31From Abigail Smith Adams to William Smith Shaw, 13 September 1817 (Adams Papers)
By a Letter which I received from Caroline dated 1st Sepbr She acquaints me that a mr Verplanck has a Letter of introduction from mr dewint to you, and that She wishes him to come to Quincy to See us, that he has with him two Sisters, one much out of Health, very particular Friends of mrs Dewints. they proposed taking Lodgings at mrs Delanoes. If any Such persons have come into Town, you will...
32From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 7 July 1818 (Adams Papers)
I expected you home. that is the reason I did not write. beside I have melted away and very, very feeble—I rejoice to learn that you have had a fine rain. we had only a little drisel , but miss H Adams Said the Minister thanked the Lord for that; and prayed that he would send a soaking rain. we may put up a Similar petition, for Rain is much wanted— I received this morning your favour of 28...
33From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 12 April 1818 (Adams Papers)
I have Sent the Shoe & Shall have a pr by Saturday—it is a folly to keep the Boots I Send—charles will out grow them—and as mr John wants to make money by them, his uncle consents to give him his price for them— osburn will call to day for the articles I Sent for—a line from you to Callender will get them for me. you will be so good as to pay him for them—I did not receive any Tea— The weather...
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...
35From Abigail Smith Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 30 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
enclosed is Harriets account which I wish you to Settle when you go to Town. I have had it some time She received 15 dollers of you—Your Father has a Bill to pay to mr Cary—and the marble chimney peice is to be included—Both amount to 28 dollars.—I have his Bill. I beleive there is some money due in B office I presume there is also something due in Philadelphia, and as we can get flower here...
36Obituary Notice for Abigail Smith Adams, 12 November 1818 (Adams Papers)
In the death of Mrs. ADAMS, her friends and society lament no ordinary loss. The grave has closed over the mortal remains of one, whose character combined with as much practical wisdom and substantial virtue as have ever been possessed by any individual. Society is not adorned with a purer example; virtue had not a firmer prop; religion cannot number among its friends a more rational,...
37From Abigail Smith Adams to Sarah Smith Adams, 28 May 1817 (Adams Papers)
When I received your Letter of the 8th, written upon a Sunday, for which you apologize, it brought to my mind a Letter I once read written upon a Sunday morning by the Revd dr Mayhew of Boston, to mr James otis, respecting Some secular affairs of importance. he began his Letter with these Words—“To a good man all time is holy, and none too holy, to do good.” I think you may have absolution...
38From Abigail Smith Adams to Richard Rush, 24 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
I was rejoiced when I found the justice of Congress had made some necessary Provision for the office you now hold, altho they withheld a Clerk. I Should have been more gratified if their Liberality had extended to that, and an increase of the Sallery. the Duties of your office, must I am Sure, occupy the greater part of your time; but nothing is harder than to convince the purse holders that...
I received yesterday your journal to the 21st of Jan’ry. Washington Seems to be in a whirpool of dissipation—well described by Scott in his tales of my Landlord—“a chase through Life, after follies not worth catching; and when caught successively thrown away; a chase pursued from days of tottering infancy to old Age—Toys and merry makings in Childhood, Love and its absurdities in youth....
40From Abigail Smith Adams to John Adams, 17 September 1817 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter by mr Beals, and was very glad to learn that you and your Brother had enterd School you will very soon get familiar with it, and if you do as well as you know how, you will not be behind your Class. If Charles is really unwell; mrs Welsh will give him something to take, and he must restrain his appetite which was too keen for the season of the Year. I would have you call...
I received Your Letter of July 18th on Saturday 25th. It was a great damper to me, who had been pleasing myself with the expectation of Soon Seeing you, and my Son—nor can I now relinquish the hope, that the impediments you mention, may be so accommodated as to give mr Adams a few weeks respite at least. From the account you give of your health, I Should think you would be benefited: by a...
42From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 31 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
I received last Evening the Calico & your Bill, in which I find Several mistakes which I Shall point out as I proceed. when you purchased me the Bombazet, I enclosed ten dollars. You bought me 7 yd 2 Skeins of Silk Some linen, one pound Tea 6 pd currents & 3 pd of coffe, the last of which I took tho I did not Send for it. all these articles of Groceries you have omitted in Your Bill—I then...
43From Abigail Smith Adams to William Cranch, 26 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
Mr W S Smith with Mrs Smith are upon a visit to her Relations in Washington. he is desirious of paying his Respects to you, as a Relation, and as a desendent of the Venerable Characters, whom he remembers with Respect and veneration— He is desirious of obtaining employment under the Government. in what Capacity I do not know. His being So nearly Related to me, deprives him of all the advantage...
I write a line to enclose a Letter from Harriet. George has been so steady at Cambridge that I have had but one visit from him since he went there. I expect Him and his Brothers to keep thanksgiving with us; there is then a vacation of nearly a week—.John will want an additional pr of pantaloons. he is such a wrestless active Being that he is always in motion and his blews which he has worn so...
