This day two hundred years our adventurous Ancestors landed at Plymouth—and two years hence will compete two hundred years since a more jolly company of them landed at Mount Wollaston—I have been made an honourary member of the new Plymouth Institution, and have been urged with warm invitations to go and Celebrate the day, and hear the Oratory of Mr Webster which I doubt not will be...
Thanks for your Journal of the 26th. There is in human nature a germ of superstition, which has cost mankind very dear, and there is an other germ the love of finery, and which has done almost as much harm, and both have been employed with great sagacity by temperal and spiritual politicians to debase, degrade and subdue mankind, even with their own consent under the cruel iron rod of...
Thanks for your Journal of the 26th. There is in human nature, a germe of superstition which has cost mankind very dear; And there is another germe, the love of finery, And which has done almost as much harm, And both have been employed with great sagacity by temporal, and spiritual politicians, to debase, degrade and subdue mankind, even with their own consent under the cruel iron rod of...
4From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 17 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
Last night I received and read your lovely Letter of the 11th: As the three Cantabridgeans were here—they and I and all the family Uncle Aunt and Cousins all enjoyed the Luxury of it at Supper. It made a great impression on all of Us, especially upon George who with great dignity enjoined it upon his Brothers to lay the contents of it to heart. We all rejoice in the hope of seeing you in July...
5From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 6 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
As I consider y’r ladyship as always imprison’d during a session of Congress I congratulate you upon y’r jail delivery by their rise they have not been very angry during this session consequently not very entertaining—our two sons arrived here in good health & spirits at the proper season and a furious snow wh’ blocked up all the roads detain’d them here for three or four days and enliven’d my...
I have to thank you for two amiable letters—the last is of too great importance for me to answer, to your satisfaction, or my own—I am myself too much under the influence of prejudices to have ever, have, reproached you seriously with yours. —As long as association of ideas and feelings and the consequent power of habit shall be a constituent part of the constitution of human nature; so long...
7From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 3 March 1820 (Adams Papers)
Mr Henry Warren, a Son of your late friend Dr John Warren—and a young lawyer of promising hopes is a bout to travel to Washington—and will have the honour to deliver you this letter—I hope you will receive him with the utmost cordiality, for his Name and Blood are very dear to me The last news we have from your Sons—was their visit to Mr Boyleston last Saturday—In fine health and Spirits—to...
one week more will effectually relieve you from your ennui which perhaps may be succeeded by fatigues more difficult to bear—if not more dangerous to Health— Kings of England when they have wished to carry some great point with Parliament, have informed that Assembly that the Eyes of all Europe were upon them it—and it may be safely said that the eyes of all Europe, and of all America North...
Your Journal beginning the third of the month has given me great pleasure. You are much to be envied and much to be pitied; such a variety of good Company is very desirable, but so much cerimoney and such fatigues must be rather burdensome.— We have received this morning the annunciation of Mr. Clays “GREAT UNKNOWN VOLUME OF GHENTISH HISTORY ” It will appear I presume at least as soon as the...
10From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 17 June 1820 (Adams Papers)
I have received your journal to the third of June—which is entertaining and Instructing as usual— We have reports in circulation here that many Mr Randolph or Roanoke is in a state of insanity—and many say he is confined—I wish to know the truth—for although Mr Randolph has appeared through his whole public life to be possessed of a Demoniacal Spirit of Malice and Vengence without cause...
11From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 13 March 1820 (Adams Papers)
If Nature in scattering her bounties had bestowed upon me the genius of a Poet or a Painter I would entertain you with a description of a scene of sublimity, beauty, and novelty, such as eighty four winters never before presented to my sight: when I arose in the morning, the Sun was rising, the heavens were not of Brass but the Sky was a vast concave of clear blue marble and the earth was of...
12From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 23 December 1819 (Adams Papers)
As I take a great interest in your pleasures, and your troubles, your last Journal has given me a large share of both—the social scenes are delightful and the prospect of trouble is afflicting—I am interested too in the Journey of our Collegians who came here on Thursday—sett all the Tailors with their Needles in Motion—and on Saturday went to Boston with their Uncle who fitted them off with...
13From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 21 June 1820 (Adams Papers)
I have received your journal to the third of June—which is entertaining and Instructing as usual— We have reports in circulation here that Mr. Randolph of Roanoke is in a state of insanity, and many say he is confined—I wish to know the truth—for although Mr. Randolph has appeared through his whole Public life to be possessed of a Demoniacal Spirit of Malice and Vengeance without cause against...
14From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 13 January 1820 (Adams Papers)
Your journal to the 21st. ult—has given me much amusement and much pleasure I want to touch upon twenty things but that number is too great. The Missouri question is the most magnificent and portentous. I have no doubt of the right of Congress to stop the progress of Slavery, and if I were disposed to give you my reasons I Should think it unnecessary since I have read a review of Judge Story &...
15From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 22 April 1823 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 16th. is a reviving cordial in which I have languished for a fortnight—But I have to complain, that it is only two days, since I heard since I heard of George’s misfortune. I suppose it has been concealed in tenderness to me, but I wish to hear the worst of bad news from the begining. This tenderness for me has concealed many misfortunes which if they had been communicated to...
