1From John Adams to Richard Cranch, 2 September 1755 (Adams Papers)
I promised to write you an account of the scituation of my mind. The natural strength of my facultys is quite insufficient for the task. Attend therefore to the invocation. Oh! thou goddess, Muse, or Whatever is thy name who inspired immortal Miltons pen with a confusion ten thousand times confounded, when describing Satan’s Voyage thro’ Chaos, help me in the same cragged strains, to sing...
2From John Adams to Richard Cranch, 29 August 1756 (Adams Papers)
I am set down with a Design of writing to you.—But the narrow Sphere I move in, and the lonely unsociable Life I lead, can furnish a Letter with little more than Complaints of my hard fortune. I am condemnd to keep School two Years longer. This I sometimes consider as a very grievous Calamity and almost sink under the Weight of Woe.—But shall I dare to complain and to murmur against Providence...
3From John Adams to Richard Cranch, 18 October 1756 (Adams Papers)
In my last you remember I desired your sincere Opinion of the new Resolution I had taken, but as you have not yet been so kind as to send it, I must beg your patience while I tell you my sincere opinion of it. The Law, I take to be a very difficult and a very extensive Science and to acquire any considerable degree of knowledge in the Theory and of skill in the Practice, a serene head, a large...
4From John Adams to Richard Cranch, November – December 1758 (Adams Papers)
Braintree October–December? 1758. Printed: JA, Earliest Diary The Earliest Diary of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1966. , p. 69–70 , from a draft, with the principal variations from text of RC ( Adams Papers ) recorded in notes. Printed ( JA, Earliest Diary The Earliest Diary of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1966. , p.
5John Adams to Richard Cranch, 29 June 1766 (Adams Papers)
I have been determined, a long Time, to write you by the first Opportunity that should present, of sending a Letter. Two or Three Opportunities have presented; but so suddenly, that I could not obtain Time to write one Line. I now write intending to have my Letter in Readiness, against another Bearer appears. I rejoiced very heartily last Night, at Hearing of your Welfare by Mr. Grosvenor. I...
6John Adams to Richard Cranch, 23 September 1767 (Adams Papers)
I have but a few Moments, to congratulate you on the fresh Blessing to your Family.—Another fine Child and Sister comfortable! Oh fine! I know the Feeling as well as you and in Spight of your earlier Marriage, I knew it sooner than you.—Here you must own I have the Advantage of you.—But what shall we do with this young Fry?—In a little while Johnny must go to Colledge, and Nabby must have fine...
7John Adams to Richard Cranch, 18 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
I thank you most kindly for your obliging Letter. And beg the Continuance of your Correspondence. Every Line from Boston is a Cordial, and of great Use to us in our Business. It is a grief to my Heart that I cannot write to my Friends so often and particularly as I wish. But Politicks I cant write, in Honour. I send the Votes of Yesterday, which are ordered to be printed, and this is the only...
8John Adams to Richard Cranch, 2 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
I received your Favour of 22 July, by last Tuesdays post. I thank you for the Trouble you have taken to inform me of the Circumstances of your Family and my own. It gives me great Joy to think your Symptoms were so favourable.—I had a Letter, from my best Friend by the same Conveyance, which gave me more Pleasure than many Times its Weight in Gold would have done. You mention the Exultation at...
9From Henry Laurens, with Appended Note of John Adams to Richard Cranch, 5 January 1778 (Adams Papers)
I had the honour of Addressing you on the 28th. November and 3d. Ultimo in Official Letters from Congress. My present business is to intreat your protection to the inclosed Packet from Baron Kalb which he intimates to me is intended to be of particular service to these States. You will be pleased either to take it under your immediate care if you intend within a few Weeks to embark for France...
10John Adams to Richard Cranch, 6 August 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have long wished for an Opportunity to write to you but the thousand things that have surrounded me have prevented. Mr. Williams has promised me to write you concerning your Affairs and I suppose he has done it. I am not able to inform you of anything concerning them. There is a Society here resembling the Society of Arts &c. in London. It is called “Le Societe libre d’emulation.” It gives...