1Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 21 May 1777 (Adams Papers)
I this day Received a few lines from my Friend, whose Long silence I have not been able to Account for but suppose her Letters are Directed southward. Have you any Late private Inteligence from that quarter, and do our Friends their Really think we shall be Invaded on all sides, or do they mean only to advise us to be Ready. My heart at times almost dies within me only with the Apprehension...
2Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 25 July 1773 (Adams Papers)
I shall pass over in silence the Complementary introduction to your Letter, not because these Expressions of Esteem are frequently words of Course without any other design but to Convey an Idea of politeness as the Characteristick of the person the most Lavish therein. But in you I Consider anything of the kind as the Natural result of a Friendly heart dispose’d to think well of all those who...
3Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 6 August 1779 (Adams Papers)
Beneath the shady Forrest of Ele River, while my Best Friend has walked towards the Fertile plains to survey the Reapers, or perhaps asscends the Rugged Hills to View the sportive Flocks, I take up my pen to Congratulate you, most sincerely to Congratulate you on the safe Return of yours, from the Busy and wearisom scenes of politics, pleasure, and politeness, to the still Delights of Domestic...
4Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 1 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
For once I have followed the Example of my Friend, and have Long delayed a Reply to her Letter. And though I Cannot Complain of my Eyes as an Excuse, yet I have other Weaknesses to plead that are more than a Ballence, and to say Nothing of the Intelectual system, the Weakness of my Constitution, the Febleness of my Limbs, and the pains in my spirits , for several months past is sufficient to...
5Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 2 January 1778 (Adams Papers)
Great Advantages are often Attended with Great Inconveniencies, And Great Minds Called to severe tryals. If your Dearest Friend had not Abilities to Render such important services to his Country, he would not be Called to the self Denying task of leaving for a time His Beloved Wife and Little pratling Brood. Therefore while I Weep with my Friend the painful abscence, I Congratulate her that...
6Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 27 February 1797 (Adams Papers)
It Can be of little Consequence to you my dear Madam wither Your late adventure with me amounts to 8000 dollars or only 8 /— Yet it is my duty to let you know how it stands and to take your commands either to vest You again as an adventurer in the next Class—or remit to your order the sum of 8/4— as I think it always best to rise in our subject instead of sinking from great to small things—my...
7Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 19 January 1774 (Adams Papers)
I sincerely Congratulate my much Esteemed friend on the Restoration of the invaluable Blessing of Health: without which (if I may so Express it) Life is but a painful Blank. May it be long: very long before she again knows an interuption. But by the stile and spirit of yours of the 5th December one would judge you was quite as much affected by the shocks of the political as the Natural...
8Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 8 January 1778 (Adams Papers)
Did I think it in my power to afford any Consolation to my Friend I Would Readily undertake the tender task and as she Request s offer many Arguments for her support. But is it Really Necessary to Muster up arguments to prevail with my dear Mrs. Adams to Consent to what she knows is Right, to what she is sensible will Contribute Much to the welfare of the public. No surely she has Already...
9Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 21 September 1775 (Adams Papers)
As soon as the Letter of my Beloved friend reached my Hand, I immediately set down to Congratulate her on the Recovery of her Lovely Boy. May Returning Health Enliven the Countenance of Each one of your family, and Every Blessing Alight on your Habitation. I have been very solicitous about you since I left you. Hearing several times transiently that you and the Little flock about you were very...
10Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 15 March 1779 (Adams Papers)
If anything would awake the sleeping Muses or Call Back the Wandering Deities the Imagery of this Delightful Morn (when the hand of Nature has Decorated Every twig with spangles of peculiar Brilioncy) joined with the Repeated Request of my friend would not fail to do it. The subject you point out Requires Heroics. But Alas, Clio is Deaf, perhaps irrecoverably stunned till the Noise of War...
11Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 11 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
My Dear Mrs. Adams has Disappointed Me so often that I think I will no more promise myself the pleasure of A Visit. But I think I will put in A Double Claim for Letters, both by way of Compensation for the Failure of her Company, And to Attone for her Husbands Deficiency. However I know his Work is Arduous and that He has Many Correspondents to answer, so I Believe it is best I should Run him...
12Enclosure: Poem on the Boston Tea Party, 27 February 1774 (Adams Papers)
Wrote at the Request of A Gentleman who described the Late Glorious Event of sacrificeing several Cargos of tea to the publick Welfare, as a squable among the Celestials of the sea Arising from a scarcity of Nectar and Ambrosia The content of all or some notes that appeared on this page in the printed volume has been moved to the end of the preceding document RC ( Adams Papers ); addressed:...
13Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 8 April 1779 (Adams Papers)
So I must Give up my Little Companion, my Young Friend. Your Claim is prior, your Title Cannot be Contested, but Remember she is not all your own : how apt are we to think we hold all our Blessings by a tenure of right, and Grow fretful when they are Resumed by the first proprietor. But I took not up my pen to Moralize. Nor will I hold it Long: and were I to Judge by the very sparing Returns...
14Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 21 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
I should have wrote before according to promiss, but have been prevented the use of my Eyes by a Cold fixing there and Even now believe I had better not write, but unless I do your Excelency may think it too Great Condesention to inquire after the Cottagers, at Plimouth. You have spent a week at Boston, and what think you of affairs now. I dare say you have Collected many Curious annecdotes,...
15Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 15 October 1776 (Adams Papers)
Nothing but the Greatest affection for my dear Mrs. Adams Would Induce me to Break over the Avocations of this busey Morning, and to quit the Conversation of my Friends who Leave me tomorrow, to scrable over a Hasty Line in Token that I have not Forgot you. Mr. Warren promissed to Make all the Apoligies Necessary for my Long silence. Mine is the Loss and the Mortifycation and on that...
16Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 7 February 1776 (Adams Papers)
Just Come to hand is A Letter from my very Worthy Friend who I suppose is by this time arrived at Philadelphia and Another from his Good Portia whose Mind seems to be Agitated by A Variety of passions of the Noblest kind, A sense of Honnour, of Friendship, of parental and Conjugal affection, of Domestick Felicity And public Happiness. I do not wonder you had a struggle within yourself when...
17Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 14 June 1777 (Adams Papers)
Could I write you any agreable Inteligence I would with pleasure Grasp the pen And Call of my Friends Attention a Moment from her Domestic avocations, but so much Avarice and Venallity, so much Annemosity and Contention, so much pride and Weakness predominate both in the Capital and the Cottage that I fear it will be Long: very Long before good tidings are Wafted on Every Wind and the Halcyon...
18Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 13 November 1796 (Adams Papers)
I return my dear madam miss Williams letters with Lovuts memoirs— am much obliged & hope have not detained them too long— am sorry to hear by Your late short billet that You do not enjoy perfect health— was the stage driver under any mistake when he told me you Contemplated a passage to Plimouth in the stage ere long— I hope he was not: as such a Circumstance would be exceedingly gratifying to...
19Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 27 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
My dear Mrs. Adams will undoubtedly Wonder that she has not heard from me since I Left Braintree, but want of Health, a Variety of Avocations, with some Axiety of Another Nature must be my Excuse. I have scarcely taken up a pen since my Return to Plimouth. Indeed I feel as if I was about to quit the use of it. So Great is the force of Habit that not accustoming myself to that Employment in...
20Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 14 July 1779 (Adams Papers)
My Friends anxity I Wonder not at. Wish I could say anything that would Give that Relief her agitated mind requires. Yet have no doubt her best Friend will soon be in a more Eligiable situation. Mr. Lovel writes Mr. Warren that the Motions of Congress tend towards an appointment to him Honorable, and thinks it will soon take place. No body seems to have an Expectation of his Return at present....
21Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 11 February 1783 (Adams Papers)
Did I feel myself conscious of any inclination to suspend a Correspondence that has given pleasure I should feel a little Awkward in the Renewal. But as I stand acquited to my own Heart of the least distance or indifference where the warm glow of friendship subsists I Readily snatch up the pen, and Even Rejoice that the Dreary storm, the incumbered Road, and the severe season has given me an...
22Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 10 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have to thank my Friend Mrs. Adams for a very agreable Letter Received a few days since. I shall make no other Apology for my long silence, but a Frank acknowledgment that I had layed asside my pen in Complesance to her, supposing her time and Attention taken up in more profitable correspondencies. But shall Fail at no time to shew myself Equally ready to Resume it. I Rejoice in the Happy...
23Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 14 October 1778 (Adams Papers)
The importunity of my Friends at Braintree, though my inclination is strong, is not sufficient to Carry me again from my Family till a Little more time is Elapsed. We therefore instead of indulging our own Wishs substitute a son who will be happy to Escort you, and in whose Bosom Curiosity is or ought to be as much alive as in that of his parents. You will doubtless have an agreable day. I can...
24Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 30 July 1788 (Adams Papers)
one line by my son inquires after the health of my Friend, at Braintree. do you begin to feel at home. & will you not after becoming a little Domesticateed in your native town think of an excursion to plimouth where you will find the same Friend, the same hospitality & undissembleed affection which in my opinion Gives the truest Zest to human life. you have seen all the Varietiy. & perhaps...
25Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 7 July 1777 (Adams Papers)
Being Necessiated to use a Certain peace of Linnen so Nearly up that I Cannot spare my Friend the bit she Requested I Let her know if I Come across any that I think will suit her I shall not forget her. I Could spare a Yard of very Good Irish Linnen but the price is more than Adequate to the Goodness so do not send it. If you are able to write yourself do Let me hear from you soon. If you are...
26Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 30 April 1785 (Adams Papers)
After long Expecting that Pleasure I was Gratifyed about four days since by the Receipt of a very agreable Letter from my Friend. I have so long answered in the Negative, when in all Company, the question is asked “No Letter from Mrs. Adams, your particular Friend,” that I have been obliged to make many apologys for your silence, to prevent some unfavorable Construction. I find by yours that...
27Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 15 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
Though I am very unwell scarce able to set up long Enough to write, yet I must let my dear Friend Mrs. Adams know it gave me great pleasure to have but a Line or too from her after her very long silence. I lament with you the infatuation of Britain, the Commotions of America and the Dangers to Which the Best of men and the truest Friends to Virtue, Liberty and the British Constitution are...
28Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 20 October 1780 (Adams Papers)
A Promiss made to my son to spend a week with our Friends at Braintree is readily Caught at nor Can I Receed had I inclination. I hope his Behaviour is such as no one will think it too Long Except his mamah who is very Choice of the Precious Moments of Youth. But you will put into his hand such Books as will both instruct and Entertain. I am sorry Naby is not at home. Why will my Friend be so...
29Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 17 April 1776 (Adams Papers)
If my dear friend Required only a very Long Letter to make it agreable I Could Easily Gratify her but I know There must be many more Requisits to make it pleasing to her taste. If you Measure by Lines I Can at once Comply, if by Sentiment I fear I shall fall short. But as Curiosity seems to be awake with Regard to the Company I keep and the Manner of spending my time I will Endeavour to...
30Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 26 August 1775 (Adams Papers)
I know my dear friend Mrs. Adams will be Glad to hear Her friend is in Better Health than when she Left Her. Hope I shall be able to Look Homewards some time Next Week. I Long for my own Retirement, and for the opportunity of seeing and Entertaining my Friend, at my own Habitation. But I know who talks sometimes of Fate. I suppose he means that providence has Its fixed Decrees to which Mortals...