31From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 26 May 1812 (Adams Papers)
I am Such a miser that I cannot Suffer a Letter of yours to remain a day unanswered, because my answer procures me an Interest of eight per cent a month. I Should have Said Such a Shaver for that is now the technical term and Signifies more than Miser . I Shall mind no order. You hope the new President, if there Should be one will Send back your Son, and I hope he will call home mine. We had...
32From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 4 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
Shall I congratulate or condole with you on the appointment of your Son to be Comptroller of The Treasury? You will know the delightful Comfort of his daily Society and that of his Lady and their prattling Little ones, which I know by Experience to be in old age, among the Sweetest Enjoyment of Life, provided Always that it be not indulged to excess. I Should have thought too that his Office...
33From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 21 May 1807 (Adams Papers)
I return you, the Letter of Edward Smith. Time may or may not unriddle this whimsical Mystery. It might however in the mean time to put Us on our guard against Intrigues. My not preserving a Copy of my Letter to Dr Nathan Webb (for he was a Physician) is no Wonder: for I never kept a Copy of any Letter, till I became a Member of Congress in 1774. The observation of your Son Richard is very...
34From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 23 June 1807 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favour of the ninth of this Month, and conveyed to Dr Tufts your Letter to him, who desireses me to express to you the high sense he has of your Benevolence And Humanity to Mr John Loude. The Doctor will write you, as soon as he can find means of conveying to the Parents of that unfortunate youth the money you enclosed. What Shall We Say, my Friend? A pious and virtuous...
35From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 29 November 1812 (Adams Papers)
I have recd. your valuable Volume, on the diseases of the mind; which will run Mankind still deeper into your Debt. You apprehend “Attacks”. I Say, the more the better. I Should like the Sport So well, that, if I could afford the expence, I would advertize a reward of a gold Medal to the Man of Science who should write the best Essay upon the question whether the Writings of Dr Franklin, or Dr...
36From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 11 April 1805 (Adams Papers)
I am highly gratified, to possess So authentic an Account of the Several rising branches of your numerous and amiable Family, in whose Welfare I feel So much Interest, that I ask your Permission to add my Benediction to yours. It is to me highly probable that those who have been carried Captive into the British Dominions, will Succeed as Well in Life, as those who may be destined to enjoy all...
37From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 19 September 1806 (Adams Papers)
Thanks for your favour of Aug. 22d. My Experience is perfectly conformable to yours, respecting silent Men. Silence is most commonly design and Intrigue. In Franklin it was very remarkable, because he was naturally a great Talker. I have conversed with him frequently in his garrulous humours, and his Grandson, or Son, Billy has told me that he never knew a greater Talker than his Grandfather....
38From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 8 February 1789 (Adams Papers)
Your obliging favor of the 22 d Ult I rec d. last night.— I remember so much of the transactions, at the formation of the Pensilvania Constitution, that I wish you could save time enough from almost any other pursuit, to arrange your materials for an History of the Revolution in Pensilvania, to be published hereafter; at present perhaps it might not be prudent. The four respectable characters,...
39From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 19 June 1789 (Adams Papers)
Your Single Principle, in your Letter of the 15 th must fail you.— You say “that Republican Systems have never had a fair Tryal.”— What do you mean by a fair Tryal? and what by Republican systems.— Every Government that has more than one Man in its soverignty is a republican system. Tryals innumerable have been made. as many as there have existed Nations. There is not and never was, I believe,...
40From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 28 May 1812 (Adams Papers)
I will not loose an hour of my Interest of 8 per Cent a Month. I have this moment received yours of 22d.—I could paper my whole house with such ornaments as Franklin wished, for his Study: and from Persons who owed Offices, Fortunes and all their Consequence to me. St Bernard St. Loyala, and St. Dominick, and many other Saints remain in the Calendar and are worshipped, as well as Whitefield...
