I have yours of the 18. Jan. When you receive your Diploma you will have no fees to pay. We have not yet adopted any regulation which requires fees from the Members elected. Perhaps it would be prudent in future to adopt Such a Measure and give a Salary to our Secretary. Our Officers are now Men of So much Business and So dependent on their Business for the Support of their families that they...
In answer to your kind Inquiries concerning my health, in your favour of the 14th, I can inform you that I enjoy as good health as a Man in his fifteenth Lustre, can reasonably expect, except a little paralytic trembling in the hands, which does not much incommode me however in Writing. I have been engaged this Summer as you have in reading History. Voltaires Moeurs et Esprit des Nations and...
3From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 15 August 1808 (Adams Papers)
You have puzzled and confounded me, by your Letter of the 3 of Aug.—After allarming me with Some Suggestions or Suspicions of Infidelity in the Post office you Say “I Suppose the Crime is perpetrated in Massachusetts. Look at the inclosed Sealing. it is from you?” I thought this gave me a Right and made it my duty to open it, and Lo! a lovely Letter from your amiable Daughter to your worthy...
4From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 15 August 1808 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed Letter came under cover, to me in a letter from your father dated the 3d. of August. After hinting that there had been some unfair play in the Post Office he says “I suppose the Crime is perpetrated in Massachusetts—Look at the inclosed sealing. It is from you?” I looked at the sealing and concluded there was something within to unriddle the mystery. I accordingly clipped the...
5From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 25 April 1808 (Adams Papers)
You were a Letter in my debt, when you wrote yours of March 17th but you did not know it. I wrote you Some months ago, and asked the favour of you to inform me, what is the Christian Name the Place of Residence, and the present Titles of our Friend Mr De Gyselaer, formerly Pensionary of Dort. I had particular reasons for this Inquiry which you would not disapprove, though I am not at present...
I sympathize with you in all your Expressions of grief in your favour of Nov. 1st. at the melancholly Catastrophy of so many worthy persons your friends at Leyden and elsewhere. You derive consolation from the only source from which it can be drawn.—If I knew of any other I would joyfully administer it to you, as well as to myself.— Hunc solem et Stellas et decedentia certis Tempora momentis,...
7From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 23 April 1807 (Adams Papers)
you have Spent your Winter with delight as well as Industry. My Moments have neither produced pleasure or improvements to be compared to yours. I am obliged to be very œconomical of my sight. Though I can See very well, with Glasses, or without them My Eyes cannot bear fatigue as they did when they were young. you have Sett me a Task that will infallibly make me blind before it will be...
Upon my Word and honour, if I know myself, and for any Thing I know to the contrary, I am Alive, and wide awake, and in as good health as usual, and have been So for Several years past, excepting now and then Such a Cold as that which you cured with a Bottle of Old Hoch and a pound or two of Veal Cutletts for Supper three Evenings Successively. Pray tell me.—Is it actionable or indictable to...
9From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 23 August 1806 (Adams Papers)
In your Letter of the seventh of July, you flatter me, with very high Eulogies, and compleat the Climax of them, with the opinion of Washington.—For the future I pray you to spare yourself the trouble of quoting that great Authority in my favour. Although no Man has more settled opinion of his Integrity and Virtues than myself, I nevertheless desire that my Life Actions and Administration may...
10From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 30 April 1806 (Adams Papers)
I have always believed that the Afra Avis, was the Guinea Hen, but have lately heard it was the Turkey. You say “Alass poor Europe” – I say “ alass poor human nature.” I am as weary, as my friend the Abby Raynall, with contemplating the Stupidity of one part of Man kind and the Villany of the other: but I cannot say with him, if they are never to be wiser and better may they be annihilated....