by all account you have derived so much benefit from your residence, and this Climate is so injurious, that the idea of your returning to sink again into the state of into inanity into which you had fallen, is so painful I could almost wish for...
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...
Your letter of the 24th of march, my dear Madam, is but just arrived, and although it was so long before it reached us, it afforded us the satisfaction of hearing from yourself, that my dear Boys were well at that period.—We have not yet heard any thing of Mr Harrod, I fear he has stopped at some other port in the Baltic, and that we shall not see him at Petersburg this Season—I feel much...
Having an opportunity to write you by Mr Lewis of Philadelphia who leaves this place for England early tomorrow morning I hasten to inform you of the general health of the family which although not perfect is as good as we can rationally expect Winter comes on us in so harsh a form that we anticipate an unusual degree of severity in its course this morning the River and Canals were hard frozen...
Your charming letter only reached me last night the roads being very bad but it came time enough to put me in high spirits and I went immediately after to a little Ball at Miss Focks were I amased myself very much and did not return untill 3 o’clock this Morning Thank God for all the good news you gave me may he still grant us his protection and as you say turn the hearts of our enemies all my...
I am sure you must have thought me mad from the date of my last letter I was so teazed with Muziks of every discription that I found it utterly impossible to write any thing like sense I however thought it better to send my letter bad as it was than suffer the Post to leave Petersburg without a few lines which would at any rate prove that we were well and preparing to join you as soon as...
We had concluded from appearances here that you would be detained some days at Revel, but I did not imagine that your stay would have been so much prolong’d. I last night had the pleasure of recieving your number 3, and at the same time the mortification of discovering that number 2 was missing this of course causes me some uneasiness as I believe few of your correspondents would be willing to...
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...
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...
The confusion around me and the perpetual interruptions render it almost impossible for me to write a word I shall therefore only say that and Charles I are well and that I cannot see the day on which I shall leave St Petersburg as every thing appears to go wrong— As you are in France I have thought it best to sell every thing that I can sell as the frig ate to America from will cost almost as...
With what pleasure I read your last kind Letter you are capable of judging who are so well acquainted with the warmth of my feelings on most of the subjects which interest me, my hopes are so strongly raised even the news which our old friend Corbeau gave me yesterday could not destroy the flattering Visions which my sanguine imagination had created and I shall still hope that heaven will...
Yours of the eighth is come not to fill me with doubts because that was already effected but to make those doubts almost certainties and those of a very disagreeable nature if it must be so there is no remedy but I hope you have been misinformed about our commander and that he may prove better than you expect— What do you think of the English Speech? it is most affectedly peacable, and...
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...
I address you once more from this place and I cannot yet say when I shall be able to leave it as I find it almost impossible to dispose of the things to any sort of advantage no body has ready money and I am offer’d payment in a variety none of which however I am apprehensive would please you Hemillian has just left he came with a view to purchase the Carriage and offer’d to pay me in Peals or...
Although Mr. H.—has informed me that the Congress is dissolved, still I persevere in writing, as it is easy to have my letters returned in case you should have left Ghent.What is pretended to be the terms on which great Britain will treat, was yesterday published in the Conservateur, if there is any truth in this, it needs no Comment The Emperor will not return here untill the end of December...
The arrival of Mr Bayard, & Galatin, my dear Madam, has made so little alteration in our situation, that I have little or nothing to write you, but complaints, of the prospect I have of a much lengthen’d stay in this Country: and the additional grief of losing the society of my Sister, which was almost the only thing left me to render life supportable. Mr A is even more buried in study than...
After a very troublesome and tedious journey we have happily arrived at Berlin where I expected to have found Letters from you but I am cruelly disappointed and am impatiently waiting for the next Post which will not arrive untill tomorrow evening Yesterday I visited some of our old friends here who received me in the Kindest manner possible Countess Bhrul is very much alter’d but Miss Bisho p...
I write you my dear George, with a hope that this letter will not reach you. however as we have reports here of an Embargo, being to take place in America, early in the Season, I will not omit the opportunity which now offers, of assuring you of my tenderest affection, & solicitude, for your present and future welfare. Your Father, and myself, were very anxious to have both you, and your...
Not having heard from you by the last Mail on which I calculated we are all very much disappointed at it and very impatient to hear of your safe arrival at Stockolm— I am in the midst of confusion on account of Chareles who is order’d out immediately by Dr. Galloway and to be put on a milk and Vegetable Diet I fear this will displease you on account of the expense but as the Dr. thought it...
