51From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 3 April 1815 (Adams Papers)
I thank you, dear Sir for your favours of 7. and 20th. Ult. Messrs Everett and Mr Ticknor will have the benefit of your Introductions. Oh! that I had been So introduced when I entered Holland a forlorn Pilgrim in 1780, without a Single Line of Introduction to any body. What a Knighterrant I have been? There has been too much Said about Franklins Plagiarism. If he was guilty, which I do not...
52From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 23 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
Your favr. of Dec. 17. 1814 has lain too long unnoticed. “Votre deuil vous plait.” I have before recommended to you the Precepts and Example of Epictetus: I now Shall refer you to another respctable Authority and bright Pattern. Forty five years ago, living in cold Lane in Boston, and holding my Barristers Office in Kings Street I walked four times a day by an obscure house, in which I...
53From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 22 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
Alexander Hill Everett Esquire, a Genteman of the Bar in Boston, who had his Law Education in the Office of my son John Quincy Adams: and accompanied him to Russia, five or Six years ago, and afterwards travelled, in various parts of Europe, is to be Secretary of Legation to our Embassy to Holland. He is elder Brother to the Reverend Mr Edward Everett, and as great a schollar. He wishes me to...
54From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 24 November 1814 (Adams Papers)
Your’s of the tenth has been longer than usual on the Way, This Vault of Air, this congregated ball Self center’d Sun and Stars that rise and fall; There are, my Friend, whose philosophic eyes Look through and trust the Ruler with his Skies. This imitation by Pope of Horaces “Hunc Solem et Stellas &c together with Cleanthes’s “Why Should I grieve, when grieving I must Share bear? And take with...
55From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 18 October 1814 (Adams Papers)
Your last Letter has affected me more than any I ever received from You. The Loss of your Friend Mr Mappa, your own Loss and Madam Vand erkemps loss must be So severe, that my heart has been deeply affected with the News, in the midst of the public News. The Menaces of G.B. I despize; but the Grief of my Friend melts my heart. Oh! that you were near me! Is the Pope and the Inquisition to make...
56From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 23 September 1814 (Adams Papers)
Your favr. of the 12th has revived or awakened my Pen which had fainted or Slept for many Weeks Preparations for Festivals have taken no time, nor many thoughts. One Sunday Evening, which our Parson, Said was the most pleasant and profitable, he had ever Spent, was all. Mr De Wint and Caroline have as little disposition to Pomp as her Grandfather. If you can give me any information concerning...
57From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 5 July 1814 (Adams Papers)
Bad health ever Since last Christmas! the last month worse than ever! Head loaded, Eyes almost blind! horrid Chh Yard Cough! high fever! feet almost Stumbling on the dark mountains! rapidly advancing towards the Valley of Jehoshaphat! No Veal Cutlet, no Old Hock, no old or young Madeira, no meat, no Spirit: nothing, but Indian Porridge, Water gruel and mutton broth, lemonade, five and twenty...
58From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 29 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
How Shall I? How can I express my Obligations to you? My Time, thoughts, labours are all Spent in my Garden, from five in the morning to Eight at night. I am more fatigued than my Boys or my Men. They laugh and Sing and dance, after I am So exhausted that I can Scarcely hear Madame or Mademoiselle read your Letters or Buckminsters Sermons, or Everets. At a time, when I had resigned the Chair...
59From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 2 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
If with blind Eyes and paralytical Hands, I could enfanter des in Folio, like De Wolf, Priestley and Voltaire, and at the Same time had the Library of the late King of France, about me I might be qualified in part to correspond with you. Buckminster imported Brucker with him from Europe. In the Sale of his Library, the Competition was between Harvard University and the Athenæum. William Smith...
60From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 3 April 1814 (Adams Papers)
I have recd Condorcet, in good order and your favour of 20th. Ult. Enfields History of Philosophy, is worth many Condorcets. This great Work is drawn up from Brucker’s “Historia critica Philosophiæ”; an immense Work in half a dozen folio Volumes of Greek and Latin. Can you give me the Sketch of this Brucker? Who was he? Neither Brucker nor his Abridger, had Seen the Asiatic Researches; nor...