51From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 23 December 1821 (Adams Papers)
Altho’ I write with difficulty I cannot resist the temptation and must gratify myself by writing to you and my Dear Charles even if I pay dear for it—Upon one subject the nearest to my heart I will say nothing lest I should say too much—In this world we must innure ourselves to disappointments and we must learn to meet them with patience and only remember them as incitements to greater...
52From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 2 December 1821 (Adams Papers)
I should have answer’d your Letter earlier could I write with my accustomed care but it fatigues me so much I feel too much inclined to neglect my usually pleasant occupations— I received a Letter yesterday from your brother which indicates a very seriously discontented mind and makes me very apprehensive that his disposition is acquiring a habit of complaining and uneasiness calculated to...
53From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 11 November 1821 (Adams Papers)
I make no charges against you what ever and on the contrary am delighted to find that if I did you can so easily exonerate yourself from them—What I meant in my last Letter was simply to put you on your guard and to inform you that such a plea was made to your father as a reason for your not having risen higher in your Class— Georges pen is so prolific and his style so pleasant I believe I...
54To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 5 November 1821 (Adams Papers)
When at Quincy you have often reproached me for being prejudiced concerning the Unitarians and not willing to listen to listen to the truth—I now candidly confess that I understand so little what the difference is between this and other sects I should feel very thankful if you would enlighten my underst and ing upon these points at the same time requesting you not to refer me to long...
55To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 31 October 1821 (Adams Papers)
Since my return home George has so well supplied my place in writing to you and we have had so few events (save melancholy ones) to detail that I find it scarce possible to address you on any subject that can excite a moments interest—The family generally are well and Georges health we hope is rappidly mending— This day the new Spanish Minister was introduced to the President this day . He is...
56From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 25 October 1821 (Adams Papers)
In answer to your Letter of 17 which I received last evening I have only to beg that you will keep up your spirits and make every exertion to remove the impressions which your father received during his visit to Cambridge and which he is too just to retain if you convince him by your application and industry that those impressions are incorrect—Your frequent and injudicious declarations that...
57From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 7 October 1821 (Adams Papers)
The plan of your father to follow us as far as the cross roads to Dedham prevented my taking leave of you I therefore hasten to write you a few lines in explanation and to let you know how we go on—Our journey was tolerably pleasant until we reached Blakes at West Greenwich where the Coachman was taken sick and we were obliged to hurry on to New London as I was impatient to consult a...
58From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 5 July 1821 (Adams Papers)
Your father yesterday performed his part to admiration and there was as much general satisfaction expressed as could possibly be expected in a place where so many great interests and powerful passions are ever at work—He looked better than I ever saw him and was less fatigued than could have been expected or hoped It was the anniversary of your eighteenth birth day and the mingled feelings of...
59To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 2 July 1821 (Adams Papers)
My visit is delayed In consequence of the celebration of the 4th July a day of double interest to me, as the anniversary of our Independence, and of the birth of our dear John—You will have seen by the papers that your Son is to perform a conspicuous part on this occasion, for which he is all ready and thoroughly prepared—The President is here and has been invited to dine with the company, but...
60From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 19 June 1821 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter pleased and displeased me; the goodness and purity of your motives can never admit of a doubt, but there are ways of doing things which sometimes make them appear harsh and unkind and the general style of your last impressed your father with the idea that you were not so affectionate and kind to your Brother as he could wish for your mutual comfort—Your brothers excentricities of...
61From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 12 June 1821 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter reached me last Eveng. and I am very sorry to learn that your Grandfather is so feeble as it is a symtom which I am apprehensive which indicates a decay of constitution which may lead us to dread a close of his career much earlier than we any of us anticipate—Mrs. Clark’s accounts from Quincy differ very much according to her and Mrs. French and I think she would be wiser if she...
62From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 3 June 1821 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter pleased both your father and myself as your reasoning is very good and shows reflection and forethought I beg as a favour that you will take pains to intimate as delicately as you can that I have no thought of bringing either of the Girls home with me as your father will not hear of it on the very ground which you have represented—The perpetual round of company in which I live in...
63To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 25 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
Mr Roach with his Sister and daughter are to dine with us to day he tells me that he had the pleasure of seeing you and that you were in perfect health Our City is full of strangers and we have been as dissipated during the last week as we generally are in the Winter The weather is more variable and altogether worse than I ever remember it and we can scarcely be said to have left off fires...
