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...
Owing to the unfortunate detention of your last letter (that is to say No 2) I lost the opportunity of writing to you at Revel and I fear you charged me with at least unkindness. the letter which I wrote you two days after your departures appears to have been mislaid as you have made no mention of it and I addressed the others to Gottenburg and Stockolm where I hope you will find at least one...
Your last kind Letters of the 20 of May reached London only two days since and according to your request I hasten to answer it—I wrote you some time since that I had performed my journey in safety and passed two delightful Months in Paris which I quitted with the greatest regret since which the fate of that unfortunate Country has been decided and it is doomed to return to that state of...
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...
Your letter is this moment brought me and Mr Lewis has called at the same time to inform me that Drumond and all his Army are taken God send this may be true we have whispers of Chauncey having forced Sir James to retreat this however is not confirmed and I am in a state of anxiety to know if the letters of to day will say any thing about it This news will I hope produce a good effect and...
I recieved your very kind letter my dear Aunt a few days since and hasten to answer it although without hopes of its my letter’s arriving at its destinatio n owing to the Danes who capture every American Vessel either passing the Sound or the Belts I have written by every opportunity but we have heard of the captur e of almost every vessel which contain’d our letters it is shocking to think of...
I hasten to inform you of our safe Arrival at this City after as pleasant a journey as the Season would admit and thank fortune with out the most trifling accident Permit me to offer my thanks for the polite Letter with which I was furnished for the Governor from whom I have received the most flattering attention and to request you will in my name assure Mr. Kosudavlow of the very high sense I...
As the tops of the Houses here are cover’d with Snow and the winds continue to be contrary I venture to write you a few lines, my best friend, in answer 2 No 4, which I recieved this morning. the extreme irregularity of the Posts, has prevented my addressing my letters to Reval, and I have already forwarded three or four to Stockolm, and Gottenburg, which you will find on your arrival.—I am...
I cannot refuse myself the pleasure of answering, your very beautiful, and affectionate letter, of the 24 Feby, although I am at this moment, labouring under one of my severe sick headache’s, which afflict me so unceasingly, in my hair is already perfectly blanched. it is a bad apology for my silence but since I have nursed my little daughter I have suffer’d more than usual and have been...
100From 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...
101From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 1814 (Adams Papers)
To offer you anything like consolation for your irreparable loss my dear Mother is I feel utterly impossible and Heaven alone can pour balm into the wound which in its wise decrees it has ordained. Too recently have I suffer’d the same dreadful stroke not to feel how every fibre of your heart must have been rent by this great great affliction if the tenderest sympathy could in the smallest...
Mr. Adams brought me your very kind Letter from Town the day before yesterday dated in Septbr: and was very happy to find that you enjoyed your health so well throughout the Season which is generally so trying to you and I hope that you will pass the fast approaching Winter equally well. you must be careful of yourself and not expose yourself by taking the whole charge of the family as you are...
Your kind letter with that of Mrs Smith reached me the day before yesterday and I hasten to answer it merely to state that we are well and making as much dispatch as well the nature of things will admit I think in my last letter I mentioned a possibility of leaving this place on Sunday I find this arrangement very premature and shall not mention untill I am actually on the point of setting off...
104From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 25 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
Having recieved no letter from you since No: 4 my best friend, I flatter myself you left Reval soon after writing it and that you are at this time at Gottenburg almost every one to whom I have spoken about the detention of your letters assure me that they are read at the Post Office, and that this is the real cause of their delay. you appear to have had some suspicion of this yourself, from...
105From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 6 January 1815 (Adams Papers)
Your last letter afforded me inexpressible pleasure as far as regards self we both likely to be pleased with our Children but to me it would be more agreeable to learn they both resemble you as I have had too many convincing proofs that I even with all the means in my power am not fitted to be or make others happy thank God they bid fair to do you honor and though we have had but little share...
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...
108From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 8 April 1816 (Adams Papers)
We wait with much anxiety for Letters, to reassure us on account of your health; although the last accounts were highly favorable, for which I am indebted to my old and valuable friend Harriet Welsh, we yet cannot feel perfectly satisfied, until we are assured under your own hand, of your complete restoration to the blessing of health. I am at last enabled to answer your questions concerning...
Bad news still keeps pouring on us and your prophecies are too fatally accomplished It is to day announced in the Papers that we have lost Fort Erie that Chauncey is driven back to Sackets Harbour and that Sir James Prevost with a large force was preparing to attack it the great Ship was launched and they had complete command of the Lake another of our Frigates was destroyed the Adams &c &c—...
Your Letters arrive so regularly that it is scarcely necessary to acknowledge the receipt of them. by your last I find you have at last been obliged to sacrifice your opinion to the majority, and I pray to Heaven good consequences may result from it—The news which we are continually recieving makes it of little consequence, but it appears to me, that they there would be less dis-grace in...
111From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 15 July 1814 (Adams Papers)
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...
112From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 2 June 1810 (Adams Papers)
Your very kind and welcome letter arrived yesterday and completely reanimated my frame which was almost congeal’d by the intense cold of these frozen regions it is now June and only the day before yesterday we had a Snow storm I verily believe my dear Mother had not the electric shock which the very unexpected good news your ever watchful kindness sent me us to cheer our painful exile from...
An occasion now offering to write you I sieze it with the utmost pleasure to inform you of our health which has hitherto withstood the severe shocks of a Russian Winter—I wish I could inform you of our comfortable establishment but I much fear that is fa r ther of than ever and we must submit to all the disagreeables of a Russian Hotel which are indescribable you can form no idea of the morals...
Your kind letter of the 2 September was delivered to me the day before yesterday, conveying the melancholy intelligence of the loss my poor Sister had sustained; my heart bleeds for her, for too well I know the pangs she must have experienced, and though time has and religion have soothed the excessive agony I endured under the same circumstance, memory still recalls the painful recollection...
115From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 June 1814 (Adams Papers)
All the anxieties which you express in your very affectionate letter No 7 which has just been brought me are I trust by this time removed, and you have probably recieved all the letters which were directed to Gottenburg and which I believe duly acknowledge the reception of yours and I have now the satisfaction to inform you that the two last have arrived unopened. We are all much astonished at...
116From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 5 June 1810 (Adams Papers)
Having already written to Mrs Adams, by this conveyance, my dear Madam, I cannot think of losing, so favorable an opportunity, of repeating my thanks for your kind care of l my beloved Children; of whose happiness and welfare, I have a full conviction while under your protection—Never untill now , did I so sensibly feel the loss, of the little property I was once taught to expect, I might then...