41From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 27 September 1809 (Adams Papers)
I recd. in course yours of the 7th. Fox was a remarkable Character. I admire the Morsell of History. Pitt was another. he has left nothing but speeches taken down by stenographers. I cannot pronounce either of them wise statesmen: yet perhaps they were as wise as they could be in their Circumstances. Great Men they both were, most certainly. Pitt I think was more correct in his Knowledge of...
42From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 10 October 1808 (Adams Papers)
The three Classes of People in Boston, who direct our public Affairs are the Same as those you describe in your favour of 22 of Sept. It gives me great pleasure, to learn that our old Friend Mr Clymer is as he always was a pure-American. I cannot however boldly defend the long Continuance of the Embargo. I thought it at first a necessary Measure, but was fully apprehensive it could not be long...
43From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 27 December 1810 (Adams Papers)
I Sent my Wife to the Post Office this morning with a Letter to you inclosing a Review of Fisher Ames, and as she brought me back yours of the 21, you will receive this by the Same mail. I am well and my good Madam is well at the present Hour but She is a Weather Glass. I am afraid your Prejudices are too fixed to be removed by any Arguments: but I do not find that you make many Proselytes. In...
44From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 28 December 1807 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your printed lecture on the humanity Economy and other virtues, which require of us, more attention to our domestick animals, and especially to their diseases. We see our horses, horned cattle, sheep, swine and other species, as well as our cats and dogs, sick or wounded and no body knows what to do with them or for them, so that a broken bone or a fit of sickness is almost...
45From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 7 June 1809 (Adams Papers)
Your Letters are not apt to lie a month unacknowledged. That of May 5th. is before me since which I have recd. an Aurora under your envellope. I thank you for both. Thanks too for your sons inaugural Dissertation. I wish him success in his studies Travels and Practice. May he become as eminent, as skilful, as humane, as virtuous and as successful as his father. I rejoice that your son Richard...
46From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 25 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
I never was so much at a loss how to answer a Letter, as yours of the 16th. Shall I assume a Sober Face and write a grave Essay on Religion Philosophy, Laws or government? Shall I laugh like Bacchus among his grapes, Wine fats Vatts and Bottles? or Shall I assume the Man of the World, the Fine Gentleman, the Courtier, and Bow and Scrape with a smooth smiling Face, soft words, many compliments...
47From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 13 October 1811 (Adams Papers)
Sobrius esto! Recollect your own Non Nobis! Your Letter of the 20th. of September I communicated to Mrs Adams as you advised. Mrs Adams to her Daughter, After a reasonable Time for Deliberation and Reflections the Heroine determined. The Mother and the Daughter went to Boston and consulted Dr Warren Junior, Dr Welsh, Dr Warren Junior having previously consulted Dr Tufts and Dr Holbrook. The...
48From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 7 July 1805 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter, my dear Friend, of the 29th. of June, Suggets enough of Serious reflections, to compose a longer reply, than I am, at present disposed to write, or than you could read with any Satisfaction. John Ross, and I think, some others, whom you have not mentioned were in the Boat with us from Point no Point. I wish to ascertain, if I could the Month and Day as well as the names of the...
49From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 8 October 1809 (Adams Papers)
Bacon the great Bacon was fond of Paradoxes. What could The Old Hunks mean by Great Men having neither Ancestors nor Posterity? Was not Isaac the son and Jacob the Grand son and Joseph the Great Grandson of Abraham? Was not Julius Cæsar the Posterity of the Anchises and Eneas? Was not King William the Posterity of the Great William Prince of orange and of the still greater Admiral Coligni? Was...
50From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 2 April 1811 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for the Trouble you have kindly taken in procuring the Samples of Coins for my Son J. Q. A; which Mr Quincy was so good as to deliver with his own hand: and am glad to learn from your Letter that Mr Erving in behalf of my Son T. B. A, has paid you the Amount of them. I thank you for your Letter of the 4th of March and your Congratulations on the Appointment of my Son to a Seat on...
