301From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 11 June 1822 (Adams Papers)
Half an hour ago I received, and this moment have heard read, for the 3d. or 4th. time, the best letter that ever was written by an Octogenarian, dated June the first. It is so excellent that I am under an almost invincible temptation to commit a breach of trust by lending it to a printer. My Son Thomas Boylston—says it would be worth $500—to any Newspaper in Boston—But I dare not betray your...
302John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 11 June 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
Half an hour ago I received, and this moment have heard read for the third or fourth time, the best letter that ever was written by an Octogenarian dated June the 1 st . It is so excellent that I am almost under an invincible temptation to commit a breach of trust by lending it to a printer. my Son Thomas Boylston , says it would be worth five hundred dollars to any newspaper in Boston , but I...
303From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 10 June 1822 (Adams Papers)
Thanks for your letter of 5th. June and smoaking lecture but as I have not read the lecture I shall confine myself in this, the smoaking Theology. I believe you have heard of the Park Street prayers for the conversion of Boston and Cambridge, in which as far as they are good, sincere, honest pure and benevolent, I heartily join them; but which as far as they are hypocritical bigoted and...
304From John Adams to William Sumner, 3 June 1822 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 20th. has been received with great pleasure. I pray you to present my most profound respects to the ancient and honorable Artillery Company for their polite invitation which it would be my honour and pleasure to accept if my strength were sufficient to go through the day. I can concur entirely with you in your estimation of the dignity utility and importance of that military...
305From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 3 June 1822 (Adams Papers)
Some of Jobs afflictions and some of Jobs comforts have prevented my answering your letters, as far as no 30. I hope you will persever in stud y ing Barbaracque. I hope you will critically study his Notes and his quotations in latin and Greek from the Ancients. Endeavour to pick and search out their meaning.— Mr Russells letter and your Fathers remarks are arrived and running the round of...
306From John Adams to William Sumner, 2 June 1822 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 28 has been received with great pleasure. I pray you to present my most profound respects to the ancient & honorable Artillery company for their polite invitation which it would be my honour & pleasure to accept if my strength were sufficient to go through the day. I can concur entirely with you on your estimation of the dignity & utility & importance of that military...
307From John Adams to Z. G. Whitman, 2 June 1822 (Adams Papers)
My best thanks are due to you for your historical sketch of the Ancient & honorable artillery company. I have enjoyed its festivities almost from my cradle and held it always in high veneration. I am too nearly blind to read it myself and have not yet had time & opportunity to hear it read by a friend. Enough has been shown to me to perceive its ample details and to convince me that it is well...
308From John Adams to Ward Nicholas Boylston, 30 May 1822 (Adams Papers)
Some of Jobs afflictions and some peculiar to myself have rendered it impossible for me to write to you even a bare acknowledgement of the favours I have received from you. The first & greatest of which is the Extract from Mr Nichols. The manly sense pure integrity & noble disinterestedness of that worthy gentleman always charms me. After such a treat it seems a sin & a shame to mention such...
309From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 30 May 1822 (Adams Papers)
Some of Jobs afflictions & some of Jobs comforters have prevented my answering your letters as far as No 30. I hope you will persevere in studying Barbaracque. I hope you will critically study his notes & his quotations in latin & Greek from the Ancients. Endeavour to pick & search out their meaning. Mr Russells letter & your fathers remarks are arrived and running the round of conversation &...
310From John Adams to Susanna Boylston Adams Clark Treadway, 28 May 1822 (Adams Papers)
Give my thanks & a kiss to Miss Susan for reminding her mother to write to her Grandfather. Your lovely letter of May 21. reached me this morning. You are indeed a great traveller for your age and your letters will do more honor to your Country than the printed travels of Europeans, which come out in such numbers, wearing such sombre colours; Wherever you go every thing is smiling & pleasant....
311From John Adams to Henry Channing, 27 May 1822 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your favor of the 22 inst & the two Connecticut gazettes which I have given to Mr. Shaw of the Athenaeum to be communicated to the Historical Society. I had rather read their remarks on the Mohegan letter than make any of my own. It is unpleasant though it is necessary to bring such documents before the public after a concealment of one hundred twenty years. If the Legislature...
312From John Adams to William Tudor, Jr., 23 May 1822 (Adams Papers)
I neither know any thing of the name or character of Paul Allen. What he means by Mr Otis’s being on the point of leaving the meeting without signing as Ruggles did I know not: But one thing I know that if Otis ever uttered or thought of leaving without signing it was because he thought the result of that Congress was not strong enough: and it must be acknowledged that it was rather tame even...
313From John Adams to Allen Danforth, 18 May 1822 (Adams Papers)
I am so delighted with the idea of an Old Colony memorial; and so perfectly satisfied with the design and execution of the first number dated Saturday May the 4th. 1822—that I pray you to admit your my name among your subscribers and accept the inclosed Bill as my subscription for the first year— I have no disposition to Vilify the character of the illustrious William Penn, or to depreciate...
314From John Adams to Old Colony Memorial, 18 May 1822 (Adams Papers)
I am so delighted with the idea of an Old Colony Memorial and so perfectly satisfied with the design and execution of the first number, dated Saturday May 4th. 1822, that I pray you to admit my name among your subscribers, and accept the enclosed bill as my subscription for the first year. I have no disposition to vilify the character of the illustrious William Penn, or to depreciate his...
315From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 15 May 1822 (Adams Papers)
I will not trouble you to read a history of my pains and aches, as an apology for neglecting to acknowledge your letters, which I have regularly received—I am now better and thank you for your punctual attention. I preserve all your letters in a bundle—hec olin meminisse juvabit—Your observations upon Congress, and its members, are as they ought to be, candid cautious and prudent; It is an old...
