I hope the afflicting intelligence which you must receive from your Friends at Washington, will not be too suddenly burst upon you, but that your best Friend may have been intrusted with it, that he may prepare your mind for the heavey tydings. I know that mrs Hellen was a dear and favorite sister to you all, and well deserving of your attachment. The circumstances which deprived you of her,...
152From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 22 February 1811 (Adams Papers)
The Schooner Washington owned by mr Gray is ready to Sail for St Petersburgh. I have already sent some Letters on Board of her, but the great bulk mr Erving is charged with, and when he will Sail, I know not. he has been ready, and waiting this Month for his Dispatches. concequently our Letters are already a Month old. There is a Charm in a Letter of recent date, Consisting in its very...
Your Letter, my dear Caroline, gave me pleasure. As all your’s are calculated to enliven the spirits, I take them as a cordial, which during the residence of the baldpated winter and a close confinement to my chamber for several weeks, I have been much in want of. And now what return can I make you—What can you expect from age, debility and weakness? Why, you shall have the return of a...
I received your Letter by the Mail of yesterday, and by the return of it to day I write you a few lines to give you all the information which I have been able to collect respecting your Son; mr George Beal who lodges near him; and is frequently going back to to Boston & returning I get him to call and inquire after him. my last account was on monday two days Since. he reports that he is...
your Letter of Novbr 16th was an unexpected pleasure, for after yours of october the 13th, I had given up the Idea of receiving a line from you untill june, or july. you may easily imagine that your Letter was not only an unexpected, but a welcome guest, and the more so as it came drest in smiles of more content, than some of your Letters. I do not however wonder at your dislike of a climate...
I received your Letters by the Mail of yesterday, and by the return of it to day I write to give you all the information I have been able to collect, respecting your Son Mr George Black has lodgings near him and is frequently at Quincy. I got him to call and bring me word respecting him. my last account was on Monday, 2 days since. he was then getting better; tho not able to go out. the...
157From Abigail Smith Adams to Hannah Phillips Cushing, 2 March 1811 (Adams Papers)
How often I have in imagination I have visited you this Dreary season. I know not, but not a day has past without my thinking of you, and wishing that it had been my good fortune to have been situated in the Neighbourhood of you. then would your cheering countenance have enlivened the confinement I have experienced since I saw you. for the week after I was taken sick and am now only leaving my...
158From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 4 March 1811 (Adams Papers)
You will no doubt receive from the President of the United States permission to return home, as he has been pleased to appoint you to an important office in the judiciary of the United States. the unanimous approbation of the Senate, and the Satisfaction which all parties unite in expressing must weigh in your mind powerfully. From What ever motives this general consent arrises, it proves,...
159From Abigail Smith Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 4 March 1811 (Adams Papers)
When I wrote last to you, I was at a loss What to say to you, to console, and reconcile you to your situation. the thought struck me to say, that some light might spring up, where we did not foresee it, and extricate you from your difficulties. Such a light appears to me to have arrisen in the midst of surrounding darkness, by the appointment of mr Adams an associate judge of the Supreem...
160From Abigail Smith Adams to Hannah Phillips Cushing, 5 March 1811 (Adams Papers)
I believe I may say with truth, that I have been your daily visitor through the dreary season of winter, and altho not visible to you, I have sometimes seated myself by your fire side, and held sweet converse with you; and not unfrequently regretted that it was not my good fortune to have been situated near your dwelling; then would your cheering countenance have enlivened the confinement I...
161From Abigail Smith Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, 6 March 1811 (Adams Papers)
The great quantity of snow upon the Ground has obstructed the travelling So much, that the post did not get in last week, and your Letter which Should have come by that Mail, did not arrive untill yesterday. The Nomination and appointment of mr Adams, had been announced in the public papers, and in Some private Letters, before I received yours— Supposing that his absence would be an...
162From Abigail Smith Adams to Abigail Amelia Adams Smith, 10 March 1811 (Adams Papers)
It is so long Since I received a Letter from you or any of the Family that I am not a little anxious to hear. I have attributed it to the great fall of Snow which has obstructed prevented the Southern post getting in Regular Succession—and we have learnt that the Northern Roads are still more obstructed—yet I have Sent every Post to the office in hopes to hear. I have written You Several...
163From Abigail Smith Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, 30 March 1811 (Adams Papers)
The Letters you forwarded to me, for Saint Petersburgh, I had an opportunity of Sending immediatly through the Russian Consul. mr Gray has a vessel which will Sail Soon, for the North, by which I can Send Letters, if you please to forward any. would their be any impropriety in inquiring, either of the Secretary of State, or Navy; if any vessel is orderd to petersburgh to bring home mr Adams?...
