1John Quincy Adams to Elizabeth Cranch, 1773 (Adams Papers)
i thank you for your last letter i have have had it in my mind to write to you this long time but afairs of much leess importance has prevented me i have made But veray little proviciancy in reading to much of my time in play th ere is a great Deal of room for me to grow better brother charls has got a very bad cold martha feild and Naby curtis sends their love to you and sister Naby from your...
2John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 13 October 1774 (Adams Papers)
I have been trying ever since you went away to learn to write you a Letter. I shall make poor work of it, but Sir Mamma says you will accept my endeavours, and that my Duty to you may be expressd in poor writing as well as good. I hope I grow a better Boy and that you will have no occasion to be ashamed of me when you return. Mr. Thaxter says I learn my Books well—he is a very good Master. I...
3John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 April 1776 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your agreable Letter of the Twenty fourth of March. I rejoice with you that our Friends are once more in Possession of the Town of Boston, and am glad to hear that so little damage is done to our House. I hope you and your Sister and Brothers will take proper Notice of these great Events, and remember under whose wise and kind Providence they are all conducted. Not a Sparrow...
4John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 3 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
I write to Congratulate you upon your arrival in baltimore and hope you will not omit writing to me. I have been very earnest to write to you for some time but could not find a subject we have no news here unless telling you that we have had several severe snow storms since you went away and yesterday we had one that banked over the tops of the fences we have not had so much snow before for...
5John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 16 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
There is an observation, which I wish you to make very early in Life because it may be usefull to you, when you grow up. It is this, that a Taste for Literature and a Turn for Business, united in the same Person, never fails to make a great Man. A Taste for Literature, includes the Love of Science and the fine Arts. A Turn for Business, comprehends Industry and Application as well as a faculty...
6John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 23 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
I received yours of the 19 of Feb and thank you for your perpetual almanack for with the assistance of my Mamma I soon found it out and find it is a very useful thing I have been a reading the history of Bamfylde moore carew he went through the biggest greatest part of america twice, and he gives a very pretty Desscription of maryland and philadelphia and new york but though he got a great...
7John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
Two ingenious Artificers, a Mr. Wheeler and a Mr. Wiley, under the Direction of a Committee, have been lately employed in making a Field Piece, a three Pounder, of bar iron. They have succeeded beyond Expectation. They have finished off a beautifull Piece of ordnance, which from all the Experiments hitherto made, promises great Things. The Weight of it, is two hundred and twenty six Pounds...
8John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter of 23d. March, and was very much pleased with it, because it is a pretty Composition and your Mamma Assures me it is your own. The History, you mention of Bamfylde Moore Carew, is worth your Reading altho he was a very wicked Man, because it serves to shew you, what a Variety there is in the Characters of Men, and what Odd, whimsical and extravagant Effects are produced...
9John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 2 June 1777 (Adams Papers)
I Love to recieve Letters very well much better than I love to write them, I make but a poor figure at Composition my head is much too fickle, my Thoughts are running after birds eggs play and trifles, till I get vexd with my Self, Mamma has a troublesome task to keep me Steady, and I own I am ashamed of myself. I Have but Just entered the 3d volume of Smollet tho I had designed to have got it...
10John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 8 June 1777 (Adams Papers)
I promised to write In a week again provided I could give a better account of my conduct. I have according to my resolution been more diligent and frugal of my time and when Mr. Thaxter was absent which was 4 days I applied myself for several hours every day to the reading of Smollet and have got almost half through the 3 vol. I find much entertainment in the perusal of history and I must own...