I this morning received Your Second Letter, by way of journal. we have all been highly entertaind. it makes me a Sharer with you, in your various occupations—brings me acquainted with Characters, and places me at your fire Side. one Single Letter conveys more information in this way, than I could obtain in a whole Session of Congress.—I hope you will continue this method altho you will receive...
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...
you will I know excuse my not haveing written to you more than once; when you learn the additional care and anxiety I have had in my Family by the Sickness of Louisa, who has had two other allarming attacks of pukeing blood, more than half a pint each time, and a much larger quantity passing down. She is much reduced, and for several days unable to leave her Bed—She is now able to sit up...
48From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 1 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
The moon shone so bright this morning that I rose, as it seems while it was yet Night, and allotted a portion to my Maidens, & set my whole house hold in motion, for you must know that we have Six Men at this day, three ladies, who love us so dearly that they must stay. a cold winter comeing & no Home, and wish the old Gentleman was but 25—I had a specimin of a compliment this morning from one...
49From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 April 1817 (Adams Papers)
Your Letters are always Common property with the Family to hear from you, and know that you are all well, is a mutual gratification to us all—Your Father is not so punctual in acknowledging Letters, dates and numbers as you are, so that your last Letter to him of Janry 14th No 56 is left for me to notice, and laugh, at your excuse for its brevity. I have received several from you of the like...
50From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 1 October 1817 (Adams Papers)
while I congratulate dear Caroline upon the Birth of a daughter, I am calld to mourn with her Brother, upon the loss of a son. mr Adams writes me, that he found them in great affliction He is with mr & mrs Fry—expecting to get to Housekeeping by the first of this month. He is entering upon the Duties of his office, with fear and trembling. His Eyes and his right Hand threaten to fail him, and...
51From Abigail Smith Adams to Richard Rush, 12 August 1817 (Adams Papers)
I received your obliging favour of july 29th with the inclosure. I had not any objection to your taking a copy. It was my wish that you Should,—altho I hesitated at Saying So, least the partiality of a Parent Should mislead me. I feel that you take an interest in my present happiness, in the Safe return of my Son to his Native Country, altho I have not yet Seen him.—it is no Small...
I have been haunted with the Deamon of omission, and a hundred Sprights in the garb of excuses, Such as Company, family avocations Noisy Boys &c &c This morning, being very Stormy, I determined to expel them all, and commence writing a Letter to you. I beleive I had promised to write to my Son. I know that he must be so enveloped in publick Buisness, that he can ill afford time to attend to...
53From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
The voice of the Nation call’s you home. the Government call you home—and your parents unite in the general call to this Summons. you must not, you cannot refuse your assent, nor will you, I presume have a disposition to regret so honorable an appointment, as is assignd to you; by so unanimous a vote— It is now more than four months Since the News papers from all parts of the united States,...
54From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 August 1817 (Adams Papers)
Through the kind of attention of mr Crafts we learnt yesterday morning of the arrival of the Washington, and in the Evening, through our watchfull centinal Harriet, I received the gratefull intelligence under your own hand, that you were Landed and all well for which joyfull News to your parents; God be thanked—we now wait, in pleasing expectation of welcoming You; one and all, to the old...
55From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 28 April 1817 (Adams Papers)
Two more Letters accompany this for mr Lyman and if time will allow I have no doubt but I shall get an answer from mr Jefferson, as Luck would have it. George in his Letter to his Grandfather, Speaks of mr Sharp as having dinned with his father and having spoken of his Grandfather in handsome terms. this was a good opening to renew old acquaintance—I inclose to you two of the letters which...
56From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 14 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
As you accused me last Evening, or rather Night with preventing the Ladies from writing to you; I apologized by saying that I had a Letter written to you at home,which was really the case. I made a Fairy visit to Washington last night, in which time I visited mrs Munroe, mrs Madison &c, and meeting you and mrs Adams in the street, in fine Health and Spirits, you accosted me as above—I was too...
57From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 15 October 1817 (Adams Papers)
The president has thought it Safe for the Students to assemble at Cambridge upon fryday last, and George has followd yesterday. we Shall miss his Society much. he has been company for his Grandfather Since Louissa has been Sick—I hope he is properly imprest, with the necessity of arduous application—John and Charles appear to like their Preceptor very well and perform their lessons I am told,...
58From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 8 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
I have not had any opportunity of writing to you before—indeed I have been So occupied: that I have not had time, for beside Sickness, the good folk who love Sleighing have many of them embraced this opportunity of visiting us; and Louissa wants constant watching to Supply her by little & little with the small nourishment She takes and to See that She does not exceed her Strength by Sitting up...
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...
60From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 May 1818 (Adams Papers)
I think I once heard you Say—to make a thing choice it Should be rare. your kind Letter last Evening received—possesst both those qualities. The very Sight of your hand writing—addresd as formerly gave a Spring to my Spirits, and your Father Sprung from the settee to place himself by my Side, while I read it to him—I have foreborne writing to you, during the Session of Congress, being...