101From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 June 1821 (Adams Papers)
Our dear Shaw, who ransacks his Atheneum and the litterary World to afford me Amusements and Instruction, two evenings and one day in a Week, brought me on Saturday your Welcome letter of the 22d of May. The true cause of the infrequency of letters between You and me is a conscientious principle on my part. I know that you would answer every Scratch of a pen from me; but I k n ow the...
102From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 November 1818 (Adams Papers)
The bitterness of Death is past. The grim Specter So terrible to human Nature has no Sting left for me. My consolations are more than I can number. The Separation cannot be So long as twenty Separations heretofore. The Pangs and the Anguish have not been So great as when you and I embarked for France in 1778. The Sympathy and Benevolence of all the World, has been Such as I Shall not live long...
103From John Adams to John Jay, 6 March 1821 (Adams Papers)
The sight of your hand writing and your name is to me a cordial for low Spirits. I wish I could give you a specimen of mine as beautifully written; but a pen will not obey the command of my paralytick nerves—The 5th Vol: of Dr. Franklin’s works, mentioned in your kind letter of 27th February, I have never seen, nor any preceding Vol: except the first. What the Editor Mr: William Temple...
104From John Adams to John Adams, 21 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
Nothing from your Family gives me more pleasure than to hear as I do, that you are a diligent Student and good Schollar. Do you know the meaning, of the Words, Patience of Application ? Patience of Study ? My little reading, you may well Suppose is not fresh in my head: but I remember to have somewhere read that Sir Isaac Newton used to Say that “all he had done in Science was by patient...
105From John Adams to John V. N. Yates, 13 December 1822 (Adams Papers)
I have received this Morning from the Post Office by an unknown hand a slip of an Albany newspaper containing your letter to Dr Vander Kemp I highly esteem the candid impartial & honorable spirit of it, I cannot dictate the remarks that occur to me upon the subject at present—but shall confine myself to one observation—It is most true that I did love and venerate the character of the Dutch—And...
106From John Adams to John Williams, 30 April 1822 (Adams Papers)
I pray you to accept my kind thanks for sending me the Mecklenberg declaration of Independence. Although these papers have been familiar to me for two or three years past, they are still an incomprehensible mystery. I can scarcely conceive it possible, that such a transaction should have been concealed, for so many years, from the publick. Had those resolutions been published at the time, they...
107From John Adams to John Adams, April 1818 (Adams Papers)
I am much pleased with your Translation The Character of Anacreon is one of the many Mysteries of Antiquity which the Researches of your whole life will not be able to unridle. He did well to renounce the Heroes for he either knows nothing of the Sons of Atreous of Cadmus the Theban King or of Hercules and his twelve Labours or if he knows any Thing he dared not tell what he knows. It is...
108From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 May 1819 (Adams Papers)
I am anxious for Susan.— I wish to be informed, whether Mr Clark has left any and what Property? And whether any public provision is made for the Widows and Orphans of Officers who died After the War? though they undoubtedly Sacrificed their Health and Their lives in it. I wish to know whether She is with you, on a Visit or as a dependent. I wish also to know, whether her consumptive, dying...
109To John Jay from John Adams, 6 March 1821 (Jay Papers)
The sight of your hand writing and your name is to me a cordial for low spirits. I wish I could give you a Specimen of mine as beautifully written; but a pen will not obey the command of my paralytick nerves. The 5 th Vol: of D r . Franklin’s works, mentioned in your Kind letter of 27 th . February. I have never seen, nor any preceding Vol: except the first. What the Editor M r . William...
110From John Adams to John Jay, 31 March 1821 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your favour of the 20th. your letter to Mr Duane comprehends every thing necessary to be said upon this occasion, and I presume will remove all difficulties— I congratulate you on the firmness of your nerves fully demonstrated by your hand writing, the beauty and firmness of which is equal to the best of your former days mine are so debilitated that I can neither write—or...