61From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 30 January 1818 (Adams Papers)
I received the articles this morning cloth Nankeen Ribbon Letter covers &c altho the Gospel declares man & wife to be one, the Law of congress will not allow me that priviledge and my name upon a package or Letter Subjects me to postage—in future by post, let my good mans priviledge cover mine—I Send you my last Letter—what would have been Said in my day if Such Etiquette had been establishd?...
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....
63From Abigail Smith Adams to Abigal Adams Shaw Felt, 10 February 1818 (Adams Papers)
Why my dear Neice so loth to use your pen? But I do not hear from it twice in a year? Altho you possess many of the virtues of your Mother, and inherit many of her amiable qualities, you do not keep up that literary intercourse with your nearest Relatives, which was a distinguished trait in her Character. few persons held so eloquent a pen; or could find such ready access to the Heart: I...
64From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 18 February 1818 (Adams Papers)
I have wanted to be writing these two days, but an incessant succession of company which the fine sleighing has tempted out, has prevented, and this Evening after tea I have taken my pen to thank you, for your kindness to George, and to say mr Adams will Send you a check upon the Bank on Saturday if he does not come to Town before—I have a Letter from Caroline which altho it does not contain...
The fine Sleighing has tempted So many visitors to make use of it, that we have had a Constant Succession of company, altho the weather has been Severely cold—This day thus far, I have not been interrupted, and I take my pen, to acknowledge your favour of Febry 4th received upon the 12th. on that day Mrs Quincy with miss Storer & miss Quincy, came to take Tea with us. John and Charles, having...
Your Journal No 7. to Janry 30th, Harriet brought me to day, just as we had sat down to dinner; It being thursday, John and Charles thought they would treat themselves, and miss Harriet with a Sleigh ride to Quincy—our Friends and acquaintance do not fail to improve the Season, and sometimes come upon us a little unwarily, for one day last week, I had nine at once to dine, when I knew only of...
67From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, March 1818 (Adams Papers)
I beleive you thought me very imprudent to consent to the Presidents going to Town So cold a day as yesterday—but the cold increased much after the morning and I was quite anxious untill he returnd—much pleased and gratified with his days excursion there is Such a thing as Staying at Home untill it becomes wearisome to us change of place, or dear variety compose part of our happiness I enclose...
68From Abigail Smith Adams to Ward Nicholas Boylston, 14 March 1818 (Adams Papers)
Agreable to your Request we have concluded to Send you the picture. Mr Adams has been So occupied by public Buisness that he has not given any directions respecting it.—but as we know it will receive the greatest care from you; we have concluded to commit it to you; relying upon the promise given, that you will deliver it to our Son John Quincy Adams, when ever he calls for it— With...
I received your Letter of March 2d which has increased my anxiety to hear again from you, for a series of misfortunes Seem to have clustered around you. pray inform me how mrs Frye her Husband and Children are? I scarcly expect to hear the last are living. what a Scene you had to pass through? I do not wonder you were Sick—That Erysipelas which has Several times troubled you, is a very...
“Delightful praise, like summer rose, That brighter in the dew-drop glows.” They were sweet drops which flowed from the heart to the eyes both of your grandfather and grandmother, when I read to him the two letters you had transcribed to your uncle and to your father, in commendation of your brother. You could not have offered a sweeter incense to your grandfather; and flowing from the pen of...
71From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 7 April 1818 (Adams Papers)
My last Note went to you by mr Marston, with two Letters enclosed—I did not write on Saturday as mr A. calld before I had leisure in the morning—it is now five weeks Since Susan was confined, and She is not able to Sit up more than half the day—She has been much weakened by an inflamation and much pain. added to that, what is calld the Miliary Eruption, which I never before Saw, but which I...
72From 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...
My correspondence has been much interrupted the last fortnight Susan has been So feeble and weak, that She has required much care and attention She is now but just able to leave her Chamber, and that only for a short time, and we have had ten days of dismal wet weather, in which the Sun has not once Shone,—it has produced much Sickness, of the Quincy and Croup kind, with Children—My Son T B As...
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...
Your Letter of May 2d was so long comeing, that I feared Sickness had arrested your pen—as Subjects for the use of it are always within your power, because subjects of a domestic Nature are every day occurences, and always interesting to Friends. and judging by myself, I communicate to you the pleasure I enjoy in finding that your admonitions to George have had a salutary effect, both as it...
76From 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...
77From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 12 June 1818 (Adams Papers)
But once Since You left us, have I received a line from you. Twice I have written, and twenty hundred times twenty; thought of you, and Sometimes with an exclamation, what can be the reason that H. does not write? now you who have Eyes, fingers at command, and the pen of a ready writer, ought to employ them, when they are So much Sought after. I presume they are so: and that you have Some...
78From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 June 1818 (Adams Papers)
enclosed is a Letter which you will see contains a request to me; and through me to you. the ploughing with the Hiffer is not yet out of date. were the object an office, I should refuse to medle with it, but as it is only a simple renewal of a midshipman from one ship & station to an other, I would hope no great interest necessary; particularly as his Health has sufferd severely in this...
79From Abigail Smith Adams to John Adams, 25 June 1818 (Adams Papers)
enclosed is the money which mrs Welsh advanced upon your account which you will pay her, and get her to Sign the Receit enclosed. you have not sent your shoes to be mended—& Charl e s if bare foot I have no compassion for as he would not take the trouble to call upon the shoe maker, he ought to feel the concequence—I Shall expect to see you on Saturday your affectionate G M MHi : Adams Papers.
I have not yet acknowledged your favour of June 27th I go so seldom into the buisy world, that I can get little to amuse or entertain you with. Harriet too is yet with her Sister. She always had something of foreign or domestic to amuse us with—I miss her much, and that upon the Childrens account, as well as my own—The fourth of July has past with much Eclat, and good humour in Boston, with an...
81From 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...
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...
Since the 18th July, I have not received a Line from you or my Son, altho I have been in daily expectation of hearing that you were sitting your faces this way. I have learnt from mr Cruft that mr Adams contemplated being here, as I understood him by the last of this Month, or sooner if he could. The intercourse between us, is not so frequent as I could wish. Even tho it consisted of “How do...
84Obituary 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,...