51From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 12 April 1809 (Adams Papers)
I rejoice to find that Pensilvania has returned to reason and Duty in the affair of the Miss Writtenhouses. Our Massachusetts Legislature have not gone So far as yours did: but they have gone too far. I rejoice too at the Honourable Acquittal of your worthy Brother, but lament the Allarming Attack upon the choicest Institution of Liberty the Tryal by Jury. Without this there can be no legal...
52From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 28 February 1788 (Adams Papers)
The Letter that accompanies this, is from a Character so respectable, that I beg leave to recommend it to your particular Attention. The Correspondent will be found worthy of you.— I have taken Leave, and shall embark, as soon as the Equinoxial and its roughest Blusters are past. The Emperors Declaration of War announces louder Storms in Europe: but I hope to escape them all in a peaceful...
53From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 10 September 1779 (Adams Papers)
I am indebted to you, for more Letters than I can repay at present. But declaring myself a Bankrupt, You must except of a few shillings in the Pound. Indeed I suspect the Debt is greater than I know of. I saw in the Courier de L’Europe, Part of a Letter from you to Dr. Dubourg, which was intercepted, in which you refer him to me for a long Letter you wrote me upon our military affairs &c. But...
54From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 23 March 1813 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter to Waterhouse inclosed in yours of the 16th. Shall be Sent tomorrow. With them came the News of the Hornets Glory. If Our Nation had as much Religion as Jews or Gentiles, they would consider these Victories as a Revelation of the Importance and Necessity of a maritime defence. Lawrence is now enrolled with Hull, Decatur, Jones Bainbridge in the Record of our Naval Conquerors....
55From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 8 December 1812 (Adams Papers)
On horseback, on my Way to Weymouth on a Visit to my Friend Dr Tufts I met a Man leading a Horse, who asked if I wanted to buy a Horse. Examining the Animal in his Eyes Ears, head Neck Shoulders Legs Feet and Tail, and enquiring of his Master his Age, history Temper habits &c I found he was a colt of Three Years old that month of November, his Sucking Teeth were not Shed, he was Seventeen or...
56From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 20 February 1809 (Adams Papers)
When you informed me that Mr Cooper in his Life of Dr Priestly had ascribed to that Philosopher, the first hint of the Perfectibility of the human Mind, I answered you that this was the Doctrine of the ancient Stoicks. My Memory did not Serve me with details and I referred to no authorities, not thinking it worth while to Search Books upon Such a Subject. But within a day or two I have...
57From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 18 September 1812 (Adams Papers)
In the good old English Phrase, I give you ten thousand Thanks for the Muscat Wine of Samos, which is now in my Cellar, in good order and of good Quality. You did not forsee one effect of it. It will increase my Love of Greek and Latin more than my Patriotism. Oh! How I heard a Circle of Ladies, of the first quality, old and middle Aged, and young, praise it last Evening! If indeed there is...
58From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 19 March 1812 (Adams Papers)
The greatest part of the History in your last Letter was well known to me, and I could write you Six Sheets for your three, full of Anecdotes, of a Similar complexion. I wanted no Satisfaction. If I had, your Letter would have given it. The great Character, was a Character of Convention . His first Appointment was a magnanimous Sacrifice of the North to the South: to the base Jealousy, Sordid...
59From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 18 April 1813 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for the Slip of a newspaper. On that Subject my feelings are unutterable. The Day of the Safe return of my Son and his Family, if I Should live to See it, will be the happiest day of my Life. I almost envy you, the Joy on the return of your Benjamin, Thank him for my Samos Muscat. Tell him my Girls Shall all drink his Health in a Bumper of it. I wish my Sons and Grandsons had been...
60From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 14 September 1783 (Adams Papers)
Give me Leave to introduce to Your Acquaintance and Friendship, M r Thaxter, who goes home with the definitive Treaty. This Treaty which is but a Repetition of the Provisional Articles was all We could obtain, a poor Compensation for nine Months Negotiation; but I assure you We were very glad to get the Hand put to this. I was in hopes to have Soon Seen you in Philadelphia, but Congress have...
