501From Abigail Smith Adams to John Adams Smith, 26 November 1809 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter of the 19th. I had written you a few hasty lines by mr Beals in which I exprest my anxiety at not hearing from your Mother for a long time—the day after I received a Letter from her and found all was well with them. I was about to write to her, when I was Seazd in my Right Eye with a disorder they call an ophtheil ophthalacy, which is thus described, an inflammation in...
502From Abigail Smith Adams to John Adams Smith, 1808 (Adams Papers)
I always feel most disposed to write when I have just received a Letter. Yet that is not the case now, but what is very similar to it. I have just read one from you to your Grandfather in which you mention Judge Bensons having commenced a course of Law Lectures and express a wonder at what could be his object as he does not receive any pecuniary reward. From the knowledge I have of Judge...
503From Abigail Smith Adams to John Adams Smith, 11 February 1810 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your Letter by your Aunt. altho you have not written to me before, I know you have often thought of me, and you are so constant & regular a correspondent with your Grandfather that I readily exculpate You from all neglect. I read your Letters to him with pleasure. they show a mind desirous of information, & solisitious for the truth. it is knowledge which inspires caution, as...
504From Abigail Smith Adams to John Adams Smith, 8 November 1813 (Adams Papers)
If your Sister had not been So constant & punctual a correspondent with you, I Should have been more Solicitious myself, but hearing from you So often I have not thought it needfull to put you to the trouble of answering my Letters. She has kept you informd of all occurencs here, but now She is absent in Boston, having been led there under the Influence of Hymen to the Celebration ceremony...
505From Abigail Smith Adams to William Smith, 18 September 1813 (Adams Papers)
I cannot refrain from addressing a few lines to you, to intreat of you, to calm your agitated mind, and to quiet your distressed Heart, for the Sake of Your Surviveing Friends—and turn your thoughts upon those blessings you still possess. You have So repeatedly been called to endure these Heartrending trials, that all the consolations which Religion affords, and the Scripture offers, are...
506From Abigail Smith Adams to William Stephens Smith, 28 August 1811 (Adams Papers)
your Letter of August 12th I received in the absence of Mrs Smith, who was upon a visit to mrs Guild, and therefore I could not communicate it to her; she past Several days, in Boston at Dr welch’s, and as I had requested Dr warren was consulted in conjunction with Dr Welch upon her complaint, and their opinion was Similar to Dr Holbrook’s who is a Skilfull physician, and practises in our...
507From Abigail Smith Adams to William Stephens Smith, 25 January 1815 (Adams Papers)
It is sometime since I have written to you and I feel that I owe you a Letter; you do not like our state movement any better than I do the long and and numerous Speeches of your wordy Fraternity. yet I like to read them, and when the character of the Gentleman is preserved, and due respect paid to constituted Authorities, I listen to the opposite Parties with pleasure, but I must say too many...
508From Abigail Smith Adams to William Stephens Smith, 23 July 1811 (Adams Papers)
I hope you will not impute my not writing to you by your son to want of attention to you, or a proper Sensibility to your request containd in your Letter to me. The extreem Heat of the weather, and my joy at the arrival of a dear and only Daughter after an absence of three years and a half, realley disqualified me for my pen, and Johns Stay was so limited that I could not Say by him What I...
509From Abigail Smith Adams to William Stephens Smith, 27 September 1811 (Adams Papers)
I yesterday received your Letter, and at the Same time, the President received the one inclosed from dr Rush which I think it my duty, altho a distressing and painfull one, to me, to communicate the contents to you by the earliest opportnty you will See by the Letter, that Mrs Smith wrote her case to dr Rush, which her Father inclosed with a request that he would give his candid opinion. Mrs...
510From Abigail Smith Adams to William Stephens Smith, 22 March 1814 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter of March the 12th in replie to mine, of the 2d ult. the method you took to inform yourself respecting the Character and circumstances of the person in Question was highly judicious and the return you received, very Satisfactory and pleasing. the terms you have exa c ted met my cordial approbation. I should perhaps, had it been left to me have prolonged the time of...
511From Abigail Smith Adams to William Stephens Smith, 6 September 1812 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of Decbr 30 1811 has Slept in my in my Beaurous untill your prophesys have become dreadfull realities—in which I rejoice that you have no lot or portion, if your experience and counsel had been held in requisition the fate of poor Hull might not have been a disgrace to the Nation—Gasconade ought always to be the exclusive Majesty of the Nation Said to be famous for it—just as I was...
512From Abigail Smith Adams to William Stephens Smith, 9 April 1814 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of 2 April I duly received I Should have replied to it by the last mail, but I was not in a humour at that time. I therefore d eclined it, hoping that the next post would be more Satisfactory to me, and account for a delay which did not correspond with former professions. it has accordingly brought Such explanations as an fully Satisfactory to all concernd —oweing to the delay of...
