21Abigail and John Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 12 January 1767 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Etter was so good as to come this morning and inform me that his Sons would go to Salem tomorrow. By them I gladly embrace this Opportunity of inquiring after the welfare of you and your family. It has been a very long time since I heard any thing from you; the roads have been so block’d up with Snow here; that I assure you I have not been to Weymouth since mother came from Salem. They...
22Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 31 January 1767 (Adams Papers)
I have just returnd from Weymouth, where I have been for a week past. It seems lonesome here, for My Good Man is at Boston; after haveing been in a large family, for a week, to come and set down alone is very solitary; tho we have seven in our family, yet four of them being domestick when my partner is absent and my Babe a sleep, I am still left alone. It gives one a pleasing Sensation my Dear...
23Abigail Adams to John Adams, 13 September 1767 (Adams Papers)
The Doctor talks of Setting out tomorrow for New Braintree. I did not know but that he might chance to see you, in his way there. I know from the tender affection you bear me, and our little one’s that you will rejoice to hear that we are well, our Son is much better than when you left home, and our Daughter rock’s him to Sleep, with the Song of “Come pappa come home to Brother Johnny.” Sunday...
24Abigail and John Adams to Isaac Smith Jr., 4 January 1770 (Adams Papers)
I Congratulate you upon the fine weather we have had since your absence; if it has been as favourable to you, as it has been here, you will long Ere this reaches you be safely arrived in Carolina. When you left us, you did not tell me, nor did I know till a few days agone, that you designd a visit to our (cruel) Mother Country, shall I say. I highly approve your design. Now is the best Season...
25Abigail Adams to Isaac Smith Jr., 20 April 1771 (Adams Papers)
I write you, not from the Noisy Buisy Town, but from my humble Cottage in Braintree, where I arrived last Saturday and here again am to take up my abode. “Where Contemplation p l umes her rufled Wings And the free Soul look’s down to pitty Kings.” Suffer me to snatch you a few moments from all the Hurry and tumult of London and in immagination place you by me that I may ask you ten thousand...
26Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 16 July 1773 (Adams Papers)
The kind reception I met with at your House, and the Hospitality with which you entertained me, demands my gratefull acknowledgment. By requesting a correspondence you have kindly given me an opportunity to thank you for the happy Hours I enjoyed whilst at your House. Thus imbolden’d I venture to stretch my pinions, and tho like the timorous Bird I fail in the attempt and tumble to the ground...
27Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 5 December 1773 (Adams Papers)
Do not my Worthy Friend tax me with either Breach of promise; or neglect towards you, the only reason why I did not write to you immediately upon your leaving Town, was my being seized with a Fever which has confined me almost ever since, I have not for these many years known so severe a fit of Sickness. I am now thro’ the favour of Heaven so far restored as to be able to leave my chamber some...
28Abigail Adams to John Adams, 30 December 1773 (Adams Papers)
Alass! How many snow banks devide thee and me and my warmest wishes to see thee will not melt one of them. I have not heard one Word from thee, or our Little ones since I left home. I did not take any cold comeing down, and find my self in better Health than I was. I wish to hear the same account from you. The Time I proposed to tarry has Elapsed. I shall soon be home sick. The Roads at...
29Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 1774 (Adams Papers)
I was yesterday at Weymouth where I received your Letter, and the saffron risbands &c. I thank you and Cousin Betsy both; I expect you a thursday, but from all I can find out, I do not think the visit will be to any purpose; there seems to me to be at present a real aversion to change of state. having quited one has no inclination for an other; so things look to me. I am really sorry upon all...
30Abigail Adams to Catharine Sawbridge Macaulay, 1774 (Adams Papers)
In the last Letter which Mr. Adams had the honour to receive from you, you express a Desire to become acquainted with our American Ladies. To them Mrs. Macaulay is sufficiently distinguished by her superior abilities, and altho she who is now ventureing to address her cannot lay claim to eaquil accomplishments with the Lady before introduced, yet she flatters herself she is no ways deficient...
31Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 27 February 1774 (Adams Papers)
Your agreable favour of January 19 demands from me more than I am able to pay. My coin will have more alloy tho it bears the same Stamp of Friendship with your own. I was not sensible till I received yours that my last Letter to you abounded with so many terrors. I am not Naturally of a gloomy temper nor disposed to view objects upon the dark Side only. I rejoice that all my fears on that...
32Abigail Adams to John Adams, 15 August 1774 (Adams Papers)
I know not where this will find you whether upon the road, or at Phylidelphia, but where-ever it is I hope it will find you in good Health and Spirits. Your Journey I immagine must have been very tedious from the extreem heat of the weather and the dustiness of the road’s. We are burnt up with the drouth, having had no rain since you left us, nor is there the least apperance of any. I was much...
33Abigail Adams to John Adams, 19 August 1774 (Adams Papers)
The great distance between us, makes the time appear very long to me. It seems already a month since you left me. The great anxiety I feel for my Country, for you and for our family renders the day tedious, and the night unpleasent. The Rocks and quick Sands appear upon every Side. What course you can or will take is all wrapt in the Bosom of futurity. Uncertainty and expectation leave the...
34Abigail Adams to John Adams, 2 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
I am very impatient to receive a letter from you. You indulged me so much in that Way in your last absence, that I now think I have a right to hear as often from you as you have leisure and opportunity to write. I hear that Mr. Adams wrote to his Son and the Speaker to his Lady, but perhaps you did not know of the opportunity. Suppose you have before this time received two letters from me, and...
35Abigail Adams to John Adams, 14 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
Five Weeks have past and not one line have I received. I had rather give a dollar for a letter by the post, tho the consequence should be that I Eat but one meal a day for these 3 weeks to come. Every one I see is inquiring after you and when did I hear. All my intelligance is collected from the news paper and I can only reply that I saw by that, that you arrived such a day. I know your...
