11John Quincy Adams to William Cranch, 31 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
I now Sit down with an intent to give you an account of the Place I dind at yesterday doctor Franklin his son a young Gentleman & I went to Place Calld montmartre at the Castle of the Count Brancard & dind there with him and some other Gentleman & Ladies, from which Place there is a most Beautiful Prospect of the City. On this hill the famous king henry the 4th incamped his army when he laid...
12John Quincy Adams to Lucy Cranch, 1 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
I having wrote Twice to your brother & not having yet wrote to you I now take a pen into my hand to write a few Lines to you to inform you of a Little excursion I took last. Mr. Lee his nephew My Pappa & I went to the theatre Calld the Italien Comedy where we had the women & the Secrets of which we See but very Little the next was Silvain in which the Scene represented on one side an old house...
13John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 5 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
it is witth great Pleasure that I now Sit down to write a few Lines to you to inform you of my hea l th & Situation which I like pretty well but I had by much rather be amongst the rugged rocks of my own native town than in the gay city of Paris. yesterday my Pappa received a large number of news papers from america but the 2 armys were then in the Same posture as they were when we came but I...
14John Quincy Adams to Charles Adams, 6 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
I often envy you the pleasure you enjoy in being at a place where you with pleasure look around you upon the rugged rocks & homly pastures & what is of more Consequence you can Converse with Mamma Sister & brother these are pleasures that are not exceeded by all the gaiety & riches of europe. your buisiness & mine are upon the Same foundation to qualify ourselves to be useful members of...
15John Quincy Adams to Charles Adams, 7 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
we being so far from one another that I cannot Leave my pen out of my hand & I hope that my Letters will not be troublesome to you Yesterday my Pappa received a number of news papers from america in one of which I read that you had got an account of doctor Franklins being asasinated but I beg you would not regard any of those Storys, of which I expect you will hear a great number give my duty...
16John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 11 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
to day my Pappa received a Letter from you which I had the honour of seeing in which you mentioned your being struck with the account of dotor Franklins being assasinated but that Story like many others I Suppose arose from those set of People who pretend to be the best Lovers of their Country when they are all the time a seeking her ruin in your Letter you said you wrotee to my Pappa in...
17John Quincy Adams to John Thaxter, 22 July 1778 (Adams Papers)
It is with great pleasure That I write to you who have been so good and kind to me for which I fear I Shall never be able to repay you. I wrote to you just before I came from america which you have not answer’d but my Pappa received one from you about a week ago in which you said you was so much hurried that you could not write to me for which I was very Sorry for I Should take a great deal of...
18John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 11 August 1778 (Adams Papers)
you will pardon me if I do not write to you very often for you know how I used to teaze you to write a copy of a letter for me but now I do not have you to write and my Pappa being always a doing publick affaires or a writing to you cannot do it for me, so that I am obliged to think myself, sometimes I think of a few words to write but you know I am no great hand at letter writing for if I was...
19John Quincy Adams to Elizabeth Cranch, 14 August 1778 (Adams Papers)
by your desire I now sit down to write a few lines to you and not yet having wrote to you I cannot let this oportunity pass without writing. my Pappa has received two or three packets from my mamma in which she said our family and Freinds were all well as I hope this will find them. I have nothing material to write having given an account of my voyage and travels to my Mamma. I am your...
20John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 27 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
My Pappa enjoins it upon me to keep a journal, or a diary, of the Events that happen to me, and of objects that I See, and of Characters that I converse with from day, to day, and altho I am Convinced of the utility, importance, & necessity, of this Exercise, yet I have not patience, & perseverance, enough to do it so Constantly as I ought. My Pappa who takes a great deal of Pains to put me in...
21John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams 2d, 27 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
it is some time since I wrote you a Letter & if I should neglect it a great while longer you would have no right to complain because you have been negligent in writing to me. however I think I will not take advantage of you. But what Subject Shall I write you upon as you have now the honour to be miss in her your teens I suppose you begin to look about the world for Diversion if you was here...
22John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 1 October 1778 (Adams Papers)
As my thoughts are Principally busied upon the French tongue, & as I wish you to turn yours the same way, earlier than I did, I cannot think of a Subject to write to you upon more agreable & useful both to you & me than this: Pappa who has an opportunity of Conversing with many men of Learning in this Kingdom, among the phisiciens & Lawyers, as well as eclesiasticks, of various orders,...
23John Quincy Adams to Charles Adams, 2 October 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have been thinking of a subject for a letter to you, & I can find none more agreable than that which is the constant employment of my thoughts, I mean the French Language, & as you will very soon begin the same study, it will be profitable to you as well as to myself, to sketch a little plan for the more easy & effectual acquisition, of so elegant & useful accomplishment, as that of reading,...
in my last letter to you of Septr. the 30th I promised you to sketch a plan for learning French and in a letter to Tommy I promised him a list of books such a list will fullfill my Promise to both I will therefore send a Copy of this letter to each of you. The grammers in common use in america are Boyer Chambaud & Tandam every one of which is imperfect and inaccurate in addition to these I...
25John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 2 December 1778 (Adams Papers)
I just now recd. your Letter of septr. ye 29th and read it with great pleasure in which you say you think that writing is not a la mode de paris. on the contrary I have wrote very often to you whether they have fail’d, or whether they have been taken by the English I do not know but your Letters have been more lucky than my Pappa’s and mine for to day is the 2d time that I have received a...
