I yesterday received your Letter and could not help smiling at poor Shaws distress though I really do not see why he grieves about the Books. Surely he did not pretend to go want them for his Atheneum? If not why does it concern him?—Your Grandfather is the best judge of what is to be done and his advisers know best what they are after—He appears now to be in the hands of a Judge —I wont say a...
You seem by the facetious tone of your Letters when you honour me with any to imagine that I have a very high opinion of your conduct and the steadiness of your character and take wonderful pains to assure me that you are not exempt from human frailty—do not be uneasy on this score! In the first place you are my Son and have a little of the Mother in you. In the second your very demure people...
What is the reason you do not write me? Are you determined to relinquish all intercourse with your Mother or are your avocations so very severe arduous that you cannot find a little time to devote to me—Commencement now approaches fast are there any very distinguished scholars in the present Class or is it to be very mesquin? George is quite pleased with our Washington Summer contrary to his...
I am sorry to say that your last Letter was so badly written that I could scarcely read it and I again implore you to write a larger hand and you will soon get rid of the cramped style which you have acquired I suppose you have been passing an agreeable Vacation at Quincy and found your Grandfather quite well—and as usual occupied in all perusing all the new publications—Your father has...
Why will you give way to despondence? the time you have been at College has been too short in any way to decide upon your Scholarship and you should not dwell too much upon your standing as long as you exert yourself to improve it—I am told that it is not customary to let young men know any thing about it for fear of exciting jealousy therefore you cannot ascertain what is perfectly immaterial...
I am afraid that you read my letters in as great a hurry as you appear to do every thing else otherwise I cannot conceive how it is possible you should pretend to understand that I ever counselled you to become acquainted with dissipated Characters after I knew them to be such—When I wrote to you concerning it—I knew but little of him and only partially recommended him to your notice as he...
I know why it is but I write with so much difficulty and feel so much averse to undertake it I am ever procrastinating the answers to the Letters that are addressed to me this will account to you for h not having an answer to your last and though a miserable excuse must be accepted until something or other occurs to restore me to my wonted capacity and habits—I have the utmost reliance and...
Your Letter is this moment brought to me and would certainly have afforded me more pleasure could I perceive any of those evidences of a desire to improve in your hand writing about which you Know I am so solicitous— I have always been ready to rely on the promises of my children when they have been seriously made and give full confidence to yours more especially on account of the uneasiness I...
At length I feel well enough to write you again though I have no reason to hope that my correspondence will be renewed with any regularity for some time— Your Letters my dear boy would afford me much more pleasure if there was a less peremptory and positive tone about them—Be assured that it is always possible to be manly and respectful at the same time and that we can better show our...
I was much pleased to observe that you had taken more pains with the writing of your last Letter than you generally do and sincerely thank you for it as all these things prove your affection for me much more strongly than could possibly be manifested by any other method and immeasurably encrease maternal affection by adding esteem to the strong ties of nature—You have yet but little idea of a...