You will no doubt be much surprized at hearing from me, so soon after your departure; but a delemma has already occurred, and I write to know your intentions, respecting the letters that may arrive here. I supposed you had left your directions with Mr Smith, but he informs me that you only mentioned the public Papers, and intimated that you would speak to me about the private letters. I...
The River being open at length, and the Vessels preparing for their departure, I sieze the earliest opportunity of writing, to assure you that the family are generally well, and that we have all excepting Mr Gray, suffer’d very little considering the length and severity of this tedious Winter.— I wish my dear Madam I could write any thing that would amuse you, but our lives are so uniformly...
According to your desire I begin again to number my letters but I hope at least that our correspondence will not be prolong’d much longer and that you will soon return to cheer us again by your presence which I assure you, is much wanted Your last appear’d to me to be written under a considerable depression of spirits and I was almost apprehensive that you were sick some disagreeable...
My troubles will never end till you return and I really if it does not soon happen I shall be tempted to decamp from here whether you like it or no you will tell me that I am again in a fit of low spirits it is very true I am suffering bitterly at the baseness of the World who take every possible advantage of my unprotected situation I have just paid Mr Krehmer for the two Months rent and he...
As the Galen is about to sail my dear Madam I hasten to inform you that we have at length received the Watches sent by Mr. Brooks at which we are much rejoiced as they have proved a source of great anxiety to the younger branches of the family. The fashionable Season being over I have little to communicate that can afford you amusement and Mr. Adams informs you so regularly of every event that...
Your kind letter my dear Mother as well as that of my kind Sister call for an answer and although the effort is almost too much for me I will endeavor to controul the pangs of my bursting heart and entreat you to compassionate and not condemn a grief which is beyond my reason to subdue had you witnessed the horrid circumstances of my Angels death you would pity and forgive me my heart is...
I am this instant setting off and have only time to say that nothing can equal my impatience to see you some of my business is necessarily left undone but I hope that you will forgive all that is not exactly correspondant to your wishes and recieve me with as much affection as fills my heart at this moment for you. I could not celebrate my birthday in a manner more delightful than in making...
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...
44From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to Levett Harris, 13 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
We arrived here late last evening, after a very fatiguing journey from Berlin, where I was detain’d eight days, for want of Letters from Mr. Adams.— Poor Mr. Norman is very ill at Berlin, and extremely uneasy about his situation; I saw him several times, and hope he will recover, but I fear his illness will be long. At Memel you will have heard from Mr. Russel, that I drew for some Money, and...
In the utmost haste my dear Mother I write you a few lines merely to assure you of the health of the family many thanks for your very kind letter of the 15 of May which however would have made us all very unhappy had it not fortunately been preceded by one of the 12 of July brought by Mr Jones who likewise assured us you were recovered many many years are yet I hope in store for you and I...
How shall I express my thanks my best beloved friend for you very kind attention. No 8 was put into my hand on my arrival in Town where I went to carry Charles to School he wrote you a long letter yesterday which I shall enclose in this and was very desirous of completing it without mistakes but it was more than he could perform and he was considerably mortified at not having accomplished the...
I am just going to dine with the Princess Belloselsky at which I have no doubt you will be much astonished but I thought it but decent to pay my respects to her as she takes such a deep interest in our affairs. in fact the general sentiment is so strong in our favour here that though it may in itself be of little consequence it can do no harm to promote by every means in our power I therefore...
48From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday evening I received a few lines from you dated from Heglecht. I am extremely happy the accident was so trifling, and hope your Servant was successful in his search— I wrote you the day after you left us, but I fear you will not receive my letter at Reval. Since your departure there has arrived a large number of dispatches among which was one brought by Mr Lewis’s brother who came in...
I can scarcely find time to write you into even a few lines having been so interrupted yesterday as to be unable to perform my accustomed task, and it affords another strong proof of how much “procrastination is the thief of Time” a tardy repentance is however of little avail, and you must wait for the next Post. this will only call into exerscion the philosophy upon which you used to pique...
I write you from this place where I arrived last evening and where I have again met with a severe disappointment in not receiving Letters, more especially as the public News renders my situation extremely unpleasant— I shall leave this place for Mayence this Evening and propose to sleep there to Night and continue my rout tomorrow morning at five o’Clock I shall in all probability find you...