513From Abigail Smith Adams to William Stephens Smith, 1 October 1814 (Adams Papers)
It is already three weeks since you left us; I have not any knowledge of your progress farther than New-Haven, where General Humphreys informed me that he had the pleasure of meeting you. I wish to hear form you, although I cannot expect that you have anything agreeable of a public nature to communicate, from the desolate walls of Washington. I will, however, turn my face from that forlorn...
514From Abigail Smith Adams to William Stephens Smith, 18 February 1813 (Adams Papers)
While I am writing the loud Roar of the cannon announce the landing of comodore Bainbriddge from the fortunate frigate constitution. the account of the Capture of the Frigate Java I presume you will get, sooner than this Letter will reach you. She contended bravely an hour and 50 minuts untill masts spars and rigging were all gone and the ship a wreck. accordingly she was blown up by Commodore...
515From Abigail Smith Adams to William Steuben Smith, 22 November 1815 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a Letter from Charles, by the hand writing. I received it yesterday, with a Letter from Mrs Adams dated 2 October: they were all well then, but I presume mrs Smith gets Letters frequently—I cover the Letter to your Father to you I wrote him one last week and sent to the valley, not recollecting that he might have left it. if he has not received it, you will be So good as to tell...
516From Abigail Smith Adams to William Steuben Smith, 30 August 1815 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed are two Letters which I received last evening with a Letter from your Brother Uncle , and your Aunt Sister , to me. his bears date 17 july. he Says the Commercial Treaty was signd the 3d of this Month, and that mr Gallatin and Clay have Saild for Nyork with it. it is only for four years duration. His Situation in England is not like to be very agreable, either to him or to her; and he...
517From Abigail Smith Adams to William Steuben Smith, 24 March 1816 (Adams Papers)
I embrace the earliest opportunity to congratulate you upon the Birth of a son, and to rejoice with you, in the safety of Mother and child—who I hope may live and prove worthy of his Ancestors—I was writing to your Brother whom I received your Letter, and I communicated to him the agreeable intelligence I should have sent Johns Letter for you to have a read , but I presumed you must have...
518From Abigail Smith Adams to William Steuben Smith, 1816 (Adams Papers)
I have not been able to answer a very pleasant Letter from your Father, which I received after I was sick. I am now something stronger, and my physician says, I shall get up again, but a small blast would blow me away.... You will be so good as to give me information of your Brother as soon as you hear. I have not any Letter of a later date than Novbr 7th. Remember me to Aunt Nancy when you...
519From Abigail Smith Adams to William Steuben Smith, 20 February 1816 (Adams Papers)
I am very anxious to learn whether mrs Smith is confined? I expected the post of this day would have brought me a Letter, but was dissapointed, in hearing either from you, or Caroline—I Should have written to mrs Smith, but I have been little able, for Six weeks to hold a pen, Sometimes I have tremblingly pen’d a few lines to Caroline, to keep her mind at ease. I have not been able to answer a...
520From Abigail Smith Adams to Cotton Tufts, 17 January 1809 (Adams Papers)
my Son J Q Adams has an opportunity of employing the Sum I have which is payd of Eight pr Cent Stock. will you be so good as to draw Such an order as will enable him to receive it, and inclose it to me I Shall go to Town tomorrow he will leave Boston on monday DNDAR .
521From Abigail Smith Adams to Cotton Tufts, Jr., 19 September 1810 (Adams Papers)
Mr and Mrs Adams present their Love to mr and Mrs Tufts and miss Lucy and ask the pleasure of their company to dinner tomorrow—two oclock. a family dinner. no other company but their Father and Mother— DCHi .
I cannot refrain any longer from taking my pen and assureing mr van der kemp of the high gratification his visit to Quincy gave to his Ancient Friends there, the only regret attending it was, that it was so short, to his new acquaintance he communicated unexpected pleasure by the urbanity of his manners the politeness of his address by the exquisite tenderness & sensibility of his Heart, so...
523From Abigail Smith Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 28 April 1818 (Adams Papers)
You justly appreciate the Sympathy of your Quincy Friends under the heavey affliction you have met with. they do in deed feel for you. when the Aged fall, it is the Curse of Nature, but when the young and promising are cut down e’er they reach the meridian of Life, we are led to inquire wherefore? and it is only in the belief of a “Being of unerring wisdom and goodness, that the from whom the...
Ever since your letter to the President, of December last, I have had a great inclination to address a letter to Mr. Vanderkemp; and, being now confined to my chamber, by an attack of the rheumatism, I find a leisure hour to address my friend in his solitude. And in the first place, to put him perfectly at his ease, I assure him that I make not any pretensions to the character of a learned...
