1Abigail Adams to John Adams, 13 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have lived to see the close of the third year of our seperation. This is a Melancholy Anniversary to me; and many tender Scenes arise in my Mind upon the recollecttion. I feel unable to sustain even the Idea, that it will be half that period e’er we meet again. Life is too short to have the dearest of its enjoyments curtaild. The Social feelings grow Callous by disuse and lose that pliancy...
2Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 17 March 1798 (Adams Papers)
A private opportunity offering by way of Hamburgh to write to you, I eagerly embrace it, and hope it may reach you safely notwithstanding the various Chances it may run. your arrival at Berlin was made known to us from your Letters to the secretary of state of Nov’ br the 10th and 17 th . no private Letter has yet been received, nor the publick Letter which you mention having written from...
3Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 8 January 1782 (Adams Papers)
Yes I have been Sick confined to my chamber with a slow fever. I have been unhappy through anxiety for my dear Boy, and still am apprehensive of our terrible coast should he come upon it, besides the tormenting cruizers infest our Bay with impuinity and take every thing. You have heard I suppose that the passengers all left the Ship and went to Bilboa upon Gillions abusive treatment of them....
4Abigail Adams to William Smith Shaw, 20 March 1798 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter of Jan’ry 23 d and was gratified to find your Hand writing improving. I know you are attentive to what is passing in the political World, indeed who can be an indifferent Spectator, in Times so critical, so allarming and so big with Concequences as the present? I send you a late publication under the signature of scipio, [ “ ]Reflections on Monroe’s view of the conduct...
5Abigail Adams to Elizabeth Smith Shaw, 10 March 1787 (Adams Papers)
Tho I have already acknowledged all your Letters, I will not let captain Scoet sail without a few lines from me, I had not time to write you by Barnard, but Cushing had Letters for you I write now to inform you, that the more quarrelsome and turbulent you grow, the more anxious I am to be with you, not that I think it pleasent fishing in troubled waters, but because immagination paints higher...
6Abigail 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...
7Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 30 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
At length the mistery is unravelld, and by a mere accident I have come to the knowledge of what you have more than once hinted at. A Letter of Mrs. Shippen addressed to Mrs. A. but without any christian Name or place of abode, was put into my Hands Supposed for me, I opened and read it half through before I discoverd the mistake. Ought Eve to have laid it by then when so honestly come at? But...
8Abigail Adams to Jeremy Belknap, 5 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
The President received yesterday your obliging favour of May 29 th: accompanied by two of your Fast Sermons. permit me sir to be the organ of his acknowledgment to you for them; A Friend had Sent him one a week before; which he read with pleasure and Satisfaction. It is indeed, a consolatary reflection amidst the weight of cares which press upon him from every quarter and the dangers which...
9Abigail Adams to John Adams, 25 February 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have not any Letter from you of a later date than the 9th; you was then unwell. I have one from william of the 12th. as he does not mention your being still indisposed I hope it was only occasiond by the Thaw, and the close air of the Theatre. I have myself been confined for a week, but got down stairs yesterday, and hope I have parted with some of my bad humours , by the application of...
10Abigail Adams to John Adams, 17 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
I received your two kind favours last Evening of march 2 d & 8 th . the seasons I belive have been very near alike both here and with you. we have had several days of warm & muggy weather, the Ground thawing the slug & miller very industerous, and as the Scripture assures us that tis Lawfull to do good upon the Sabbeth, my people are employd in Annoying these destructive Enemies, who make not...
11Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 8 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
I received Yesterday Yours of May 28 th I inclose you the account of Money sent you, including what is now in this Letter. if I should not remit you any more untill I come; I will then Settle the remainder. I do not expect to leave here untill the first of July. I shall rejoice if it may be then. I have wanted the P——t to get you to draw for 2000 dollors which I think might be spaird, and to...
12Abigail Adams to John Adams, 11 February 1784 (Adams Papers)
Two days only are wanting to campleat six years since my dearest Friend first crost the Atlantick. But three months of the Six Years have been Spent in America. The airy delusive phantom Hope, how has she eluded my prospects. And my expectations of your return from month to month, have vanished “like the baseless Fabrick of a vision.” You invite me to you, you call me to follow you, the most...
13Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 15 March 1784 (Adams Papers)
As I did not write you by the last conveyance I will not omit the present. I supposed your sister had got a Letter for You, but I found afterwards that she did not send it, because she could not please herself. This Week I received your trunk which Mr. Dana brought with him. You cannot conceive the pleasure I took in looking it over. The Books it is true were in a language that I understand...
14Abigail Adams to John Adams, 19 February 1797 (Adams Papers)
It was not till last Evening that I received Your Letters of Febry 2 d 4 & 7 th . the post did not get in which was Due on twesday till Saturday. I do not know how to pass a week without hearing from You. I received newspapers to the Tenth. in those I have an account of the Declaration. it was a Solemn Scene to You, and an affecting one. You will find by my Letter of the 8 th that I was with...
15Abigail Adams to John Adams, 4 [December] 1796 (Adams Papers)
The Weather has been & held so uncommonly cold ever since you left Me, that I had no expectation of getting a line from you untill you reachd N york, but that line I have not yet received, and by this Time I presume you have reachd the city of Sedition, the Hot bed of France; I wrote you this Day week, and inclosed to you our Sons Letters. Gen ll Lincoln & mrs Lincoln Dined with Me yesterday...
