11From John Adams to John Adams, 19 February 1825 (Adams Papers)
I recieved, as usual with great delight your letter of the 12th inst. Your account of all things is satisfactory—but on this great occasion, my dear Grandson, let us all reflect on the obligations this event imposes on us. Our joys ought to be no greater than the joys of the public. We ought all of us to collect ourselves and not suffer a single unbecoming word or action to escape us. A friend...
12From John Adams to John Adams, 26 November 1821 (Adams Papers)
I also am an advocate first for universal suffrage 2dly. for universal emancipation 3dly for universal toleration & fourthly for universal education. But I must still inquire, what is meant by universal suffrage? If reading & writing were necessary, that rule would in the middle ages have excluded all mankind except the clergy and a greater part of them and even Charlemagne himself. I have...
13From John Adams to John Adams, 20 November 1824 (Adams Papers)
Your No 42 has given me pleasure like the rest. I ought to thank you for your assiduity in giving me kind entertainment in so great a number of letters. As you have all the Newspapers, you have all the news that we have and more. New England has settled down in calm satisfaction with her own vote. The circumstance you mentioned of Quincy & Braintree and their unanimnity has delighted me as...
14From John Adams to John Adams, 21 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
Nothing from your Family gives me more pleasure than to hear as I do, that you are a diligent Student and good Schollar. Do you know the meaning, of the Words, Patience of Application ? Patience of Study ? My little reading, you may well Suppose is not fresh in my head: but I remember to have somewhere read that Sir Isaac Newton used to Say that “all he had done in Science was by patient...
15From John Adams to John Adams, April 1818 (Adams Papers)
I am much pleased with your Translation The Character of Anacreon is one of the many Mysteries of Antiquity which the Researches of your whole life will not be able to unridle. He did well to renounce the Heroes for he either knows nothing of the Sons of Atreous of Cadmus the Theban King or of Hercules and his twelve Labours or if he knows any Thing he dared not tell what he knows. It is...
16From John Adams to John Adams, 30 September 1822 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for a pretty volume of Poetic effusions; for want of sight I have not read them, but in those which have been read to me, I perceive nothing inconsistent with morals, on the contrary, a social spirit of charity humanity, and benevolence, Of the Poetical merit I pretend not to be a critical judge. From your name I conjecture that you are a bee, from one of the six swarms , that...
17From John Adams to John Adams, 2 January 1820 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 27th. of December has given me great pleasure—though I shuddered at the idea of the dreadful night you discribed—The Season of the Year concealed the beauties of the Country through which you pass traveled and must have taken away most of the pleasures—But you must have been amply repaied by the joys of meeting your Parents, and Brother, and other friends—A residence in...
18From John Adams to John Adams, 11 December 1825 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your kind Letter—and your Father still more for his permission in permiting you to send me a Copy of his Message, which if it had not been delay’d in Boston, would have reached me before any body else— It is every thing I could wish, or desire it to be, it cannot fail to give general, or, if not, universal satisfaction to the nation, and to all Nations—It proves so particular...
19From John Adams to John Adams, 22 April 1825 (Adams Papers)
You have been the most punctual correspondent that I ever had except your Brother—but for four weeks past I have been constantly disappointed, whenever I have enquired for a Letter from John—but I have constantly been compelled to make an apology by recollecting that you have been overwhelmed with business of more importance to the public, than soothing my curiosity— Yet I never can be easy...
20From John Adams to John Adams, 24 January 1825 (Adams Papers)
Your account of the Death and Character of General R. G. Harper gave me a great deal of pain, he was a man indeed of eminent character and great talents, he made a great figure in Congress and was considered a rival to Mr. Smith, till he was sent to Portugal; I am not able to give you any account of his Parentage, or the place of his birth, or that of his Education; The first that I ever heard...