36Abigail Adams to John Adams, 22 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
I have just returnd from a visit to my Brother, with my Father who carried me there the day before yesterday, and call’d here in my return to see this much injured Town. I view it with much the same sensations that I should the body of a departed Friend, only put of f its present Glory, for to rise finally to a more happy State. I will not despair, but will believe that our cause being good we...
37Abigail Adams to William Tudor, 15 October 1774 (Adams Papers)
I received your very obliging Letter and thank you for the early intelligence of your designed Tour. I could wish to be a fellow Traveller with you; tho I cannot personally partake, of your joyful reception, I feel no small pleasure in the anticipation of yours. I commit to your care a Letter which I would not trust to any hand less safe than yours. You will carry it Sir with my tenderest...
38Abigail Adams to John Adams, 16 October 1774 (Adams Papers)
I dare not express to you at 300 hundred miles distance how ardently I long for your return. I have some very miserly Wishes; and cannot consent to your spending one hour in Town till at least I have had you 12. The Idea plays about my Heart, unnerves my hand whilst I write, awakens all the tender sentiments that years have encreased and matured, and which when with me were every day...
39Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 25 January 1775 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you last Sabbeth evening in a good deal of pertubation of Spirits. I fear I did wrong in sending it you; I then promised to acquaint you with the result as soon as I knew it. Mr. Adams returnd a monday night in order to Relieve me from my apprehensions. It does not appear that there was any premediated design to raise a Tumult. An officer very drunk sallied forth, and was seen in that...
40Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 3 February 1775 (Adams Papers)
The die is cast. Yesterday brought us such a Speach from the Throne as will stain with everlasting infamy the reign of G e orge the 3 determined to carry into Execution “the acts passd by the late parliment, and to Mantain the authority of the Legislature over all his dominions.” The reply of the house of commons and the house of Lords shew us the most wicked and hostile measures will be...
41Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 2 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
What a scene has opened upon us since I had the favour of your last! Such a scene as we never before Experienced, and could scarcely form an Idea of. If we look back we are amazed at what is past, if we look forward we must shudder at the view. Our only comfort lies in the justice of our cause; and in the mercy of that being who never said, “Seek ye me in vain.” These are consolation s which...
42Abigail Adams to John Adams, 4 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have but little news to write you. Every thing of that kind you will learn by a more accurate hand than mine; things remain much in the same situation here that they were when you went away, there has been no Desent upon the sea coast. Guards are regularily kept, and people seem more settled, and are returning to their husbandry.—I feel somewhat lonesome. Mr. Thaxter is gone home, Mr. Rice...
43Abigail Adams to John Adams, 7 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
I received by the Deacon two Letters from you this Day from Hartford. I feel a recruit of spirits upon the reception of them, and the comfortable news which they contain. We had not heard any thing from N. Carolina before, and could not help feeling anxious least we should find a defection there, arising more from their ancient feuds and animosities, than from any setled ill will in the...
44Abigail Adams to Joseph Warren, 13 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
A Brother of Mr. Adams’es who has been a Captain of a Company in this Town, is desirous of joining the Army provided he can obtain a Birth; he would prefer a Majors to any other. As he has not any acquaintance with any Gentleman in the Army, except Coll. Palmer, he requested me to write you a line, in his behalf; he is a person both of steadiness and probity, and if there should be any place...
45Abigail Adams to Edward Dilly, 22 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
Just before Mr. Adams set off upon his journey to Philadelphia he had the pleasure of receiving a Letter from you by way of New York, accompanied with 3 pamphlets. He determined to have wrote you immediately, but two days after he received them, we were by the Hostilities of General Gage thrown into all the horrours and distresses of civil war. Mr. Adams directed me to write you by the first...
46Abigail Adams to John Adams, 24 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
Suppose you have had a formidable account of the alarm we had last Sunday morning. When I rose about six oclock I was told that the Drums had been some time beating and that 3 allarm Guns were fired, that Weymouth Bell had been ringing, and Mr. Welds was then ringing. I immediatly sent of an express to know the occasion, and found the whole Town in confusion. 3 Sloops and one cutter had come...
47Abigail Adams to Eunice Paine, 3 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
So good an opportunity offering, tho I had not wrote before I have detaind the Bearer, just to thank you for your obliging favour, and ask you how you do? I know how much you have sufferd for your Friends, and pitty your distance from them. As news like the Snow Ball, allways gathers according to the distance it passes, we were not so much allarmd here as one would have immagined; but at...
48Abigail Adams to John Adams, 16 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
I set down to write to you a monday, but really could not compose myself sufficently: the anxiety I sufferd from not hearing one syllable from you for more than five weeks; and the new distress ariseing from the arrival of recruits agitated me more than I have been since the never to be forgotten 14 of April. I have been much revived by receiving two letters from you last Night, one by the...
49Abigail Adams to James Bowdoin, 16 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have the Pleasure of acquainting you that I last Evening recieved Letters from Mr. Adams, wherein he informs me that the Congress are determined to support the Massachusetts—that there is a good Spirit among them, and that they have an amazing Field of Business before them—that it is extensive, complicated and hazardous, but their Unanimnity is as great as before—that they have a Number of...
50Abigail Adams to John Adams, 18 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
The Day; perhaps the decisive Day is come on which the fate of America depends. My bursting Heart must find vent at my pen. I have just heard that our dear Friend Dr. Warren is no more but fell gloriously fighting for his Country—saying better to die honourably in the field than ignominiously hang upon the Gallows. Great is our Loss. He has distinguished himself in every engagement, by his...