61From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 21 December 1809 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for the pleasing account of your Family in your favour of the 5th. As I take a lively interest in their Prosperity and Felicity, your relation of it gave me great Pleasure. We have Letters from our Colony navigating the Baltic, dated at Christiansand. They had been so far as prosperous, healthy and happy as such Traveller’s could expect to be. Pope said of my Friend General...
62From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 1 September 1810 (Adams Papers)
I have been entertained and diverted with the humour and the Wit of my Old Friend O Brian as you call him. The Jackass and the Cow, are most excellent Animals in their place and in their own sphere. None more useful. But neither is very well qualified for Legislators or Politicians: or to pursue the figure and hunt down the Allegory. Neither would make a figure at the new Markett Races, or in...
63From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 28 July 1789 (Adams Papers)
“The Characters, I So much admire among the ancients,” were not “formed wholly by Republican forms of Government”— I admire, Phillip and Alexander, as much as I do Themistocles and Pericles, nay as much as Demosthenes— I admire Pisistratus, almost as much as solon: and think that the Arts, Elegance, Literature and Science of Athens, was his Work and that of his sons, more than of any or all...
64From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 7 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
Accept of my thanks for your favor of 28 th. Sept r. — The Analogy of Religion & of Manners are undoubtedly not less advantages in the Connection with Holland, than those of Commerce and Republicanism. The Influence of the Stadtholder & his Court, the Intrigues of the English; the Weight of a numerous, wealthy & powerful English Party; the secret and open Negotiations of Neutral Powers, were...
65From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 3 February 1813 (Adams Papers)
I congratulate you, & your state and our Nation on the Acquisition of such a secretary of the Navy as you represent Sir honourable William Jones to be. I shall certainly write him a letter, before long; for I am recommender general of Midshipman & Pursers & Ensigns. I have not dared as yet to rise to a Lieutenant in Navy or Army. Talk not to me of dignity. Nothing can be more ridiculous and...
66From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 31 July 1811 (Adams Papers)
I have several sweet letters from you the last of which is the 20th of this month. The table of Cider and health and Rum and death I have given to Dr Tufts who will propagate it. It is a concise but very comprehensive result of long experiences, Attentive observation, and deep and close thought. I was too wise to go to the great celebration. the heat would have killed me. It was here as with...
67From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 29 March 1813 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a Packet two Papers marked A. B. four Number ed 1. 2. 3. 4. A Letter from The Vice President and one from Mr Austin to him, 8 Documents in the whole, considering your Engagements it hurts me to trouble you with the Reading of these Papers: but you will be So amused with them, that you would have reprehended me if I had Suppressed them. If any of them fall within Mr Careys Plan, he...
68From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 27 December 1812 (Adams Papers)
Letters! What Shall I Say of Letters? Pliny’s are too Studied and too elegant. Cicero’s are the only ones of perfect Simplicity, confidence and familiarity. Madam Sevignè has created a Sweet pretty little amusing World out of nothing. Pascalls Provincials exceed every Thing ancient or modern: but these were laboured with infinite Art. The Letters of Swift and pope are dull! Frederick’s to...
69From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 22 June 1809 (Adams Papers)
A thousand thanks to Richard for his Auroras and ten thousand to you for your Letter of the 14th. I am not subject to low spirits, but if I was one of your Letters would cure me at any time for a Month. Voltaires Brain I shall never get out of mine. It will make me laugh whenever I think of it. The Jews and Nonotte have pickled his Brain in a more durable Manner and kept it in a more perfect...
70From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 23 August 1805 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 14th gives an exact Analysis of Pennsylvania and its Parties: and from it, a probability results, that the Old Constitution will be revived. But, for what reason do you call it Dr. Franklins? I always understood it to be the Work of Cannon, Matlack, Young and Paine, and that Franklin, though President of the Convention, had no greater hand in its fabrick than the painted head...
