61Abigail Adams to James Warren, 7 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
Your Billit was deliverd to me a Day or two ago. I am much obliged to you for your kind offer but indeed Sir I know not where to find my Friend, my Imagination wanders like the Son of Ulyssus from Sea to Sea and from Shoar to Shoar. Tis now four months since the Boston saild in all which time we have never heard a word from our Friend’s. Our Enemies tell us that She is taken and carried into...
62Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 February 1804 (Adams Papers)
We have this Day quite and old fashiond Snow Storm, after an unusual pleasent Feb’ ry . the Snow is much deeper and more Drifted than We have had, for Several Winters. the wind Very high at North-East, from our parlour Windows the Stone walls are not to be Seen. it began yesterday noon to snow, after Evening, the wind rose, and has continued through the night, and to this time without...
63Abigail Adams to John Adams, 14 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
Five Weeks have past and not one line have I received. I had rather give a dollar for a letter by the post, tho the consequence should be that I Eat but one meal a day for these 3 weeks to come. Every one I see is inquiring after you and when did I hear. All my intelligance is collected from the news paper and I can only reply that I saw by that, that you arrived such a day. I know your...
64Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 15 March 1800 (Adams Papers)
Last Sunday the tenth, we had a deep snow here and as I know we usually have our proportion at the Eastward I fear it has obstructed the commencment of our Building, but at present the weather here is very Moderate; I hope, equally so with You. I wrote to you inclosing two Hundred Dollors under cover to mr Smith of Boston. you will inform me whether it got Safe to hand the President says if...
65Abigail Adams to John Adams, 12 February 1777 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Bromfield was so obliging as to write me Word that he designd a journey to the Southern States, and would take perticuliar care of a Letter to you. I rejoice in so good an opportunity of letting you know that I am well as usual, but that I have not yet got reconciled to the great distance between us. I have many melancholy Hours when the best company is urksome to me, and solitude the...
66Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 23 May 1802 (Adams Papers)
William Shaw was here to spend the Sabbeth, and brought with him his Letters from you; he shew me that in which you related the Disaster which befell You by a fall from your Horse. I shudderd when I found how narrow an escape You had for your Life, and thank Heaven for Your preservation. I was glad that I knew not of it untill you had recoverd; your Brother said not a word of it to me, yet I...
67Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 22 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
I have time only to write you a line or two, not expecting captain Bigolow to Sail so Soon. I was yesterday informd that he would not go till the middle of the week, but this morning he has sent for the Letters. I thought your sister had letters, but she says they are not ready. She wrote you by mr Jenks 3 weeks ago. I must refer you to your Friend Storer for further information as I have...
68Abigail Adams to Royall Tyler?, 14 June 1783 (Adams Papers)
You wish me to devote half an hour to you in your absence; you requested and I comply, to shew you that I have a disposition to oblige, but I am very unequal to the task you have assigned as I have no Herculian properties, but can say with Gays Shepard “the little knowledge I have gaind is all from simple nature draind.” I study her as my surest safest guide, for our actions must not only be...
69Abigail Adams to John Adams, 25 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have been highly favourd this week past. No less than 5 Letters I have received from you. It is a releif to one to know that we have a Friend who shares our misfortunes and afflictions with us. Your Letters administer comfort to my wounded Heart. It will sometimes when of of my Gaurd swell and exceed the bounds I endeavour to set to it. It is natural to mourn the loss of any comforts in...
70Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 21 November 1800 (Adams Papers)
I arrived here on Sunday last, and without meeting with any accident worth noticing, except losing ourselves when we left Baltimore, and going eight or nine miles on the Frederick road, by which means we were obliged to go the other eight through woods, where we wandered two hours without finding a guide, or the path. Fortunately a straggling black came up with us, and we engaged him as a...
71Abigail Adams to William Smith Shaw, 25 January 1799 (Adams Papers)
I thank you my dear Nephew for your last agreable Letter. you have too sensible and feeling a heart not to participate in the pleasure which the Return of your cousin gives to his Parents and Friends. your account of his reception from his Father was too tender and interesting to my Heart, not to flow to my Eyes; I hope you will derive both instruction and improvement from him. you have a mind...
72Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 30 October 1791 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you upon my journey whilst I was at Brookfield the sunday after I left you and was sorry to find by your Letter, that you had not received it. I wrote to you from N york but have been so engaged in moveing, & so embarressd with company in the midst of it, tho only a complimentary call, that I have had scarcly a moment that I could call my own. it was kind in you [to l]et mr Cranch...
73Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 15 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have not written a line to you for a long time; yet scarcly an hour of the day passes in which you are not present to my mind; I fear my last Letters were captured the ship, captain scott, was taken by the French. you will think me more tardy than I have really been. by the date of this you will see where I am. it was not my intention to have come here untill the Fall of the Year. I expected...
74Abigail Adams to John Adams, 20 September 1776 (Adams Papers)
I sit down this Evening to write you, but I hardly know what to think about your going to N.Y.—The Story has been told so many times, and with circumstances so perticuliar that I with others have given some heed to it tho my not hearing any thing of it from you leaves me at a loss. Yours of Sepbr. 4 came to hand last Night, our Worthy unkle is a constant attendant upon the Post office for me...
75Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Gray Otis, post 15 December 1801 (Adams Papers)
I received with great pleasure your kind Letter of December 15. I regreeted that I had not the pleasure of a visit from you before you left this part of the Country. old Friends and old wine are always valuable, they both tend to exhilirate the Spirits; and to enliven the declining part of Life: tho I am not particuliarly attachd to the latter, the first Stand foremost in my estimation. Some...
76Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 6 July 1787 (Adams Papers)
If I had thought you would so soon have Sent for your dear little Girl, I should have been tempted to have kept her arrival here, from you a secret. I am really loth to part with her, and she last evening upon petit’s arrival, was thrown into all her former distresses, and bursting into Tears, told me it would be as hard to leave me, as it was her Aunt Epps. She has been so often deceived that...
77Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 4 October 1789 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you a Letter last week, but as it did not get to the Post office, I have detaind it with an intention of sending you one of a later date. I believe I have received all your Letters. your last was dated Sep br 8th I have not written to any of my Friends so often as I ought to. you know very well that when a person is fixed to any particular spot, that very few subjects worth...
78Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 6 February 1798 (Adams Papers)
I was very anxious to receive a Letter from you this morning, and Betsy was wishing yet dreading to hear from her sister. that she yet lives, is some hope for to build upon. mr Brisler has just brought your Letter from the office dated 29 th Jan’ ry I believe I have written you every week, but fancy the Ice may have prevented the post from arriving. I wish Polly was where you could often see...
79Abigail Adams to John Adams, 31 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I do not feel easy more than two days together without writing to you. If you abound you must lay some of the fault upon yourself, who have made such sad complaints for Letters, but I really believe I have wrote more than all my Sister Delegates. Their is nothing new transpired since I wrote you last, but the sailing of some transports, and 5 deserters having come into our camp. One of them is...
80Abigail Adams to John Adams, 31 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
With my borrowed Money I have just paid the collector my tax Bill. I have the satisfaction to know that I did not borrow it to pay any expences of my own creating, but having been twice before call’d upon, I could not submit to a third, without discharging it. I have not any Letter from you of a later date than the 17 th nor do I expect to get an other untill the 4 th of April. the weather is...
81Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 25 January 1791 (Adams Papers)
You must not flatter yourself with the expectation of hearing from Colonel Smith until the February packet arrives. It is as soon as you ought to think of it. You see by the papers, that a minister is in nomination from England, and Mrs. C—— writes, will come out soon. Mrs. P——, from whom I received a letter, writes me by the last packet, that Mr. Friere is certainly appointed from Portugal,...
82Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 13 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
I begin my Letter by saying that mr Cranch was so much better on the 7th, the date of mrs Johnsons last Letter, as to conclude to go to the Court the next day— I would not make a long preparation to allarm or distress you, or write you a word upon the subject untill mrs Johnsons 2 d Letter came for I would not have you feel as I did, upon reading the first part of hers of the 4 of july. upon...
83Abigail Adams to John Thaxter, 19 August 1778 (Adams Papers)
I really began to feel very uneasy at your long Silence and feared Sickness or some disaster had befallen you. I have been a journey, and absent about a fortnight as far as Haverhill, and upon my return I expected to have found Letters in Town, for so long a Space has not intervened since your absence, but to my no small dissapointment I could not hear any thing from you, but I will not...
84Abigail Adams to John Adams, 15 June 1795 (Adams Papers)
I have regularly received Your Letters and thank you for them. I have read the pamphlets. the Bone has much good natured Witt, contains many painfull facts, & Shows in a strong light what manner of Spirit actuates the pretended Patriots. the writer has in some places taken, a poetical Licence I have not offerd it where I am. Society and Interest and dissapointed ambition will have their...
85Abigail Adams to John Adams, 28 March 1796 (Adams Papers)
Captain Beal was in Boston on Saturday and he prevaild on the post master to let him take up the Saturday Mail by which means I got those Letters which ought to have come on thursday Letters of the 11 th 12 th 13 15 & 16 th . the greatest comfort which I derived from them, was hearing that you were well. the prospect of sitting till June is not a very agreable one, and the cause less so. What...
86Abigail Adams to Elizabeth Cranch, 8 May 1785 (Adams Papers)
Yes my dear Neice, it was a Ceremony that one must study Some time to find out either utility or pleasure in it. I own tho I made one in the procession I could not help feeling foolish as I was parading first up one side of a very wide road, for a mile and half and then turning, and following down a vast number of Carriages upon the other as slow as if you was attending a funeral. By this...
87Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 15 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I know not how it is, but I always feel more spirits when I take my pen to write to you, than to any one else; I received a friendly Letter from dr Rush. the Good Gentleman endeavours to do away all the suspis he so innocently raised, and in doing it, your Father observed that it was ten to one. if he did not go to prateing to the Bishop or his daughters, and excite some Idea that he had been...
88Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 18 April 1790 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favour of the 5 th Instant came safe to Hand. I know our interest at Braintree can be of very little Service to us, seperated as we are from it, and lying so much in Buildings. I do not know what benefit was last year derived from the great Garden but unless Bass could carry manure upon it, it would soon become good for very little. if any method could be devised by which the Rent...
89Abigail Adams to John Adams, 2 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
I last Evening received your kind Letters of Jan’ry 18, 21 & 22 d accompanied with the Negotiation’s I have read the two pamphlets you sent me before. if the American pamphlet is the production of the person to whom report asscribes it, I think very little honour is due to his Head, and none to his Heart. I am sorry he is calld to fill so important an office, as the one to which he is lately...
90Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 25 December 1792 (Adams Papers)
Prince will bring this to you; the inclosed Letters I wish you to direct, the thin Paper, to your Father The other to Thomas; Prince is to return on thursday morg̃ by him send the papers and any Letters which you may have; if the weather should prove pleasent, I shall send a Horse for you on saturday. I have seen the dr since I wrote to you, and talkd with him about the meddow. he thinks that...