525From Abigail Smith Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 1 April 1816 (Adams Papers)
After three months Sickness, great part of which time, I expected to go hence & be here no more, I am getting up Some Strength, and returning Rest, has again blessed my Eyes that Sweet “restorer Balmy Sleep,” the best of Physicians to the agitated Nerves and feeble frame, is invigorating me again, and I am enabled to take my pen and acknowledge a Letter long Since received from mr Vanderkemp—...
526From Abigail Smith Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 10 April 1817 (Adams Papers)
It would be ungratefull in me not to feel & pleased thank you for the interest you take in the Return of my Son to his Country to his parents and Friends; I do rejoice in the hope of Seeing him, yet with Sense Some trembling least my sanguine hopes may be blasted. we know not what a day my bring forth. he has been preserved through many dangers to which voyages across the ocean are always...
A long and Severe fit of Sickness must plead my excuse for so long delaying the acknowledment of Mr vander Kemps very polite and flattering Letter, in which he has estimated the little civilitis due shone to him, not as a homage due to his Character and worth, so conspicuous to every intelligent mind, but as acts of Superoragation— the only regret I feel is that I fear I Shall never have an...
When President Munroe was upon his Tour Surrounded by the Military, encompassed by Citizens, harased by invitations to parties—and applications innumerable for office—Some Gentleman asked him if he was not compleatly worn out with fatigue —to which he replied—o No—a little flattery will Support a man through great fatigue—I may apply the observation to myself and Say that the flattery in your...
529From Abigail Smith Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 1817 to 1818 (Adams Papers)
ever Since your last Letter to the president I have had a great inclination to address a Letter to mr vanderkamp and being now confined to my chamber by an attack of the Reumatism, I find a leisure hour to address my Friend in his Solitute In the first place, I assure him I have not any pretentions to the Character of a Learned Lady, and very therefore according to his creed intitled to his...
530From Abigail Smith Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 26 May 1815 (Adams Papers)
In the absence of your good Lady and daughter, whom I congratulate upon their excursion, I thought it a debt of Friendship to address a few lines to you by way of amusement, and in the first place I must exhort you to cultivate a cheerfullness of mind, which doeth good like a medicine. surely You are too much of a Phylosopher and a christian, to let the "Rubs and Stings of outrageous fortune"...
As my good Husband chats Sometimes in circles I will explain to you. my Son J Q A—inclosed to me the Monthly Repository, Saying that, A mr Aspland an Unitarian Clergyman called upon him, and gave him two copies of a late periodical Publication, one of which he inclosed, as he thought it would be particularly interesting to his Father, and to me; as containing a Letter from mr van der Kemp and...
532From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 20 June 1813 (Adams Papers)
your Letter this morning received So kindly inquiring after my Dear Daughter, demands from me, not only my thanks, but an immediate reply. Mrs Smith, through her whole Life has enjoyd good health, untill the painfull opperation She endured the last Summer, after which her nerves were much affected. Soon after her return to the valley She wrote me word, that She had been Severely attacked with...
533From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, July 1813 (Adams Papers)
I received your obliging favour, with the Letters inclosed safely and was gratified that the Sentiments which they containd met your cordial approbation & the excited congenial feelings in the Bosoms of your Sons, if I may judge from the marks which distinguish them. I have indeed great cause for pleasure and Satisfaction in the ability integrity and fidelity with which my Son has devoted...
534From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 9 April 1813 (Adams Papers)
I cannot let my Son pass through Plimouth without stoping to inquire after your Health, and that of Your Family! Nor of asking You who have lived many years, and where observations and experience, must have excited in your mind, Reflections which ought not to terminate with your days— what is your opinion of the great and important events which are taking place in the civilized world? will...
535From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 1 November 1813 (Adams Papers)
I was so highly gratified with the visit from your Grandaughter that I could not leave her to write, knowing that She had determined to remain with me only two days She brought me your kind and Friendly Letter, which was doubly precious to me; as it gave me the assurance, that you had recoverd from an illness, which made me dread for several posts, to hear from plimouth. With a mind unimpared,...
536From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 11 July 1813 (Adams Papers)
I received your obliging favour, with the Letters inclosed, and was gratified that the Sentiments which they contain’d met your cordial approbation, and exited congenial feelings in the Bosoms of your Sons—if I may judge from the marks which distinguish them— I have indeed great cause for pleasure and Satisfaction, in the ability, integrity, and fidelity with which my Son has devoted himself...
537From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 21 February 1814 (Adams Papers)
I have been for near two months confined to my chamber, and much of that time unable to write or read or my pen would not have been So long dorment. when I had but partially recoverd, my best Friend was taken Sick with a Similar complaint of the Lungs and fever, which has so affected his Eyes that, as yet he can only write a few lines at a time, and those with pain th my dear Madam join our...