64From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 12 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
It is now I suppose nearly a vacation time with you and you will take your flight to Quincy for a fortnight where you will no doubt enjoy yourself very much in the Society of your indulgent Grandfather and the family— Do tell me are there any hopes of Mrs. Clark’s forming a second connection—Beware of getting entangled in a quarrel with her during the vacation no matter from what cause or...
65To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 11 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
Your reproach my dear Sir was very keen and keenly felt because conscience pointed its force and added mortification to its merited sting—To make excuses will not repair the fault and the only rational one I can offer is that I have been waiting impatiently for the publication of the weights and measures and was really entirely decieved as to the length of time that had elapsed since writing...
66From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 25 April 1821 (Adams Papers)
You become so testy I almost begin to feel disinclined to write to you at all as my Letters instead of contributing to your happiness appear to produce a contrary effect—I do not think you more wild than young men of your age generally are but I think you suffer your passions frequently to master your reason and on this account I have sometimes been apprehensive that you might suffer severely...
67From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 6 April 1821 (Adams Papers)
Your last Letter is as wild yourself you will acknowledge that is saying something? As to Diana Vernon’s they begin to be so common with us that every beau call’s his fair one by that appellation— Your aversion to thirty five is greater even than I imagined it is a bad sign as I fear you will at last be caught by some fair smiling face which may carry more years over it’s head than you...
68From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 22 March 1821 (Adams Papers)
I feel a little uneasy about you and therefore write you again to give you a timely caution as there are whispers concerning the restlessness of your Class which lead me to dread an explosion Your own sense my dear Boy will teach you how foolish and imprudent it is to run any risk of expulsion or even rustication as the loss of a year to you who are so desirous of obtaining your liberty would...
69From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 11 March 1821 (Adams Papers)
I will answer your last Letter by saying that your most horrible is altogether thrown away as neither of the young Ladies who remained with us were very beautiful or fascinating but good natured pleasant girls who amused me very much by their musical talents and the eldest by a highly cultivated mind—Their ages would not have frightened you but their tall Grenadier look might have intimidated...
70To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 27 January 1821 (Adams Papers)
I have been so much indisposed it has been almost impossible for me to keep my journal and my family has been too large to admit of sufficient quiet to do any thing but partake of the amusements of the place which however have been but few comparatively speaking. It has been remarked frequently that there has never been so gloomy a session as the present and I doubt if there ever was one which...
71To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 3 December 1820 (Adams Papers)
Decbr. 3d Did not attend at Church Mr Ryland was to preach and his last sermon was such a strange medley of scraps and ends miserably put together I did not feel tempted to go again—remained at home all day. 4th The day was stormy and disagreeable—In the Eveng went into George Town to fetch Fanny Johnson. The Stage had not arrived and we drove to Mrs. Frye’s where we took Tea—She mentioned...
72To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 29 November 1820 (Adams Papers)
29th Rode out and called on my patient who is fast recovering and able to raise his broken arm—In the Evening went to the Drawing Room it was well attended though not crowded—I was teazed in the course of the evening with questions concerning how I should conduct myself in that House as mistress of it for a time for it was likely I should be there in four years I laughed and said that I...
73From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 27 November 1820 (Adams Papers)
I last evening received your Letter of the 20h with great delight and assure you I require nothing but your word to satisfy me regarding your conduct having always had full reliance on your respect to truth—When I wrote I had heard a terrible account of the rebellion and was excessively alarmed at the consequences for you under this impression and trembling with lest George in his desire to...
74To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 22 November 1820 (Adams Papers)
Novbr. 22 Spent the day at home excepting about an hour in which I paid a number of visits—Dr. Thornton called in late last Evening and chatted some time His conversation is indeed a thing of threads and patches certainly amusing from its perpetual variety—He is altogether the most excentric being I ever met with possessing the extremes of literary information and the levity and trifling of...
75To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 18 November 1820 (Adams Papers)
18th Received a number of visits and returned a few.—Mr Poletica passed the Evening with us—Talked much of his tour thro’ the Western States and appeared much pleased with his visit to Boston He informed us he had seen a gentleman lately from England who mentioned that the Queen had twice been seen drunk in Parliament before he left that Country— 19 Visitors came so early and staid so long I...
76To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 15 November 1820 (Adams Papers)
I do not know if I ought to congratulate you or not on your acceptance of the trouble and anxiety attending you as a Member of the Convention my dear Sir but I hope it will yield you amusement and vary your occupations we rely on your making it as easy as little laborious to yourself as possible— Congress has convened again and as you will perceive by the papers of the day they have assembled...