16Abigail Smith to John Adams, 15 April 1764 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Cranch informs me that Hones will go to Town tomorrow, and that I may not miss one opportunity, have now taken my pen to thank you for yours by Tom, and also for that which I have just now received by Mr. Ayres. You seem in high Spirits at which you know I rejoice. Your minute description of the persons you have seen, are very entertaining to me. I cannot consent you should omit writing,...
17Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 20 January 1799 (Adams Papers)
I Congratulate you my dear son, upon your safe arrival in your Native Country; and myself that I have the prospect of seeing you again, a prospect which for many Months I had no hopes of realizing, as your Father can inform you, and to the very low state of my Health, it is oweing that I cannot so soon as I wish enjoy the pleasure of Welcomeing you Home; and meeting you at Philadelphia, where...
18Abigail Adams to Samuel Adams, 30 July 1779 (Adams Papers)
As your good Lady had promised me the favour of a visit before your return to your Native Town, give me leave sir to request a compliance with the promise and that you would do me the Honour of accompanying her here. I wish sir to be informed by you with regard to the situation of my absent Friend and what congress propose to do with him. The publication of a report of a committe of Congress...
19Abigail Adams to John Adams, 24 October 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received Yours last Evening of the 21st, when on the road; I could not write; I was generally so fatigued by Evening as to wish to get to Bed. we rose early and as soon we could get Breakfast sat out upon our days journey, at noon we usualy stopd two Hours; to feed ourselves and horses; and my Lame animal was a constant anxiety to me; I have got him here, and John has Physick him, and bled...
20Abigail Adams to John Adams, 22 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Lorthorp call’d here this Evening and brought me yours of the 1 of October a day which will ever be rememberd by me, for it was the most distressing one I ever experienced. That morning I rose and went into my Mothers room, not apprehending her so near her Exit, went to her Bed with a cup of tea in my hand, raised her head to give it to her, she swallowed a few drops, gaspd and fell back...
21Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 23 January 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received with Sincere pleasure the confirmation of your Safe arrival in your Native Land, from under your own Hand yesterday by post. oweing to Bad Roads, the post from N york did not arrive untill twesday, tho due on saturday. I had written to you, as you will find by the first Mail after I heard of your arrival, and tho I should most affectionately rejoice to see you soon, I shall not urge...
22Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 24 November 1785 (Adams Papers)
I hope if the Marquiss de la Fayette is returned to Paris he may be able to give us some account of Colln. Smith for whom we are not a little anxious, having no intelligence from him since the begining of September when he wrote that he should tarry at Berlin till the reviews were over which would be by the 20th. of that month and then should make the utmost expedition to Paris where his stay...
23Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 1 September 1789 (Adams Papers)
with regard to politicks the debates of the House will give you an Idea of them, as yet there has been but little Heat upon any Subject, but there is a questions comeing on with regard to the permanant Residence of congress which I fear will create parties, & much vexation. I should think that in the present state of their treasury, an expence so unnecessary ought to be avoided as even...
24Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 1 July 1787 (Adams Papers)
your two Letters of May 21 & 26 were yesterday deliverd. captain Scot has not yet got up. I hope by him to receive Letters from my other Friends. I have been not a little anxious that Barnard and Davis should arrive without a Letter either from Braintree or weymouth as this is to go by the packet, I will confine myself wholy to buisness and as mr Adams has written you respecting mr Borlands...
25Abigail Adams to Elizabeth Smith Shaw, 27 September 1789 (Adams Papers)
I write to you my dear sister, not from the disputed Banks of the Potowmac, the Susquehanna or the deleware, but from the peace-full Borders of the Hudson, a situation where the Hand of Nature has so lavishly display’d her Beauties, that she has left scarcly any thing, for her Handmaid Art, to perform. The House in which we reside is situated upon a Hill, the Avenue to which is intersperced...
26Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 16 August 1796 (Adams Papers)
There has been an interval of Eight Months Since I received a line from Your Hand. this Suspension of intercourse grows Daily more and more painfull to me as I learnt from your Brother that you had been sick first with a severe attack of the Rhumatism, and after ward with a Billious Remitting fever; I fear that the Climate of Holland is peculirly unfavourable to you, as your constitution is...
27Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 15 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have not written to You since I received Yours of the 19th, and that of the 20th by Your Friends. I was from Home when they came up and deliverd your Letters, but your Father saw them, and invited them to dine with us on twesday last, which they did. I found them agreable young Men, and your Friends think they trace a likeness of Your person in mr Neal they profess to be much pleased with...
28Abigail Adams to John Adams, 29 September 1781 (Adams Papers)
Three days only did it want of a year from the date of your last Letter, when I received by Capt. Newman in the Brig Gates your welcome favour of May 22d. By various ways I had collected some little intelligence of you, but for six months past my Heart had known but little ease—not a line had reachd me from you, not a syllable from my children—and whether living or dead I could not hear. That...
29Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 1 February 1798 (Adams Papers)
your kind Letter of Jan’ ry 14 th I received last week. I Shall not be dissatisfied with mr Whitney if the people are disposed to give him a call, but far otherways, I shall rejoice in the prospect of having so Virtuous and sensible a Gentleman Setled with us, to whom I doubt not, years will teach more knowledge of the world I can understand you well tho you do not speak plain. I know you...
30Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 8 January 1791 (Adams Papers)
I received, by Mr. King, your letter of December 30th. I am uneasy if I do not hear from you once a week, though you have not any thing more to tell me than that you and your little ones are well. I think you do perfectly right in refusing to go into public during the absence of Colonel Smith. The society of a few friends is that from which most pleasure and satisfaction are to be derived....