26John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 2 December 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have just now wrote to my Brother charles & you would not like it if I did not write to you also. but now I have my pen in my hand what shall I write you about for you do not encourage by writing to me; you should ask mamma to write for you I have wrote very often to you but Mamma says that you have not recd. but once from me but I hope that you have recd. some more before now surely you...
27John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 26 December 1778 (Adams Papers)
it is now with Great Pleasure that I now sit down to write to you & many a time since I came here I have done the same though you say in several Letters that i.e. to My Pappa that you have not rec’d but two or three Letters from My Pappa or me but Pappa rec’d a Letter from Uncle Smith Dated November the 3th in which he says that he had taken a Number of Letters for the family Yours have been...
28[Back Cover] (Adams Papers)
Mamma | | Letters to America Sister | Mamma | Brother | Sister | | Mr. Thaxter | | | | | | | | | | | | Tommy | Uncle Smith | Harry Warren | Pappa | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Josh Green | Charles | | | | | | | | | | | | | Cousin Billy | Col. Jonno | | Cousin Lucy Sammy | | | | | | | | | | | | George Warren
29John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 February 1779 (Adams Papers)
I have now the pleasure to acquaint you some news which will be agreable to you. Yesterday morning an extroadinary express from England has brought this news that on Friday 12 i n st. the Populace of London put fire to the hotels of North, Sandwich, Germaine, and Paliseer which was consumed and that at the Moment of the depart of the Letter it went so well that they did not know where it would...
30John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 20 February 1779 (Adams Papers)
I last night had the honour of reading a letter from you to my Pappa dated Jany. 4th. in which you complain much of my Pappa’s not writing. He cannot write but very little because he has so many other things to think of, but he can not let slip one opportunity without writing a few lines and when you receive them you complain as bad or worse than if he had not wrote at all and it really hurts...
31To Benjamin Franklin from John Quincy Adams, 12 April 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Dartmouth College Library I am obliged to you, for the Mention you have been so good as to make of me in several of your letters to my Pappa, whom I have accompanied to Brest & back to Nantes. I hope you have recovered a perfect state of Health & that you will enjoy it a long time. I beg of you to remember me respectfully to Mr Franklin & affectionately to Mr Benjamin. I have wrote...
32[November 1779] (Adams Papers)
Titlepage and cover for JQA ’s early Diary, designated D/JQA/1 by Adams editors to indicate the first of the individual Diary books, booklets, or miscellaneous fragments. This Diary booklet, which measures approximately 7″ × 4¾″, consists of eleven leaves of paper folded over and stitched. Bound in with the sheets is a paper cover, and each page has been ruled off with a margin by JQA , in...
33[Titlepage and Cover] (Adams Papers)
Titlepage and cover for JQA ’s early Diary, designated D/JQA/1 by Adams editors to indicate the first of the individual Diary books, booklets, or miscellaneous fragments. This Diary booklet, which measures approximately 7″ × 4¾″, consists of eleven leaves of paper folded over and stitched. Bound in with the sheets is a paper cover, and each page has been ruled off with a margin by JQA , in...
34[Revised Titlepage] (Adams Papers)
Revised titlepage located on the inside front cover of D/JQA/1. This titlepage and the first page of entries in the Diary are reproduced in this volume (see the Descriptive List of Illustrations, No. 1).
351779 November Friday 12th. (Adams Papers)
This Morning at about 11 o clock I took leave of my Mamma, my Sister, and Brother Tommy, and went to Boston with Mr. Thaxter, in order to go on board the Frigate the Sensible of 28 twelve Pounders. We arrived at Boston at about 1 o clock; dined at my uncle Smiths’, we expected to go on board in the afternoon but We could not conveniently—till to morrow. It was not until 30 July 1784 that JQA...
36Saturday 13th. (Adams Papers)
To day at about 1 o clock Pappa, and my Brother Charles, came to town, and at about 5 o clock we all went came on board and took our lodgings. My Brother Charles is to lodge with My Pappa and I with Mr. Thaxter. Immediately after Charles’ name, JQA placed a superscript number, the first of a series following the names of those referred to in the entries of 13–15 and 20 Nov. Such numbers, which...
37Sunday 14th. (Adams Papers)
This morning a great number of Gentlemen came on board, and amongst others Col Johonnot, with a son, of his who is a going to France with us. There are a great number of Passengers and the Frigate is very well mann’d. Col Johonnot introduced me to his son, with whom I hope I shall form, an acquaintance, which will be very agreable to me and I hope I shall endeavour to make myself agreable to...
38Mond 15th. (Adams Papers)
This morning a brig and a schooner went out I suppose after wood to the eastward. About 8 o clock the Gentlemen went to breakfast. Sammy Charles and I dont breakfast with them. About ten o clock we set sail in company with a brig which is to carry back the Pilot and the Courier De L’Europe who came from France with us. About half after three the Pilot went away from us; he told us he would...
39Thursday 18th. (Adams Papers)
Yesterday and day before there was nothing remarkable only that all day yesterday there was a calm but last night it freshen’d and now we have a Gale of wind.
40Friday 19th. (Adams Papers)
12 o clock. The Gale continues. Nothing else remarkable. 6 o clock. The wind has abated a great deal. There is now only a fresh breeze of wind.