77From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 14 November 1820 (Adams Papers)
How grieved I am my dear John at the news we have just received you may concieve who knew what an effect the same circumstance produced on me on a former occasion—Your father and I are in a state of great anxiety for the consequences of your fault and impatiently wait for the result which must fix your future destiny—Write me immediately and let me know how the Government feel towards you so...
78From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 28 October 1820 (Adams Papers)
An indisposition which confined me to my bed in the first instance and moving in the next into our house in F Street has prevented my answering your Letter earlier and my papers are all in such confusion that I cannot pretend to find it now so as to answer it correctly— Our House will hardly be well fixed before you come on and at present Charles is obliged to sleep in the Drawing room which...
79To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 15 October 1820 (Adams Papers)
It is so long since I have written I feel that it is difficult to offer an apology for my silence or rather such an one as would prove satisfactory: it however proceeded from the extreme dullness of the City and the excessive heat of the Summer in the first place; a journey to visit my relations in Frederick in the second; and a severe indisposition in the third which confined me to my bed...
80From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 18 August 1820 (Adams Papers)
As I have already said every thing on the subject of your last which was necessary I will only make one observation which is that reputation is always proved by actions and the less we say about generally the better we guard it and preserve it— You are now verging on the Vacation. Are you likely to have a brilliant Commencement? who are the graduates of Note?—Who makes an entertainment?—. We...
81From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 8 August 1820 (Adams Papers)
Harriet Welsh writes me that George and you intend to visit Mrs. de Wint during the vacation and that if your father grants you permission you intend to go on to Niagara—I had made a partial engagement to accompany Mr. & Mrs. de Wint to Niagara this fall but I do not feel quite sure that I shall be able to accomplish this purpose as your father tho’ he says I may go always appears to have...
82To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 13 July 1820 (Adams Papers)
Having observed in the papers that the reason assigned for your declining to accept the invitation on the 4h. was on account of indisposition Mr. Adams and myself are anxious to hear from you and to be assured that it was rather the dread of over fatigue than real indisposition which caused your refusal to attend. It would have been altogether improper to make such an exertion and I rejoice...
83From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 12 July 1820 (Adams Papers)
I am afraid that Charles has been writing some nonsense concerning Harriet Welsh which has caused you to write so disrespectfully concerning her Charl’s got hold of my papers and contrary to my most positive orders read them and then wrote you something or other not much to his credit—I therefore beg I may hear no more on this subject I am certainly very sorry to hear that you were so...
84From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 3 July 1820 (Adams Papers)
My intention was to write you tomorrow morning it being the anniversary of your birth and to offer you my congratulations not only to wish you joy upon this occasion but rather to rejoice at the improvement you have made during the last year and to express my hopes that your acquirements during the next may be such both in learning and discretion as will merit my most partial approbation—You...
85From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 24 June 1820 (Adams Papers)
I was seriously concerned to hear of your illness and am still considerably uneasy of lest you should by any imprudence have a relapse and I entreat you will be particularly careful of the Night air—You must write me frequently even if it is only to say “I am well ” as I shall be very anxious for some time I presume you are taking the Bark? what Phyissian attended you? was your complaint...
86From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 19 June 1820 (Adams Papers)
Have you forgotten your Mother my dear John? or do you never mean to write again? I have been long impatiently waiting for Letters now a long time and still meet with disappointment every post—What is the reason you do not write? Edward Taylor can be very punctual. Your father has had a Letter from your Uncle in which he says that in consequence of abusing the privilege of boarding out you are...
87To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 4 June 1820 (Adams Papers)
4 June—Went to Church and heard a Mr: Butler who gave us a very good Sermon the Church was unusually full and it was oppressively warm—The last Sunday Mr: A. heard a Mr Ravenscroft who it appears was converted by his Negroes and has become a very popular preacher—Mr: A—was not very much delighted with him but he is the fashion therefore very fine—Went out to Ride with Mr: A—in the evening— 5...
88To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 20 May 1820 (Adams Papers)
20 May—Mr: A— joined us at dinner and we returned home at ten oclock. Johnson Hellen dined with us he is one of the best bred young men I know of a most amiable character and disposition but of too retired a nature— 21 Was quite as sick all day—In the evening Mr: A— went to sit with Mr: Morton who has been seriously ill for three or four weeks hopes are however entertained of his recovery Mr:...
