1Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 17 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favors of October 28. & November 11. of the past year, have been some weeks in my possession. I am not, nor can I conveniently be, so good a correspondent as my brother, whose frequent and copious communications exhaust most of the subjects upon which I should feel disposed to write you myself, I think it is my duty nevertheless not to suffer any considerable period to pass, without...
2Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 7 April 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have already acknowledged the receipt of your kind favors of Sept r: 25 th: & Nov r: 8 th: which were the last I have from you, and that notorious thief of time, procrastination, has devoured a long interval since I made the promise to write you in a few days. I delight in receiving letters from you, but I have an almost inconquerable aversion to writing in my turn, nor can I account for a...
3Thomas Boylston Adams to John Quincy Adams, 19 April 1797 (Adams Papers)
I arrived here last night after a pleasant journey from Antwerp, where I lodged on Monday. Upon enquiry here I found no Diligence going to day, so that it has given me an opportunity of seeing a great part of the City, which I find surpasses much in point of situation the idea I had of it. The quarter of the park is delightful, and the prospect from the Ramparts is such as brings to mind some...
4Thomas Boylston Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 April 1797 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you from Brussels on the 19 th: inst t: and acquainted you with the progress of my journey to that place. I left it on the 20 th: with the Diligence, and reached Valenciennes in safety at an early hour of the evening. There I was deserted by my fellow travellers whom I met on the banks of the Mease, but in the course of the day I had become tolerably acquainted with my new companions...
5Thomas Boylston Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 May 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have written you three letters since my arrival here; this is the fourth, which I mention only for the sake of knowing whether you received them in order. It is very well known that I am here and some people might think it worth while to discover what I write to others I have hitherto only one letter from you, and had not expected to have another until the last post, supposing you to have...
6Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 24 July 1797 (Adams Papers)
The journey which I made to Paris, towards the last of April was performed so hastily, that it was out of my power to give you any satisfactory account of it from thence, and since my return, preparation for departure from Holland has engrossed most of my leisure hours, so that I have only found time to give an imperfect sketch to my Father of the most material occurrences of that tour. The...
7Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 17 August 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have at length made up my mind to accompany my brother and his lady to Berlin. In justification of this resolution I shall only observe, that it was formed after full and mature consideration, in which both sides of the question, to go or not to go, were deliberately examined, but I may also add, that compliance with the earnest desires of my brother, had a greater share in producing this...
8Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 10 September 1797 (Adams Papers)
M r: Fitch Hall being about to embark for New York I have entrusted to his care a trifling present, which I beg you to accept from me. I intended to have sent you a profile of myself by M rs: Johnson, but was prevented by the suddenness of her departure, which took place a week sooner than it had been previously fixed. The whole family left this place yesterday morning with the intention of...
9Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 3 October 1797 (Adams Papers)
Since I came to this Country, two of your kind letters have reached me; one dated in June & the other in July; the latter came by Gen l: Marshall, but by some accident was not forwarded at the same time with your letter to my brother of the same date. It has only this day come to hand. Contrary to your expectation, as well as my own, your letters find me still in Europe, and about to embark in...
10Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 February 1798 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favor of November 7 th: written at East Chester came to hand on the 24 th: ult o: and I have now to acknowledge the receipt, on this day, of your more recent communication, dated the 3 d: ult o: at Philadelphia. I have written to you but once since our arrival here, but my brother has been so frequent & copious in his letters both to you and my father, that I derive a sort of excuse...
11Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 4 March 1798 (Adams Papers)
Since my residence at this place I have received your kind letter of October 25 th: written at East Chester, a few weeks previous to your return to the seat of Government, from your nothern excursion. I have been highly delighted by the accounts which reached us from various quarters of the cordial & dignified reception given by the people to their chief magistrate, both in his going from &...
12Thomas Boylston Adams to Joseph Pitcairn, 12 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
In one of your last letters to my brother you ask for my dispositions of a certain box addressed to me, supposed to contain segars for smoaking— In the first place, then I beg of you to use & dispose of them as of your own property, if you are yourself addicted to smoaking and, if not, secondly to keep them in your possession until I call for them which, if my calculations do not fail, will be...
13Thomas Boylston Adams to Joseph Pitcairn, 9 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 6 th: curr t. is at hand. It is true, that I mistook the statement in your preceding, respecting the exchange, but now comprehend it better. I agree with you also in opinion as to the propriety of drawing now rather than at a future day. Money in Holland will probably find less opportunity of improvement than hitherto. As it respects myself however, security is all I want for...
14John Quincy Adams and Thomas Boylston Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, 13 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
I hope the enclosed letter from my dear Louisa, will be more fortunate in its passage than those which she wrote you from Hamburg, and upon her recovery from illness after her arrival here. Several of our Letters have failed and it gives us much pain to find that those which we wrote to you, were particularly among the unsuccessful number.— I hope however that even before this you have the...
15Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 26 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have already acknowledged your favors of March 18. April 4. since when, at different intervals I have received your kind letters of May 1. & 7.— My brother has one from you of June 12. in which the receipt of my letter of March 4 th: to my father is mentioned, and in a manner calculated to call forth all my gratitude, if not to excite some little emotion of self-applause. I have given way to...