71From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 25 October 1809 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your new Edition on Animal Life and Madam read it in the evening to me and all the Family, to the great delight and Edification of Us all. Whether it is all solid or not we can not say: but there are Ideas enough thrown out to excite and employ the attention and Investigation of all the Philosophers, Physicians and Surgeons. Accept of all our Thanks for this favour....
72From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 15 February 1813 (Adams Papers)
All that I have written you, hitherto, upon the history of the Original of our Navy, was from Memory, without thinking of Book or Paper. But in the course of my lucubrations I thought of the Journals of the Congress; waste Paper, which Seems to be forgotten by Mankind, and which I myself with the rest of the fashionable World have rarely opened for 35 Years. I had a long time to Search among...
73From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 5 July 1789 (Adams Papers)
Without waiting for an Answer to my last, I will take a little more notice of a Sentiment in one your Letters. You Say you “abhor all Titles.” I will take the familiar freedom of Friendship to say I dont believe you.— Let me explain my self.— I doubt not your Varacity. but I believe you deceive yourself, and have not yet examined your own heart, and recollected the feelings of every day and...
74From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 14 August 1811 (Adams Papers)
Upon honor, now, Rush! You cannot be serious in calling me, mad, to my Face! I learned a proper Answer to you, in Bedlam in England. In one of the Visits I made to that Hospital, I took a few Turns in the Area, where Some of the most harmless of the patients are permitted to walk. One of them a decent looking Man joined me, and conversed very Sensibly but with much animation for Some time: but...
75From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 18 April 1808 (Adams Papers)
I have your favour of the 5th. My dear Mrs Adams bids me present her friendly regards to you and Mrs Rush and all your family, and to say to you that she has read your Letter with pleasure excepting what relates to a Gentleman from whom she had before a great Esteem, and all she can Say upon that Subject is that she wished she had not read it. In my jocular prayer to the Saint I meant No...
76From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 20 June 1808 (Adams Papers)
I give you this Title for the present only. I Shall Scarcely allow you to be a political, moral, or Christian Philosopher, till you retract Some of the Complaints Lamentations, Regrets and Penitences in your Letter of the 13th.—But more of this presently. Mr John Reed, the first Lawyer who left a great Reputation in our State, in the Administration of Governor Shirley was a Councillor, or in...
77From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 29 December 1812 (Adams Papers)
I have not done with your Letter of the 19th: I care not half, so much about Red Heifer, as I do about the Taureau blanc, the white Bull of Voltaire…. “All volition the Effect of his will, operating upon mind.” My pious learned Parson Wibert, once said to me “I believe God is the Author of sin; but I would not say it, because of the dangerous tendency of it.” My Friend! read in virgil;...
78From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 2 December 1788 (Adams Papers)
A multiplicity of avocations have prevented me, from answering your friendly Letter of the 2 d of July, till I am almost ashamed to answer it, at all. Your Congratulations on my Arrival and kind Reception are very agreable because I know them to be Sincere. your Compliments upon my poor Volumes are consolatory, because they give me grounds to hope that they may have done Some good. it is an...
79From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 4 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
If I could dream as much Wit as you, I think I should wish to go to Sleep for the rest of my Life, retaining however one of Swifts Flappers to awake me once in 24 hours to dinner, for you know without a dinner one can neither dream nor Sleep. Your Dreams descend from Jove, according to Homer. Though I enjoy your Sleeping Wit and acknowledge your unequalled Ingenuity in your dreams, I cannot...
80From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 24 June 1812 (Adams Papers)
The Decadency of Government is obvious, through the World and it is to be feared the cause of it is the general Relaxation of family discipline. It becomes you and me Seriously to consider whether We have not contributed our Share to this general Evil. Within a few days, my Rib had the boldness to Say to me “When you write to Dr Rush, you String together Epithets and Adverbs and Substantives,...