538From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 5 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
I most sincerely sympathize with you, and the bereved distrest Family at Washington. in the dispensation of heaven which has broken assunder the last paternal ligament; and left you the only Surviveing pillar, of the once numerous Edifice. To us, who in the course of nature expect, and hope to joint the Spirits of the just; are consolations, which to the bereved widow; and Children, are more...
539From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, September 1813 (Adams Papers)
your kind and sympathetic Letter demands my thanks and receives my gratitude—my own loss is not to be estimated by words and can only be alleiviated by the consoling beleif that my dear Child is partakeing of that Life and immortality brought to Light by him who endured the cross and is gone before to prepare a place for those who Love him, & keep his commandments. her patience Submission and...
540From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 8 August 1813 (Adams Papers)
I cannot let my Son visit Plimouth without bearing a few lines to my old Friend who has always taken a kind interest in the welfare of my dear Daughter Smith, who reached here a fortnight Since with her Sister Son and daughter, but So helpless in her Limbs as not to be able to walk across the Room, obliged to be carried in a chair from the Chamber to the Carriage—If this was all the melancholy...
541From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 9 August 1812 (Adams Papers)
After I returnd from your hospitable Mansion where the scenes of former days were pleasin g ly renewd I had the Subjects of contraversy between two ancient Friends and upon a review—I must Candedly Say that I judged both in the wrong, and am certain if personal intercourse from unavoidable circumstances had not been obstructed, neither party would so have judged, or so have written— I was can...
542From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 14 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your kind inquiries after my Daughter Smith. She is, and has been as well, the Physicians Say, as any one could expect, after Such an Operation, as She has endured—to me it was agonizing—She Sustaind it with firmness, and fortitude The wound has been intirely healed for this month, but the mussels from the Arm, which communicate with the part affected, were necessarily laid So...
543From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 9 March 1807 (Adams Papers)
To your kind and friendly Letter I fully designd an immediate replie, but a Severe attack of a rheumatick complaint in my Head has confined me to my Chamber for Several weeks and renderd me unable to hold a pen. tho recovering from it, my head Still feels crakd: Shatterd I am Sure it is—you will therefore pardon any inaccuracy I may commit. my Health which you so kindly inquire after, has been...
544From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 30 December 1812 (Adams Papers)
I will not Suffer the year to close upon me without noticeing your repeated favours and thanking you for them—so long as we inhabit this Earth and possess any of our faculties we must do feel for our fee posterity for our Friends and our Country—personally We have arived so near the close of the drama that we shall feel but few of those evils which await others, (we have past through one...
545From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 5 September 1813 (Adams Papers)
Your kind and Sympathetic Letter demands my thanks, and receives my gratitude. My own loss is not to be estimated by words—and can only be alleviated by the consoling beleif that my Dear Daughter is partakeing of that Life and immortality brought to light by him, who endured the cross; and is gone before to prepare a place; for those who Love him and keep his commandments. Her patience...
546From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 31 December 1809 (Adams Papers)
Standing as we do upon the confines of the other world, you at the age of four-score, and I at three score and near a half, no other sentiment ought to posses our Bosoms but those of benevolence and good will towards each other. A Friendship upon my part was instilled into my mind by one who knew you earlier in life and who estimated your virtues, and talents as they justly deserved— And from...
547From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 6 June 1815 (Adams Papers)
I return you Cs Letter, I think she will not be here untill the last of this month. I fear W’s situation an unpleasant one, it cannot be otherways, with a family and without means of supporting them—whether John will obtain the place he wants, I know not, nor am I very solicitious for it. I have written two letters for him. at his request, but knew not, if I was not essentially injuring his...
548From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 24 April 1815 (Adams Papers)
you always collect some comfort or consolation for your Friends—your information respecting the packet was particularly so that, which respected the Boys. I have been distrest for them this terrible North East wind and Storm—I never knew a more voilent one at this season—it must have been worse for those comeing in, than those going out; provided they had sea moon—but I will not distrust the...
549From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 25 February 1816 (Adams Papers)
I was very sick yesterday, and obliged to take an Emetic, to clear of a quantity of Bile, which the dr said was the occasion of my sleepless Nights. I hope he may be right; for they weaken me much. I was very much worried with it. I took it at half past three, pure delicious Indian Root and it never closed its opperation, until eleven at night. It is slow you know in its opperation. I did not...
550From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 15 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
you and your Mother have been So frequently in the pratcise of fitting out your Brothers for voyages that you know better than I do, what will be necessary for the Boys; will you recollect, and tell me. I have been thinking, one Suit of cloaths, beside those which they will wear at Sea, will be enough. George must have a new great Coat, and John can take his. how many Shirts a peice will be...