I have impatiently waited for letters, my best friend, having recieved none, since last Thursday I sincerely lament, having mentioned Georges Cough. which though it still continues, will I fervently hope, not be attended with any bad consequences. I take every possible precaution to prevent it, and by Dr. Welsh’s advice, do not suffer him to go out of the House, unless the weather is very...
42From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 1808 (Adams Papers)
Those of the family who could not attend yesterday at Cambridge yesterday as well as those who did, are very desirious of reading the lecture. if you will be so good as to let William take it, to day, I will return it on Monday. I wish a few of the Reviews if you can spair them. I carried to Town yesterday your Shirt overalls & waistcoat & handkerchiefs which you left here. as mrs Adams was...
Having arrived thus far safely my best friend I write you a few lines merely to inform you that I have borne the journey much better than I could possibly have expected though I find myself unable to proceed as rappidly as I wished we arrived here this morning at two o clock Came by Water from Baltimore with 60 passengers in the Newcastle Packett all Irish just arrived in this Country We left...
44From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 21 November 1805 (Adams Papers)
Your trusty driver took such care of your Letter that he kept it close in his pocket for a whole week after he returnd, untill ragged and dirty it reachd us last Evening 10 days after it was written. it was however very welcome, being the first intelligence which had reachd us of you, from the time you left us.— I requested your Brother to write to you to Philadelphia, as I was unable too,...
The extreme anxiety you appear to suffer, my best friend, causes me great uneasiness; you have alarmed yourself unnecessarily for George, his cough appears to have affected his Lungs considerably, but he has no fever, his appetite is good, and his spirits equally so, he does not lose flesh. Dr. Welsh reccomended his not being exposed to the air, because the weather was excessively severe, and...
46Louisa Catherine Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 May 1804 (Adams Papers)
I sieze the earliest opportunity of answering your very kind letter of the 9 th which I did not recieve untill friday evening owing to a violent of Storm of Thunder and Lightning and the heaviest Rain ever known in this part of the Country by which the roads have been so much injured that the mail was delayed one day I never witness any thing like it M rs. Hellen who continues in a very weak...
Assured that a few lines from me will be acceptable to my best beloved friend on his arrival I seize the earliest opportunity of enquiring after his health and giving the pleasing information of the return to health of our darling Children Poor Kitty is suffers severely for her imprudence she has a large Blister on her side and though not absolutely confined to her Bed it almost amounts to it...
48From William Stephens Smith to John Quincy Adams, 28 November 1805 (Adams Papers)
The Bearer, my very intimate friend General Miranda, proposing to pass a few days at Washington, I must solicit for him, your friendly attentions and civilities. Mrs. S mith . and family are all well, and desire to be particularly remembered to you, Mrs. A, and her dear plump Sister— Should any thing of a public nature command attention; I should be happy to be made acquainted with it, as...
As I know no subject is half so agreeable to you as the Children, I hasten to write you, that they are well, that George attends pretty steadily to his french, though with some reluctance, and John goes to school and is very anxious to overtake George in French, that Papa may bring him a horse. the School Mistress is much delighted with John, she is Cousin to Miss Hanah Adams Mr. T Greenleaf...
50Louisa Catherine Adams to John Quincy Adams, 4 October 1801 (Adams Papers)
I recieved your very kind letter late last night and hasten to answer it although I have already written by this post. You need be under no apprehension about your dear Boy as it is impossible for a child to be in better health and the terrible eruption proved to be nothing more than bug bites he has taken his weaning like a little hero and continues to grow very stout and hearty I talk to him...
I have not recieved a line from friend since you enclosed your very beautiful whom I permitted to read them pleaded so fervently for permission to publish them in his Anthology I could not withstand his entreaty and suffer’d him to have them, you will I am sure if this is a fault on my part excuse it for the goodness of the motive The Children are well, John has been to school to day. I ran...
52William Smith Shaw to John Quincy Adams, 7 January 1804 (Adams Papers)
On my return last evening from Atkinson where I have passed the last eight days in company with your brother Thomas I had the pleasure to receive your letters of the 23 & 24 ul t: with Mr. Tracy’s speech for which I am much obliged to you At present I have only time to say that Mr Stedman was the writer of the letter alluded to in mine of the 13 th — Russel when he shew me the letter did not...
53From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 January 1807 (Adams Papers)
We have had in the Week past the coldest Weather that has been through the winter, yet we have not had Snow enough through the Season to cover the ground. I expet Febry and March will pour upon us the whole quantity which the cold must have engenderd through the Winter. The Season has been very healthy. few cold’s or coughs. George after spending a fortnight with me and getting quite rid of...
I still continue as well and better than we could reasonably expect my best beloved friend and shall write two or three lines merely to announce this I know to you pleasing intelligence. My milk as yet gives me no trouble and I hope I shall escape without the usual difficulties and I have had no fever whatever My time was a very bad one and lasted 20 hours Twelve hours more would have...
55From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 December 1804 (Adams Papers)
You have been so good in writing to your Father and Brother that I ought not to complain that you have not particularly addrest a Letter to me, tho I wanted to know how George was grown, and whether he rememberd you and what he had to say to you. John I think you told me was quite different in his temper and disposition, more sturdy and harder to manage. these are subjects much more...
