1From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 3 January 1813 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your care of my Letters those that I mist, which you put in the Book were found. Mr Beal deliverd your Note. I had a Letter a fortnight Since from Adelaid in which She Says, mr Hellens Health has been the cause, why the connection is deferd I have my doubts whether it will ever take place. Abbe mentiond to me that Eliza Guild had written you that She heard E M—was engaged to S,...
2From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 9 March 1813 (Adams Papers)
This mornings post, brought your Letter of march 3d with the inclosure, which I shall forward by the next mail, I thank you for the entertainment it afforded, it will answer a two fold purpose, that of letting me know the incidents of your journey, and your progress through it, and afterwards—giving a similar gratification to the Friends at the Valley, I beleive I must agree with you to...
3From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 7 July 1813 (Adams Papers)
I inclose you two Letters received yesterday I do hope that John will be able to comply with and accomplish the only wish which he Says his Mother has, that of getting to her Fathers House once more. altho he Says She has mended for these two last weeks, yet he give me no hopes that the complaint in her Breast is not Such as must prove fatal. Nancy writes that it is one hard cake—my mind is...
4From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 18 March 1814 (Adams Papers)
The Sermon’s were returnd without my thanks which should have accompanied them, with expressions of pleasure confirmation and improvement, which I derived from the perusal of them. they discover a maturity of thought reflection, and research which do honourto the writer. Your society have every prospect, of consolation from the Character, tallents, and Superiour endowments of their present...
5From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 22 March 1814 (Adams Papers)
I received your note of Monday I believe, as well as a very kind and friendly Letter previous to that, the note in which your feelings so powerfully opperated, I have put to rest as you desird. Caroline has quieted your mind, I trust upon some subjects, as the communications have given, much satisfaction to me. so far so good, yet there are many things yet to be learnt, respecting disposition...
6From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 8 September 1814 (Adams Papers)
I send you a Letter by mr Crufts this day received from Caroline. I had a few lines from her saying she was well, and longing to hear from us at Quincy. she had not then received my second Letter or Susans. I thank you for the papers & for the Nutmegs; I send by mrs Cruft the money for them. I hope for Letters by the J Adams and certainly shall have some, we must wait with patience for the...
7From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 15 September 1814 (Adams Papers)
What a Sad time our good Friends have for their journey. I think they will not travel in such weather, tomorrow I expect to learn something from them, I did not look for any thing on thursday. I feel rather more tranquil than when you left us, the not less solitary, and lonely, for Susan is gone to stay with her Aunt. We have been cheered by the accounts shocking as it is to humanity, at the...
8From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 21 September 1814 (Adams Papers)
dissapointment after dissapointment—no Letter not a line from Dear Caroline. it cannot be that she has not written. She knows how anxious her Friends here must be to hear from her: I strive to imitate her even and quiet temper, when dissapointments of a Similar kind occured to her can you tell whether the carriage which took them on, is returnd may hap. the Man might have a Letter, and forget...
9From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 30 October 1814 (Adams Papers)
I have read your Letter, and see nothing to amend or alter, thank you for the communication. I coverd yesterday to you a Letter received from Caroline the P. in taking off the cover, tore the seal which was attachd to the paper, but none of us peaped— I only had a few lines saying she would write to me soon— I could not find a conveyance yesterday, I send it to day with a number of...
10From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 3 November 1814 (Adams Papers)
This is a strange world, or rather strange folks make it so, to render the drama compleat. Lodgings were taken at Mrs Blacks before I returnd home from an afternoons visit which I had been making, when I returnd, I found the new married couple, and Mrs A. Abbe met me at the gate and we cordially and affectionatly greeted each other, when I went in I received Mrs A. kindly, altho it was Stately...
11From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 16 November 1814 (Adams Papers)
Feeling a little in the dumps, the why, or the wherefore I cannot tell, excepting a crick in my neck, & pain in my head, to cure all I take my pen to write you a few lines and inclose the , which Susan finished but has not had a conveyance for; so I send them by post and to make you laugh send you O an abominable wagish Letter I had almost said wicked, but then it made me laugh so, that I was...
12From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 8 December 1814 (Adams Papers)
I have been intending to write to you, and thank you for the loan of mr Everets Sirmon which I was loth to part with I heard it read once, and twice I read it myself, each time with new pleasure. I intended transcribing a part of it, but neglected it. The Letters received to night were of a month older date than those received by the Chancy. Mr A’s Letters are all interesting. this shows the...
13From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 23 December 1814 (Adams Papers)
The black hair Ribbon is just what was wanted, I thank you for thinking of it. I Should like 8 yds I believe of the Banbest like the pattern inclosed; I like the colour better; tho the Cloth is not quite so fine—they are not any so good, as I had last winter in Black. amongst the , is there not any Colevain Cotton Shirting like what I bought there winters ago, it was yd Wide at 8/9. I do not...
14From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 27 January 1815 (Adams Papers)
Here we are, Seated by the fire Side, viz Sir myself and Louisa, Susan gone to her uncles, mrs Adams and mrs Stebins came for her this afternoon. now look in upon us, the Segar going, Louisa with her Needle, I with my pen, missing dear Harriet, and wishing She was with us. for want of her, I read loud Six weeks in paris , and made myself So hoars; that to day I am obliged to keep as close as a...
15From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, February 1815 (Adams Papers)
I inclose to you mr Adams’s Letter of Novbr 23. the peace was it seems as unexpected to him a month previous to its taking place, as it has been to us— The passage markd begining “it is mortifying to” &c to the close which is also marked, you may give to the public, as an extract of a Letter from an American gentleman abroad to his Friend in America, and that respecting washington.— you will...
