1From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 22 October 1812 (Adams Papers)
If you had investigated the Question, concerning Possessions or that about matter and Spirit, in your Treatise on the Diseases of the Mind it could have been only, by way of digressions like Swifts digressions concerning Criticks. his digression of the modern kind, his digression in praise of digressions his digression concerning Madness, in the Tale of the Tub: which although they are all...
2From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 12 June 1812 (Adams Papers)
Ask the great Lady, you quoted in your last, whether when I pray for the health of Philadelphia, and that no wasting Sickness may prevail there, I make a Girlish or a boying compliment to Doctor Rush? The next paragraph, requires a graver answer. But a Volume would not suffice. Take a hint.—I have lived among Infidel Philosophers for more than half a Century, and been engaged in continual...
3Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 8 April 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I should not so soon have troubled you with a reply to your friendly favor of Mar. 15. but for your saying that ‘if I wish to look into your work on the diseases of the mind you will send me a copy.’ I read with delight every thing which comes from your pen, and the subject of this work is peculiarly interesting. the book by Bishop Porteous which you were so kind as to inclose me, was safely...
4From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 8 January 1812 (Adams Papers)
I have recd. your favour of the 26th. of Decr. You mention Cobbet. have you read Mr Randolphs Speech? Was there any Thing in Cobbets Writings more envious than that Speech? Now I assure you upon my honour and the Faith of the Friendship between Us; that I never Saw the Face of that Cobbet; that I should not know him if I met him in my Porridge Dish; that I never wrote one Word in his Paper and...
5From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 16 September 1810 (Adams Papers)
I am much obliged by your favour of the 8th. Oh how I wish, I had time to write, and you Patience to read The Anecdots I could dictate concerning “Chapmans” in New England! all “able bodied Men.” I deceived you a little by an Inference of my own from what The Edinborough Reviewers had written. I know not that they have mentioned you by Name or your Works by their Titles: but I read in them “If...
6From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 22 April 1812 (Adams Papers)
Omnicient Jackson Said to me, at his own Table and repeated it at mine in London, that Chatham flattered the Vanity of The Nation and gratified their Passion for War. but that he was a pernicious Minister. David Hartley Said to me often; (it was a favourite Observation with him;) that Chatham was a national Minister, but not a wise Minister. So far, I am out of your debt. I have given you a...
7Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 20 April 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I do not know if you may have noticed in the Newspapers of a year or two ago that Edward Livingston had brought a suit against me for a transaction of the Executive while I was in the administration. the dismission of it has been the occasion of publishing the inclosed pamphlet, which is sent to you, not to be read, for there is nothing enticing for you in it, but as a tribute of respect &...
8From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 2 November 1811 (Adams Papers)
Be pleased to accept my cordial congratulations on the felicity of your Family in the arrival of your Son and Daughter from Europe. The Doctor will be the Staff of your Age and you will be the Guide of his youth. The Daughter and her Infants will be the delights of her Mother as well as her Father. For myself, clothed as I am in the Sable, I may without repining, acknowledge the Seventy Sixth...
9From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 7 November 1812 (Adams Papers)
I am in great perplexity, Every day something Occurs to puzzle my feeble intellect. To whom can I apply for instruction so properly as to you, who are so great a Master: A Nation of Bees in the wilderness in a state of nature, has sagacity enough, to wander about till, they find a hollow tree in which they can be screen’d and sheltered both from the scorching beams of the sun in a summer which...
10From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 28 June 1810 (Adams Papers)
I acknowledge my fault in neglecting to answer two or three of your last favours. I now thank you for the Letters and the “Light and Truth” as I ought used to call the Aurora. What are We to think of all these Adventurers? Tom Paine, Cobbet Duane Carpenter, Walsh, Bristed? with twenty &cas. Are they all Sent out here, by Administration or opposition, French or English, Scotch or Irish? Our...
11From Abigail Amelia Adams Smith to Benjamin Rush, 12 September 1811 (Adams Papers)
you will I hope pardon the Liberty I have taken to address myself to you Sir upon a Subject which has become very interesting to myself. since I have been on a visit to my Parents, I have met with a volume of your Medical inquiries, in which are containd some observations upon the use of Arsenic in the cure of Cancers and schirrous complaints— about May 1810 I first perceived a hardness in my...