16Thomas Boylston Adams to Joseph Pitcairn, 10 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
Upon my return from a short excursion to Pottsdam, where we passed three very pleasant days, I received your obliging letter of the 4 th: curr t and thank you for the detail respecting the Hamburger’s accommodations. My voyage I rather think now, will be deferred until after the autumnal equinox say commencement of October or last of September, because possibly by that time a person may arrive...
17Thomas Boylston Adams to Louisa Catherine Adams, 17 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
After 44 hours constant journeying we arrived here about 7 o’Clock on Wednesday morning. My companion M r: C— hearing that a party of his acquaintance had set off about an hour before for Fryburg a place 24 english miles distant from this—ordered fresh horses, invited me to join him & upon my pleading fatigue, was off himself alone in order as he observed to cause an agreeable surprise to his...
18Thomas Boylston Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have this morning received your letter of the 18 th: with the enclosure from M r: Pitcairn. My letter to M rs: Adams of the 17 th: under cover to you, must have reached you in course— By the last post I sent her some little sketches or drawings of the neighbourhood of this place, but I can now assure her that the originals are incomparably finer than the copies. Since you condescend to ask...
19Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 14 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favor of July 19 th. was transmitted from Hamburg by our cousin Welsh & came to hand last evening. He had a pleasant passage of 38 days and will come on here as soon as he is a little recruited. We had already received your letter of the 14 th: informing of his intended embarkment in a short time, and I have made my arrangements in consequence to be off as soon as the Elizabeth...
20Thomas Boylston Adams to Joseph Pitcairn, 17 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 14 th: inst. came to hand last night a little time after my letter to you had gone to the post; its contents however may serve to regulate you as to engaging my passage, but I will add further, that as the season is so far advanced it would be imprudent to defer my passage for the sake of having accommodations quite to my liking—if therefore a clever Captain & good vessel...
21Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 27 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you soon after my arrival here that I expected to take passage with Captain Jenkins of the Ship America, bound to Newburypor[t.] I had in fact engaged to go with him, but as he said much to me of the uncomfortableness of his vessel and refused any compensation for taking me as a passenger, I thought best to look out for another opportunity, and upon the recommendation of Capt n:...
22Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 12 January 1799 (Adams Papers)
I arrived at this place yesterday afternoon, in the Ship Alexander Hamilton, after a passage of 46 days— The Season of the year will best explain what kind of weather we have experienced. I thank God that I tread once more the land of my Fathers. I shall wait only for my baggage to come on shore and then set out for Philadelphia—where I hope—to meet you in health. It gives me pain that I...
23Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 22 January 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have had the pleasure of seeing and perusing two or three letters from you to my Father and M r Shaw since my arrival here, and have learnt with joy that your health is better than it has been for some time past. Do not be impatient for my coming on, for I shall certainly make no unnecessary delay, and unless I should take a run to George town for a moment, I shall set off for Boston on...
24Thomas Boylston Adams to John Quincy Adams, 28 January 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received your favor of Nov r: 13 th: with an enclosure for J Hall, yesterday, by the New York mail. It came by a vessel, which left Hamburg only one day later than myself and was enclosed by M r: Pitcairn in hopes it might reach me before I got out of the River. I will begin by acquainting you and Mrs: A— with the health of all your friends. Our good mother, from whom I have not yet heard...
25Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 1 February 1799 (Adams Papers)
The morning I left Philadelphia I had not an opportunity of making the necessary arrangement with the Secretary of State for the payment of my Brother’s salary, which the Secretary of the Treasury had promised to advance. I should be sorry that this circumstance should defeat my intention of subscribing to the Loan on behalf of my Brother, the sum of 4000 D ls: which each person who...
26Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 14 February 1799 (Adams Papers)
I arrived at Boston on Monday evening after a prosperous journey, and came out to this place the following afternoon in the Quincy Stage. I had the happiness to find my Mother in tolerable health, and shall be highly rejoyced, if my presence, should in any degree contribute to the continuance of that blessing. The rest of our friends are well, excepting Uncle Adams, who suffers much from a...
27Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 14 February 1799 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favor of the 26 th: ult o: was delivered to me by my Mother on my arrival, the 12 th: inst t: at this place. I thank you very much for it, and your friendly congratulations upon my safe return. I had before the receipt of your letter, learnt from M r: & M rs: Johnson that yourself & family were well, and I doubted not but a short time would bring me a confirmation of it from your own...
28Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 1 March 1799 (Adams Papers)
My time has been so occupied between going to Boston to get my dinner and coming back to Quincy again, that I have written to you but once since my arrival. I should have considered these frequent visits as time lost to improvement, but that they have enabled me to attend the Session of the Supreme Court, which commenced on the 19 th: ult o. . Having now complied with all the necessary forms...
29Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 1 March 1799 (Adams Papers)
I am now and then regaled with a few words from your store house, spread over as many lines , which brings to my mind very forcibly the words of Pope. “The weighty bullion” & ca: you know the rest. As yet however I have nothing directly from your hand. I have been playing truant ever since I arrived, and begin to think it high time to attend my office more punctually. We have had Balls and...
30Thomas Boylston Adams to Joseph Pitcairn, 2 March 1799 (Adams Papers)
That I have hitherto given you no account of my voyage since my arrival, is imputable to the unsettled state in which I have been from the time it took place to the present moment. I have made a visit to Philadelphia to see my father, have passed nearly 10 days at New York and for this last fortnight have been here with my Mother, whose state of health, though far better than it was during the...