16From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 4 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
I received last Evening, all the articles you were so kind as to purchase for me. they were perfectly to my mind, and your Mem. accurate, expect in one particular, which was Seventy 5 cts Sent back to me by Charles, which is not charged, and which I Shall insist upon your doing, because I will not allow of any Such pranks—let me be proud as well as you. I also am daily calling upon you for...
17From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 8 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
Your Theological queries, you must consult with your Learned minister. I am not able to solve them. there is certainly a difference in the two tables, in the new Testament. I do not recollect but one reference to the ten Commandments That is in the tenth chapter of Luke, when the Lawyer consulted our Saviour, asking what he Should do to Inherit Eternal Life verse 26 & 27 & 28th He said unto...
18From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 17 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
I received the Silk and chalk this mor’g on Wednesday. I wrote you and inclosed to you mr Adams Letter of 25 Novbr to me. Charles was just going to the post office with it when mr Shaw drove up, and Stoped him. I opend the Letter to show him and gave it him with my cover upon his promise to perform part of what I had committed to you. he was then to leave the Letter with you. in that you will...
19From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 21 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
It was not untill the afternoon of yesterday that the post of Saturday reachd Quincy, and then it was the labour of an hundred Men to dig there way through. the high wind of yesterday has lowerd the Snow banks, and admits of some passing today and the South wind brings us the Ringing of your Bells, and the South Roar of the Cannon, from which we conclude that the Ratification of the Treaty has...
20From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 24 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
It was not untill after Susan returnd last evening, that I received your Letter of Saturdays date, oweing to the Severity of the Storm, we neither got our Saturdays, Patriot, nor yet our Wednesdays altho we Sent to the office for it. accordingly I never Saw the extract; we never wanted to see the papers more than last week, and never were more dissappointed. the news of Peace seemd to distract...
21From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 1 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
I shall send George tomorrow by the stage and will be much obliged to your Father if he will go with him to the Tailors. I think the cloth had better be spunged, but he can be measured and the Coat snt out afterward. the patterns you sent were not equal to the cloth you procured before. I Should like to have the cloth fine as Can be had for ten dollars pr yd. cannot you send me Caroline’s...
22From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 3 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
I beleive the post Man thinks us very importent correspondents, as we observed that it was well the P had the priviledge of Franking. I have no Scruples upon that head as it is the only gratuity his country ever bestowed upon him. I mean to place a high value upon it, by as frequent a use of it as I have occasion for—George got home Safe altho through mud Snow and water. the day is now...
23From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 5 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
Last Evening I received your Letter with the inclosurs. I wrote to you on fryday, but the post did not go, and the Letters were taken in yesterday mor’g by Thayer: I presume you got it after you had written to me— Mr Adamss Letter was written the day the peace was signd. it contains this passage which I should like to have inserted in the paper, as an extract from one of the Ministers to his...
24From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 9 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
Louisa is just gone to Bed, She has not been So well to day. her flesh all rises upon her in puffs, & her feet swell, cough is better. but her limbs pain her Sadly She cannot take a mouthful Bread, tried it—to day & worried her Sadly—dr forbids her—I have fears for her which I do not express. I Send the Review, but have not had time to looke into it, you will return it me when you please Mr Mc...
25From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 15 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
you and your Mother have been So frequently in the pratcise of fitting out your Brothers for voyages that you know better than I do, what will be necessary for the Boys; will you recollect, and tell me. I have been thinking, one Suit of cloaths, beside those which they will wear at Sea, will be enough. George must have a new great Coat, and John can take his. how many Shirts a peice will be...
26From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 11 April 1815 (Adams Papers)
I inclose you a pattern of Ribbon of which I should like a peice if my wants have not already out now my Credit. if so only get me 8 Yds— I want to know how George & Susan succeeded, the morning was so dreary, that fearing worse weather the P. and Louisa were discouraged, and when G. and Susan determined upon going, Louisa was unhappy that she did not go in yesterday with her Brothers and have...
27From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 11 April 1815 (Adams Papers)
I would not have you expose yourself to go out in the rain, but when you do go out, John prays you not to forget the Shawl. I do not know if I mentiond half a pd wick yarn be so good as to look for black bombazeen I am told it is better for a pelise than Silk—the weather promises So bad & the roads so heavey that the P—— is discouraged from going. my Spirit will be with them altho my Body is...
28From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 13 April 1815 (Adams Papers)
I did not think of your not returning again the next day when you left me, altho we miss you, much yet we know you cannot be in both places at once, but wherever you are, you are doing good, and this is the true end of Life. Thus thought the Dear departed Friend I mourn. Sav’d the parting pangs, and the final adieu. She seems like Enoch, to have been translated. Mrs Shaw writes, that when the...
29From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 15 April 1815 (Adams Papers)
I send the Boys to your and your Fathers kind care. I hope they will not be obliged to stay long before they embark John thinks he must have a black handkerchief. the Ribbon you sent I took for my Bonnet. I want they should have their hair cut. If they do not go immediatly on Board, I would have them call at mr Smiths, at mr Quincys at mr Halls and mrs Otis’s keep them in good order, and make...
30From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 16 April 1815 (Adams Papers)
Susan would insist, that she saw the packet go out about 8 oclock this morning. I hope it was so for the wind was fine, and has continued so all day. our prayers follow them. I should have sent Charles in, with a small key which I fear George left belonging to a small Box. did he say any thing respecting It? This will be a memorable day to me, the return of the Sabbeth, upon which the pure...