I have received the letter you did me the honor to write me on the 16 Oct together with your “considerations on the substance of the sun.” This pamphlet I shall transmit to Dr Lathrop of Boston, the librarian of the society, to be laid before them at their next assembly. In the mean time, I thank you for the pleasure you have given me of reading it. I will venture to say it contains much...
22From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 25 April 1808 (Adams Papers)
You were a Letter in my debt, when you wrote yours of March 17th but you did not know it. I wrote you Some months ago, and asked the favour of you to inform me, what is the Christian Name the Place of Residence, and the present Titles of our Friend Mr De Gyselaer, formerly Pensionary of Dort. I had particular reasons for this Inquiry which you would not disapprove, though I am not at present...
23From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 31 January 1805 (Adams Papers)
I have, after so long a time, been favored with a loan of four Volumes of Captain Joseph Ingraham’s Journals of his voyage to the North West Coast of America, round Cape Horn, in the Brigantine Hope of Seventy Tons burthen. He sailed from Boston on the 16th. of September 1790. In these he often Speaks of a voyage he made the year or two before, in the Columbia, and refers to his Journal of it....
24From John Adams to Henry Guest, 26 June 1808 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favour of the fifteenth of this Month and read it with pleasure; and my Son, who happened to be with me, on a visit, from Boston where he resides read the part of it addressed to him, with apparent Satisfaction. on his return from Washington he presented me, in your name with that fine American Staff which I call “My Guest,” for which I give you a thousand Thanks. It not...
25John Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 11 July 1801 (Adams Papers)
I received yours of the 4 th with double pleasure occasioned by the Encouragement you give me to hope that I shall See you Soon at this chosen Spot. There are indeed in this Country, all the Characters and humours that you describe, and there will be such for many years to come, which will keep alive the extravagant Spirit of democracy, longer than it would live of itself. Exaggerations of...
26From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 22 June 1806 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the tenth, like all others from your pen, notwithstanding all your apologies, was a cordial to my Spirit. I must confess to you, that the data, upon which you reason from the Prophecies concerning the future amelioration of the condition of mankind, are too obscure and uncertain, to authorize us to build any System upon them for the conduct of Nations—It is well to understand as...
27From John Adams to National Intelligencer, 4 August 1802 (Adams Papers)
It has been often Said, and as often as denied, that there are Men in this Country attached to Democracy. Simple Democracy: to a Government in every State, of a Single Assembly of Representatives, without a Senate and without a Governor; to a Government of the Nation in a Congress of Delegates in one House without a Senate and without a President. The Charge is Supported by the Declarations of...
28From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 13 September 1805 (Adams Papers)
(To be added to those on Sea Weeds) If the gentleman from the Isle of Fromme mentioned in your Letter of the Eighth give you a Portugese Man of War, I beg you to keep it and not present it to me as you generously propose. I have no use for it and no incentive to preserve it. I only want to know whether it has a distinguishable animal in it. If you part with it at all I hope you will give it to...
29From John Adams to Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 6 April 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have received from Mr Pichon, your favour of the 10th. of January, and, while I feel my obligations to you for your kind Remembrance of me, I very heartily rejoice with you, in your return to your native Country. The new Superintendant of the commercial relations between France and the United States, will, I presume be very well received here, and the better by most men for the part he acted...
30From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 22 December 1808 (Adams Papers)
I know not whether I shall make you smile or weep, excite your ridicule or pity or contempt when I reveal to you the mistery of my long delay to answer your last Letters. But before I unriddle that unusual negligence, I must say a few words concerning our Friend Whartons Attachment to Prophecies and his habit of applying them to passing events. I have no objection to the Study, but I am aware...