I hasten to answer the few lines I recieved from you this Morning to assure you that we are all rappidly recovering from the different indispositions which I mention’d in my last and I am regaining my strength I mention’d that my illness was owing to a kick but I find it is the opinion of the Dr. & Nurse that the injury which was very evident in the Child must have been done by a fall which I...
57From Walter Hellen to John Quincy Adams, 9 July 1807 (Adams Papers)
As the British have blockaded the Chesapeak it has deprived us in this Quarter of any conveyance to Europe; will you therefore my dear sir be good enough to forward the enclosed letter by the first vessel going from your place to any part of Holland—as its early conveyance under present circumstances may be of considerable consequence to me— You will observe from the Papers how indignant the...
Your favour of the 9th my best friend which is the first letter I have recieved from you since you left me found the Family nearly recover’d restored to usual health excepting Charles whose Cough still afflicts him and whose eyes are again very much affected which renders me a little apprehensive of another attack this symptom having generally been a of a threatning nature however I hope for...
59From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, February 1809 (Adams Papers)
The Saturday after you left Boston, I went to Town, and brought up George. he went the next week to his uncle Cranch’s, and goes daily to school to mr Whitney. he appears well pleased, and learns to the Satisfaction of mr Whitney as I hear, who has put him into Lattin, which George Says is not so hard as French, in his French Bible his Aunt hears him daily. he is a Good Boy, save now and then,...
60From William Steuben Smith to John Quincy Adams, 6 April 1806 (Adams Papers)
my son John graduates at this College the next Commencement—I am so occupied and shall continue so for some time to come, in the final arrangement of my affairs, that I shall not be able, and sufficiently composed, to give him the aid that he may require, in composing an English oration for him to deliver on that day— Will you do me the favour to write one on such a subject, as will instruct,...
I have just recieved your letter of the 5, my beloved friend, and can only lament, that the extreme irregularity of the Mails, should have caused you unnecessary anxiety. I have written to you twice, and trust ere this, your mind is perfectly at ease on our account. I am sorry however, to be obliged to tell you, that George has a very bad Cough, and that I am very unwell with a Sore Throat,...
Percieving from your last letter my beloved friend that you suffer great anxiety concerning Charles; I can with pleasure assure you, that he is very fat, very handsome, and apparently very well; though he still has the Cough which is sometimes very troublesome. Your Mother is recovering slowly and all the rest of our family are in good health— Your father was in Town yesterday and brought...
I this morning recieved your favor of the 12 which afforded me the satisfaction of knowing that you were well & regret very sincerely the strange remissness of the Mails for which I can no way account— I made my first payment to Mr. Gulliver as you directed. Mr. Shaw inform’d me to day he should bring me the money from Mr. Bradford in the course of a Week he is so much occupied in attending...
I last night recieved your truely tender and kind letter words cannot describe the feelings with which I read it my heart swelled with gratitude and love and I almost ceased to think the stroke so bitter which proved to me how dear I am to your heart. Your plan is so perfectly agreeable that I beg you will take the house and if possible have it prepared and my Children with you by the time I...
Accept my best beloved friend the sincere congratulations of your wife whose prayers are humbly offered to the author of all good for your happiness and to grant you many many happy returns of this day that it may be the last which we may pass in affliction and separated— This day poor little Archibald was consign’d to the earth close by our dear little babe and poor Boyd and his wife are in...
66Catherine Nuth Johnson to John Quincy Adams, post 4 July 1803 (Adams Papers)
last Evenings Mail brought presented me your Welcome letter, announceing the pleasing intelligence of my dear Louisa’s of the Safety of My Beloved Child Permit me to offer my sincere Congratulations on this happy event the memorable day which gave him Birth to the little stranger is I hope a Presage to his own Independence, the greatest Blessing, (health Excepted) this World has the Power to...
67Louisa Catherine Adams to John Quincy Adams, 14 August 1804 (Adams Papers)
I recieved your very kind letter of the 3 d on Sunday evening & was inexpressibly shocked at the melancholy news it contain’d 1 Poor M rs: Sargent. I most sincerely sympathize with you my beloved friend in grief for her early death amiable & lovely as she was every ene who has seen her must deplore her loss but you my best friend who have known her so long and once loved her so well must...
I last evening recieved your almost unkind letter which was brought me by your brother & Mr Shaw the latter came to town to attend Selfridges trial which I understand commenced yesterday he looks very well and says our friends in Quincy are all in good health I have not seen them since my residence in Town Caleb is so bad a driver they cannot send for us I am really hurt at the stile of your...
Your letters of 17th 18th 19th were brought me on Friday, the information they contain’d, must plead my apology, my best friend, for not writing immediately, but the Shock was so great, I felt totally incapacitated for the exertion, which it required. Your Mother & Father came to see us yesterday, having hear’d of our loss. Alas my beloved friend, three times in the last twelve months, as it...
70From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 27 February 1807 (Adams Papers)
I fully designd writing to you so that my Letter should have reachd you at Washington, but ten days of very severe sickness has prevented me from holding a pen, and now I do it against many expostulations. I duly received your two kind Letters, and thank you for them. Mrs Adams Caroline and the two Boys made me a very pleasent visit of a fortnight. I enjoyd their society in my usual health,...