16From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 4 April 1819 (Adams Papers)
your journals grow more and more entertaining and instructive—you ask my Opinion of General Jackson—and you shall have it—Hero and a Conqueror I cannot say that he has transgressed the Law of Nations in any one point—certainly neither Spain nor England has any right to complain; if he has transgressed any punctilios of the Constitution neither Spain nor England have anything to do with...
17From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 11 June 1819 (Adams Papers)
I have received yours of the 3d.—I can only say if Susan will return to me with her Child and live in my complicated Family—she will be welcome to my heart—I will protect her at all hazards, as long as I live, and I will keep peace in my house, as long as I shall have the means, and the power—she must return to me, and there must not and shall not be family bickerings— Your Children have given...
18From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 3 February 1819 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your journals and pray you to continue them for they are a refreshing amusement to me in my desolation and solitude for such is my real condition through your three Sons visit me commonly once a week and cheer my drooping spirits and although my neighbours and friends are universally kind to me and solace my sorrows as much as they can and what is much more even my enemies seem...
19From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 1 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have received your last Journal, and thank you for it. When the Lady asked you which you prefered, the Illiad, or Paradise lost, you should have answered her as we New-England people do, by asking her another question, pray Madam do you read the Illiad in Greek, or in Pope. I wonder not that you threw your arms round your husband upon reading his answer to General Smyth, I would have done...
20From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 8 April 1819 (Adams Papers)
your Journal interesting to me like all the former, has been received up to the 29th of March.— The people of this Country when they are prejudiced against a Man, or a Name,—will not suffer him to take the least notice of any of his relations, however distant—tho their merits and service’s may have been ever so great—but when they are prejudiced in favour of a Man, or a Name they will applaud...
21From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 8 May 1820 (Adams Papers)
I have received your journal to the 17th. April, which like all your other journals has afforded me a delicious entertainment though they contain so many lamentable historys Decaturs fall is an awfull event if their is anything awfull in this lower World— I have read Ivanhoe and there is nothing more awfull in that—my Taste Coincides with yours in this instance entirely—the divine Rebecca far...
22From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 10 May 1823 (Adams Papers)
Thanks for your favor of the third—With great pleasure I learn that you are all convalescent, and that your Brother is well and intends us a visit with you—Our John performed his part at the Exhibition with applause and approbation; But something has happened since, that has brought him here, where I wish he could remain, till next August twelve months, but I cannot advise him so, for his...
23From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 25 June 1819 (Adams Papers)
With no less gratitude than astonishment I have received your Alcibiades,—and your Sons shall have it—but I am really concerned for your Health. How it is possible that a Gay Lady of Washington amidst all the ceremony’s, frivolity’s, and gravities, of a Court, and of a Legislature—Can find time to write so many and so excellent Letters to me; to her Children, and at the same time, translate...
24From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 5 January 1821 (Adams Papers)
If after your example I could have keept a Journal—from the fifteenth of November, to the eighteenth of December—I could have given you a Curious history— I have had the Influenza, and with great difficulty have got the better of it—but not perfectly cured—I attended every day the Convention and the Air of that Hall—Instead of curing my Cold imperceptably increased it from day to day—And the...
25From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 29 January 1820 (Adams Papers)
I have this moment received your journal up to the 15th. of this Month—and I hasten to answer the last question in it Mr John Randolph certainly never wrote to me requesting letters of recommendation for any of his friends—And if any one has reported such a Slander of him, it is certainly very abusive—I cannot imagin who can have suggested such an idea to you—he would scorn the imputation with...
26From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 11 November 1821 (Adams Papers)
I have to thank you for two amiable letters—the last is of too great importance for me to answer to your satisfaction or my own. I am myself too much under the influence of prejudices to have ever reproached you seriously with yours. As long as association of ideas & feelings and the consequent power of habit shall be a constituent part of the constitution of human nature so long will all men...
27From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 3 November 1819 (Adams Papers)
I can hardly believe my Eyes when I look upon your letter of the 13th. of October at Philadelphia, and recollect that it has not been acknowledged; and the comfortable intelligence of your safe arrival in that City, ought not to have been so long forgotten: Since that time, we have no intelligence from your family except a letter from Master Charles, to Master Thomas, by which I am happy to...
28From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 22 December 1818 (Adams Papers)
your Letter has given me great delight Mrs Monroe has done herself great honour, and a durable Service to her Country, by the Example She has Sett by reversing the System of dissipation of her Predecessor. Madam Bingham and the Queen of France are not proper Models for a “Presidante” of the U.S. I most cordially approve of your Plan and that of your husband They wish him to Spend whole Nights...
29From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 20 February 1820 (Adams Papers)
yours to the 6th. is received, Our Sons of Harvard took leave of us this Morning for Cambridge in good health and Spirits—they arrived here the 16th. somewhat fatigued but very well—Their Uncle is gone to Boston with them to fit them out for Cambridge— I have this Morning learnt the death of my Patriarchal friend William Ellery in his 94th. year—which is a greater age than human Nature can...
30From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 8 May 1819 (Adams Papers)
Your last journal has so much Philosophy, and Religion, in it—that I am convinced you are a sincere inquirer after truth—God bless and Prosper you in the pursuit.— I am Informed by your Son—my dear Name Sake—that you propose to be here by the first of July—I pray you to be sure—that you arrive hear before that day.—bring your Husband with you—If the President can wander round the Universe and...