12From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 14 November 1812 (Adams Papers)
Your Volume will not produce Answers or Examinations or reflections: but probably Reproaches, vilifications and Lies and Slanders enough. For there are no greater Liars than Men of Science and Letters Taste and Sense. Try His Observation in the civil political ecclesiastical or rather sacerdotal and phylosophical History of Chaldeans Egyptians, Jews Greeks Romans Zingisians Chinese,...
13From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 7 July 1812 (Adams Papers)
If I were as rich as Mr Stephen Gerard or Mr William Gray, I would publish and proclaim offers and promises of Rewards in Gold and Silver, in money and medals, for the best Essays on Several Subjects, Some of which I will now hint without any regard to arrangement. 1. 100 Dollars or Eagles if I could afford them, and a Gold Medal for the best History of our American Navy and its Exploits as...
14From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 25 August 1811 (Adams Papers)
If I could be considered as a Friend to the Family I should Advise the Grand Children of Dr Franklin to divide the Real Estate among them in their several proportions rather than to sell it in order to divide the Money. Not a Liver or a Stiver was ever committed to Dr Franklin or any other Minister of The United States in Europe, “to be employed, in Secret Services to his Country.” The Million...
15Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 5 December 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
While at Monticello I am so much engrossed by business or society that I can only write on matters of strong urgency. here I have leisure, as I have every where the disposition to think of my friends. I recur therefore to the subject of your kind letters relating to mr Adams and myself, which a late occurrence has again presented to me. I communicated to you the correspondence which had parted...
16From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 3 July 1812 (Adams Papers)
Mrs Rush may be assured, that I have no doubt of her Friendship for me. The Familiarities and Jocularities in question have been too often experienced by me, for fifty years, for me to be ignorant of the Spirit of them. I must confess that I have received much good Advice and many wholesome Admonitions and Remonstrances in this Way: as I believe you have too. And We must both of Us confess...
17From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 14 May 1812 (Adams Papers)
When I sat down to write you, yesterday I really intended to write a sober Letter: but fell insensibly into my habitual playful Strain. I will now try the experiment, whether I can write a Serious Letter to you without any thing Sportive or extravagant in it. I cannot See with you that “a declaration of War against France as well as England would probably unite Us.” On the contrary, it appears...
18From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 15 January 1813 (Adams Papers)
You have forgotten, Old Dr Shippen, Dr Franklin, and many others. I have known many Instances. Not to mention General Oglethorpe or a Mrs Cope, or many others. I knew a Miss Sarah Mills married first to Mr Neal and afterwards to Mr Thayer. She pretended to have been one of my Fathers boyish Flames, and upon the strength of this great merit she made me a Visit once a Year, riding down Six or...
19From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 23 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
I agree with Sidney as quoted in your favour of the 13th. That civil War is preferable to Slavery and I add that foreign War and civil War together at the Same time are preferable to Slavery. We hear very often declamations on the demoralizing tendency of War, but as much as I hate War, I cannot be of the opinion, that frequent Wars are So corrupting to human Nature as long Peace. In a Peace...
20From James Madison to Benjamin Rush, 23 October 1809 (Madison Papers)
I duly recd. the two pamphlets which you were so obliging as to inclose me; and had hoped ere this to have had the pleasure of reading them. From a glance at a few pages of the one on the Judiciary subject, I perceive that is very handsomely written at least. The subject of the other I have no doubt is handled in the elegant and philosophical manner so familiar to the pen of the Author. It is...
21From 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...
22From 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...
23From 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...
24From 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...
25Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 17 August 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I write to you from a place, 90. miles from Monticello , near the New London of this state, which I visit three or four times a year, & stay from a fortnight to a month at a time. I have fixed myself comfortably, keep some books here, bring others occasionally, am in the solitude of a hermit, and quite at leisure to attend to my absent friends. I note this to shew that I am not in a situation...
26From 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...
27From James Madison to Benjamin Rush, 30 March 1809 (Madison Papers)
I have been prevented from acknowledging, as soon as I could have wished, your kind favor of the 13th. inst. Under the circumstances my fellow Citizens have thought proper to place me, it is particularly grateful to me, to enjoy the good wishes of the most enlightened and virtuous among them: and above all of those whose long and personal acquaintance gives peculiar value to their favorable...
28From 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...
29From 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...
30From 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...