164From Abigail Smith Adams to Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody, 2 April 1811 (Adams Papers)
An inflamation in one of my Eyes, will prevent me from writing more than to thank you for your last very flattering Letter; and to say that I place it amongst my richest treasures— The president was in Town last Saturday and brought out with him your son. he does not appear to me to be fit for Buisness. he is very lame, and full of Rheumatism yet. he wants a wife to Nurse and tenderly care for...
165From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 April 1811 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of december No 6—/17 came Safe to hand yesterday, the last No was 8. So that two others must be upon their way. I thank you for your punctuality in writing, and have only to regret, that from july, untill october: I did not write, as there were not any vessels up for the North of Europe, and the impediments were so multiplied as to discourage me, but from that time to the present,...
I write you a few lines just to say that I send your mother a century Sermon, preached in this town when your Grandfather was about four years old. He says he recollects the day—as his mother carried him to meeting and pointed out to him the old lady Penniman mentioned in the Sermon said to be near an hundred years old—The Sermon had got out of print—A number of persons who wished to preserve...
167From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 April 1811 (Adams Papers)
your Letter No 10 has found its way in four Months after its Date. It is as you observe, three and four Months that Letters are upon their passage before they reach the place of their destination. I have thought it very fortunate, with all the chances they run, that So many of them reach us in perfect order, not of time, but condition your No 4 I give up as wholy lost, but of the late Numbers,...
Scarcly a week has past, for these two Months in which I have not written either to my Son, or to you, but our Letters are not only committed to the Chance, of winds and waves, which may Scatter them like the leaves of the Sibyls, but they have many other hazards to run, through the Dens of Cyclopes, and the fangs of the Harpies. I write this to Send you by the Ship Hugh Johnston, Captain...
169From Abigail Smith Adams to Lucy Cranch Greenleaf, April 1811 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your kind inquiries. I am better to day. I had the Rheumatism in my head, and was quite Sick yesterday. I took a little medicine last night and find it has releived me, tho I am not very smart to day. mrs Smith thanks You and will call and see you. She is engaged to her Brothers to day—She has walked out twice into the Neighbours—your Brother wrote me Sometime Since that altho...
170From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 15 May 1811 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed Letter I received a few days Since to forward by the first opportunity. my last Letter was addrest to Mrs Adams, and went by a vessel direct for St Petersburgh belonging to Loring & Curtis, which Saild in April. This will inform you that your sons are both well. your Father and myself as well as old Age can expect to be. neither of us Deaf dumb or blind as yet, trembling and...
171From Abigail Smith Adams to Ann Frances Harrod Adams, 17 May 1811 (Adams Papers)
I rode up to your house this morning to inquire how the Children were and heard that they were both well. dexter Slept there last night. I will Send George in with the chaise tomorrow, if mr Adams returns. George may come out in the Stage. If there Should be any Salmon to be had tomorrow and mr Foster would get me part of one, I will be much obliged to him—I should not like to give more than a...
172From Abigail Smith Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, 19 May 1811 (Adams Papers)
I received your favour dated at Baltimore of April 28th, with the Letter inclosed for Mrs Adams, which I had an opportunity of immediatly forwarding by a vessel which saild last week for St Petersburgh I find by Letters from my Son, that those Letters which have gone by way of France have had the most speedy conveyance, and I regret that I have not oftener made use of it, altho they may be...
173From Abigail Smith Adams to Hannah Phillips Cushing, 22 May 1811 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of I received by the last mail. I had been in daily expectation of hearing from you, or Seeing you Since the begining of the Month. my own health is better than when I wrote you last and I think I could enjoy my dear Mrs Cushing Society whenever She will favour me with it ; I have not any expectation of leaving home for more than two days which will be in Boston. Since the Short...
174From Abigail Smith Adams to Hannah Phillips Cushing, 22 May 1811 (Adams Papers)
. . . Judge Dana is removed, and no man seemeth to lay it to heart. If my absent son had been in America the grave would not thus silently have closed over him. A gentleman who had sustained several public offices with reputation, and who for several years had filled that of Chief Justice of the state, which all who knew him acknowledged that he discharged with fidelity, and integrity, ably,...
175From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 28 May 1811 (Adams Papers)
I Shall continue to write to you altho you may determine to leave St Petersburgh before my Letters can reach you. There may be family circumstances unknown to me at present, which may oblige you to a longer residence there than we at present Contemplate. Ladies are not always in a Situation to undertake a voyage of three, and four Months. do not make a calculation for less time, you may be...
176From Abigail Smith Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 8 June 1811 (Adams Papers)
I Sit down to write to my dear daughter, almost without a hope, or wish that She Should receive it at St. Petersburgh. for as Letters are usually, more than three Months reaching the place of their destination—I hope you will have Embarked for America, before that period. it admits however of a possibility, that you may not, and in that case, a Letter will be welcome which communicates to you,...