89To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 13 May 1820 (Adams Papers)
13 Went out to the Capitol to see the Senate with the Ladies after which we visited the Library and took another view of Trumbulls picture—This performed we next went to the Navy Yard—examined the famous Monument—took a look at the Frigate now on the Stocks and after gazing until we were satisfied returned home to dine—In the evening we all went to the French Ministers and passed a charming...
90To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 5 May 1820 (Adams Papers)
5 May—Went out and paid some visits but found the day so unpleasant I soon returned—read Trotters Memoirs of the last years of Charles James Fox which is a miserably poor production—according to my idea written with considerable affectation—I had not much gratification in the perusal of the work— 6 Went to a party at Mrs. de Neuvilles—the party small much curiosity existed concerning the...
91From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 1 May 1820 (Adams Papers)
I have been very unwell and likewise waiting for some answer from your father concerning the books you asked and I have the pleasure to tell you that your father agrees to your demand and will give you the british Theatre— You have apparently forgotten all the Commissions with which you were charged as I have neither heard nor seen any thing of Charles’s Books or the Shells which you promised...
92To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 16 April 1820 (Adams Papers)
16 April—Went to Church at the Capital not full at all. Afterwards paid some visits—The remainder of the day at home— 17 No occurrence of importance—paid some visits and passed the day at home—Mr: A– dined at Mr: Politeca’s the Russian Ministers—the dinner given to Gen Vines the new Spanish Minister—much curiosity and anxiety expressed concerning the Negotiation 18 Went out in quest of company...
93From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 7 April 1820 (Adams Papers)
Your father has requested me to answer your Letter and to inform you that the Hume has already been given to Charles who finished it some time since but he desires me to say that he will give you one of the same if he can procure it or any other book which you may prefer to reward your diligence It therefore depends on you to name what book you wish and he will purchase it. He is doubtful if...
94To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 3 April 1820 (Adams Papers)
3 April—Mr: Lowndes spoke against Mr: Cs resolutions Mr Archer of Virginia is in favour being he made a speech which however did not excite much admiration—He is a disagreeable pedantic prejudiced Virginian—A would be Randolph without merits the most necessary ingredient to promote the likeness— 4. Charles still continues quite an invalid—It was this day that the Debate took place in Congress...
95To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 23 March 1820 (Adams Papers)
23 March—Our City is more and more deeply unwell of fears and gloom and every moment seems to teem with more troubles—A hundred different stories are in circulation concerning this dreadful affair and I am told that his Wife has not seen him since the night before the Duel took place as instead of breakfasting at home he stopped at the Congress Hotel and there ate an unusually hearty meal...
96From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 19 March 1820 (Adams Papers)
I have just received your Letter and am very much pleased to find you all in such good spirits Why George should have roared so at the idea of your fathers dancing I do not know—but he is not the only one so affected for Mr. Walker of the Senate I thought would have fallen on the floor—Washington is becoming quite dull notwithstanding our wedding we are however to have dancing on Tuesday and...
97To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 14 March 1820 (Adams Papers)
14 March—The day was tremendous I therefore did not attempt to go out but dressed to Receive any company altho’ I did not expect any one would venture out on such an evening at eight oclock however as the company began to come and we had to my great astonishment five & twenty persons among whom were Mr: Dowse a Member of Congress related to Mr: Quincy and Mr: Warren—two ladies from New York...
98To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 8 March 1820 (Adams Papers)
8th: March—Was very unwell all the morning and the weather was extremely disagreeable—In the evening went to the Drawing Room which was very full—The wedding much talked of in consequence of which the Russian Minister asked me when they might pay their respects and offer their congratulations I told him I understood they were to receive their friends without form or ceremony I believed in the...
99To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 2 March 1820 (Adams Papers)
2nd. March—Company at dinner consisting of Chief Justice Marshall Justice Washington Justice Todd Justice Story Justice Livingston Mr Story Mr: Ingersoll Mr: Hopkinson Mr: I Ogden Col Taylor General Brown, Col Morrison Gen. Winder & Mr: W Jones—The dinner was pleasant and the Bottle did not circulate too freely—The House was in Session when the Gentlemen arrived—Nothing heard of but Mr:...
100From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 28 February 1820 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter distressed both your father and myself on account of the painful news it contained—but we were neither of us displeased with you as we were perfectly sensible of the motive both of duty and affection by which you were situated—We are still very uneasy at your Grandfathers situation altho I have had a letter from him since the receipt of yours which has induced us to hope that both...