316From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 14 May 1822 (Adams Papers)
I will not trouble you, to read a history of my pains and aches, as an apology for neglecting to acknowledge your letters which I have regularly received as far as No 28. I am now better and thank you for your punctual attention. I preserve all your letters in a bundle—hæc olim meminisse juvabit—your observations upon Congress, and its Members, are as they ought to be, candid cautious and...
317From John Adams to George H. Loring, 5 May 1822 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your pleasing and correct Letter, of May 4th. If you enjoyed your visit to montezillo, I assure you it was not less enjoyed by me, and all my family and friends. We were all surprise d at the facility with which Mr Weld translated long narrations into his figurative language, than astonished at the promptitude with which you understood them and the aptitude with which you...
318From John Adams to John Davis, 2 May 1822 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for introducing to me Mr Lewis Weld, an Instructor in the Asylum for the deaf & Dumb at Hartford, in whom I was highly pleased to see, so accomplished a Grand Son of my Ancient friend and Neighbour the Revnd Mr Weld of Monatiquot, nor was I less gratified, but much more astonished at his Pupil Mr George H Loring We happened to have a little company extraordinary, and we had an...
319From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 1 May 1822 (Adams Papers)
The documents you Send me from Mr. Williams have been to me for Several Years the most inscrutable Mystery in nature. My mind Suggest but one hypothesis for the Solution of it and that is not Satisfactory. I have explained it to Mr Williams. If the Mecklenburg resolutions were genuine and had been published at the time, they would have Sheltered me from the Vengeance of the Furies visited...
320From 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...
321From John Adams to Ann Hinckley, 29 April 1822 (Adams Papers)
I pray you to accept my thanks for a very elegant present, which delicious as it is in itself is rendered still more exquisite by comeing from the hands of a young Lady whose Character and accomplishments I have long admired, and in whose fortunes I have feelt a deep interest, may every human felicity be your portion, my Compliments and best thanks to your Father, for furnishing you with the...
322From John Adams to Joseph Delaplaine, 24 April 1822 (Adams Papers)
Portraits, or Busts, of Men or Women taken in Old age which as Ossian says, and says truly is dark and unlovely, are always disagreeable, much more so are those taken after death, or in articulo mòrtes The Portraits of Dr Frankline taken when he was eighty four, were no more like him in the middle of his Age or even when he was seventy years old, than they resemble those of Voltair. I delight...
323From John Adams to Joseph Delaplaine, 23 April 1822 (Adams Papers)
Portraits or Busts, of Men or Women taken in Old Age, which as Ossean says, and says truly is dark and unlovely are always disagreeable; much more so are those taken after Death or in Articulo mortis The Portraits of Dr Franklin taken when he was eighty four were no more like him, in the middle of his Age or even when he was seventy years Old than they resembled those of Voltair I delight to...
324From John Adams to Ward Nicholas Boylston, 23 April 1822 (Adams Papers)
Not a word at present about your delicious Cider and flounders. Miss Farnam a Grand Daughter of my Ancient acquaintance of Sixty years standing and brother barrister at Law with whom I have rode many a painful Circuit Mr Farnham of Newbury port, is a bout to remove to Princetown, in the Character of a school mistress, and is to reside in the family of Mr Clark your Revnd Pastor, her Aunt Mrs...
325From John Adams to Richard Peters, 2 April 1822 (Adams Papers)
If you have brought upon yourself the garrulity of old age you must blame yourself for it. Theophrastus at 90, as some say, and at a 115, as others, in his last moments is recorded to have said; it was hard to go out of the World when he had just learned to live in it. I am so far from his temper and his philosophy that I think myself so well drilled and disciplined a Soldier as to be willing...
326Inscription on the tomb of Henry Adams, March 1822 (Adams Papers)
In memory of Henry Adams who took his flight from the dragon persecution in Devonshire in England and alighted with eight sons near Mount Wollaston. One of the sons returned to England & after taking time to explore the Country four removed to Medfield & the neighboring towns—two to Chelmsford a . One only Joseph, who lies here at his left hand remained here, who was an original proprietor in...
327From John Adams to Elkanah Watson, 29 March 1822 (Adams Papers)
I have recieved your favr of the 17th. Decr. Your favour of the 17th Decr. You may do what you please with my letter of 20th Decr. I presume the Collo Troup you speak off is the gentleman whose eloquent speeches I have read with great satisfaction in the Volume of the transaction of the Convention for reforming your the Constitution. It would give me pleasure to peruse all your publications,...
328From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 26 March 1822 (Adams Papers)
I am delighted with your number 22. It is not too free. It is modest enough. It is wise learned and ingenious. I have sometimes the feelings of Theophrastus who at 115 as I learn from casauban, thought it hard to die when he had just learned to live. Never was I more ardently interested in historical and political studies or Amusements. Hobard Johnson Morton, Winslow Bradford and a hundred...
329From John Adams to James Leander Cathcart, 25 March 1822 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter, and the documents with it. Unable from the failure of my sight to read them, I have had them read to me. All I can say is, that your appointment as Consul was made upon mature deliberation, and careful examination of your conduct and correspondence, and your other writings; and nothing has ever come to my knowledge, exciteing any repentance or regret for that...
330From John Adams to Harriet Welsh, 22 March 1822 (Adams Papers)
In answer to your Question of the 11th of this Month which has been so long on its way, that I have received it but this moment, I have no hesitation in saying that at no period of our revolution, could any Man be his popularity what it might, could have persuaded the people of this Country or any considerable number of them to be governed by a King of their own, or even a President for Life,...