177From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 21 June 1811 (Adams Papers)
I write to you by every opportunity altho I hope you will have left St Petersburgh before this can reach you, but as there admits of a possibility that you may be Still, there, I know it will be a great gratification to you to learn that your parents are Still living, and in health. your children too are well, and Good Children which is of more concequence than mere animal enjoyment. I have...
178From Abigail Smith Adams to Lucy Cranch Greenleaf, 30 June 1811 (Adams Papers)
I promised to write you what I considerd the State of Your Dear Mother. She has appeard since you left her to be mending Slowly, has Slept considerable at night. her Sleep has not been altogether quiet, a Groaning which you no doubt observed attended it. She had taken the Bask Several times, but yesterday was obliged to quit it, her mouth and Stomach being very Soar, and her Breast tight. her...
179From Abigail Smith Adams to Anonymous, June 1811 (Adams Papers)
your two last favours of May 18th & 29th are now before me unreplied to. my apology must be that it has been our general Election for of the High, altho nigardly paid office of Govr Leiut Govenour Senators & Legislature. and pray Madam methinks I hear you ask what have you to do in it. why really nothing at all, but to give them my good wishes. but you must know that at this period there is a...
180From Abigail Smith Adams to Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody, 10 July 1811 (Adams Papers)
Not having Wholy dissolved by the intense heat of the last week, I am enabled from a change of the weather to take my pen, in lieu of my fan, and to ask you how much of you is left? when I Saw how much you sufferd the Saturday I left you in Boston from the heat, I was not a little anxious for you the last week: when it was 20 degrees hotter. I know not whether for four days together, I ever...
your Mother has been So constant in writing that I have been the more remiss. I am glad to find that you are content, and happy I hope. I was in Boston on Saturday, and bought for you a Box of paints, and Bennets Letters. I Sent them to mr Phineas Fosters with a request that you he would take them to Haverhill for you. Charles Welch who understands paints pronounced them very good, and in the...
182From Abigail Smith Adams to William Stephens Smith, 23 July 1811 (Adams Papers)
I hope you will not impute my not writing to you by your son to want of attention to you, or a proper Sensibility to your request containd in your Letter to me. The extreem Heat of the weather, and my joy at the arrival of a dear and only Daughter after an absence of three years and a half, realley disqualified me for my pen, and Johns Stay was so limited that I could not Say by him What I...
183From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 July 1811 (Adams Papers)
I write to you, altho it is really with the hope that you may not receive my Letter. I would fain believe that you will be upon Your passage Home long before this can arrive in St Petersburgh, but as there is a possibility that you may Yet be there, I would not omit informing you of the health of your parents and Children, nor of their anxious desire to see you again Safe in your Native...
184From Abigail Smith Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, 31 July 1811 (Adams Papers)
yours of July 21, I received by the last Mail I was just going to ask the cause of your long Silence, when your Letter arrived and fully explaind it to me. I regrret that it arose from so many painfull causes, but our Lot is a Checkerd one. I have had a Share of late my dear Sister, whose Life I despared when I wrote last to you, Still Survives, for some little time We flatterd ourselves that...
I do not know how our account stands, whether I am indebted for a letter or you, but I shall not be very strict with you; I am always delighted with your letters, whether to me or to Susan; we talk daily of you, and wish for you, and when I think how far you all are from me, I am ready to sit down and weep. We go on much in the old way here—now and then a large party, then a few friends....
186From Abigail Smith Adams to Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody, 24 August 1811 (Adams Papers)
Truly my dear sister I blush and am asshamed that I have not written to you in replie to your Several kind Letters; I will not hunt for excuses, or pretend the extreem heat of the weather prevented, altho it was so oppressive that I could not do any thing but fan and pant. I have repeatedly said well I must write this day. abbe have you written—No Mam why have you not, you have leisure? “I do...
187From Abigail Smith Adams to William Stephens Smith, 28 August 1811 (Adams Papers)
your Letter of August 12th I received in the absence of Mrs Smith, who was upon a visit to mrs Guild, and therefore I could not communicate it to her; she past Several days, in Boston at Dr welch’s, and as I had requested Dr warren was consulted in conjunction with Dr Welch upon her complaint, and their opinion was Similar to Dr Holbrook’s who is a Skilfull physician, and practises in our...
188From Abigail Smith Adams to William Smith, 12 September 1811 (Adams Papers)
Altho I cannot personally be with you, oweing to the Sickness in my own Family, to pay the last tribute of respect to the remains of your Dear Departed Son, be assured my dear afflicted Friends, that my Heart, my Thoughts, and my affections are with you, and that I do most tenderly Sympathize with you in this day of your visitation May that all Mercifull Being, whose ways are not as our ways,...
189From Abigail Smith Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, 22 September 1811 (Adams Papers)
At last it is decided—it is as I conjectured in my last Letter to you, the Situation of Mrs Adams prevents their return to America this Season, and obliges mr Adams to decline his Appointment as Judge. I have received from him Several Letters of an old date Since I last wrote to you, but it was not untill yesterday that I received a Letter from my Grandson William Smith, of June 25th in which...
190From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 September 1811 (Adams Papers)
your Brother returnd this Evening from Boston and gave me notice that a vessel would Sail for Sweeden tomorrow the notice is So Short, that I can only write you a Short Letter. I Shall in future follow your advice, have a Letter ready for the occasion and not wait for the opportunity. it was not however, untill last Saturday that I received a Letter from William Smith, that I was informed of...
191From Abigail Smith Adams to William Stephens Smith, 27 September 1811 (Adams Papers)
I yesterday received your Letter, and at the Same time, the President received the one inclosed from dr Rush which I think it my duty, altho a distressing and painfull one, to me, to communicate the contents to you by the earliest opportnty you will See by the Letter, that Mrs Smith wrote her case to dr Rush, which her Father inclosed with a request that he would give his candid opinion. Mrs...
192From Abigail Smith Adams to Lucy Cranch Greenleaf, September 1811 (Adams Papers)
in replie to your inquiries I answer mrs Adams had a very bad night. at 2 oclock Nancy came to my Room to request that I would send for the doctor. he got here before day light and bled her, since which she has had some rest, altho much opprest & at times almost exhausted. discharges continue black, but the Soarness abated, and the dr says the pulse better—Mrs Smith by the use of the Mayweed...
193From Abigail Smith Adams to William Cranch, 17 October 1811 (Adams Papers)
Your dear Father has joind the Spirits of the Blessed made perfect, on saturday last he was taken sick, appeared as he frequently has upon former days was wandering in his mind,—but a general prostration of strength took place. He was sensible only for a few moments at a time; exhausted Nature sunk to rest, without pain or struggle, and heaven has been pleased to save him the anguish of...
194From Abigail Smith Adams to William Smith Shaw, 18 October 1811 (Adams Papers)
Your good uncle Cranch is gone. heaven has Saved him the greatest anguish he could experience in this Life. the following her to the Tomb, She is still living, which is all we can say. The family requested me to notify you that the funeral will be on Saturday at 2 oclock—the Corpse to be carried to the meeting House. I will thank you to lend me if you can without inconvenience to yourself 30...
I wrote to you upon fryday, but I do not now recollect what I have written. I know that my heart was full and my mind wrought up, to a pitch, beyond what it would bear. The Solemn Scene which presented to me, two Dear Relatives Sleeping in Death at the same moment, can never be effaced from my mind. upon Saturday I followed their remains to our own Tombs and Saw them dposited Side by Side,...
196From Abigail Smith Adams to William Cranch, 25 October 1811 (Adams Papers)
The solemn and impressive scenes through which I have passed the last week, were too affecting to me to commit to paper. I thank God for that support and consolation which now enables me to address the only son of my dear departed brother and sister, endeared to me by every tie of affection and consanguinity, whose lives were a worthy example to all their posterity, and whose deaths were a...
197From Abigail Smith Adams to Lucy Cranch Greenleaf, October 1811 (Adams Papers)
I heard last Evening of the melancholy event, and sincerely sympathize with the afflicted family I send you some peices of crape they are rusty, but the best we have. if you attend the funeral, and want a Bonnet, if mine will answer and my crape cloak they are at your service—I intended to have asked You here to day to have past it, with mrs Cushing and Caroline, but a melancholy duty calls...
198From Abigail Smith Adams to Lucy Cranch Greenleaf, October 1811 (Adams Papers)
will you get mr Norten to inform by Letters mr & mrs James Foster of the death of your dear Mother and our request to them to attend the funeral on Saturday—Louissa did write to them the morng that your Father died, but some exception was taken that they were not notified by the Family. mr George Palmer Should be written to, he had not heard of his uncle death till Louissa informd him. mr...
199From Abigail Smith Adams to Hannah Phillips Cushing, 3 November 1811 (Adams Papers)
I owe to your Friendship, a Letter of thanks for the interest you take in whatever concerns me or mine. I know your Sympathizing Heart will hasten to pour the balm of consolation into the afflicted Bosom of your Friend, when you learn that my dear and beloved Sister is numberd with the dead. this is an event which my mind was in a measure prepard for, from her long Sickness, but I had not...
I recieved your Letter by the last Mail inclosing one for your daughter, who left me last week, to our great regreet. I expostulate with her for making her visit So short She Said She had been five weeks with us. I could Scarcly credit it, untill I looked back, and then So many events had during that period rapidly Succeeded each other, that I had not calculated how the time had passed It was...