681Abigail Adams to John Quincy and Charles Adams, 26 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
I am happy to hear of your safe arrival tho not at the port, I wished to hear you were. You will however have a more extensive opportunity of seeing that part of the world, if you travel by land to France. I wrote you largely by Mr. Austin which I hope you have received. A very soar hand prevents my writing many things which I have in my mind, and which will be committed to paper as soon as I...
682John Adams to Abigail Adams, 27 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
The House of Joseph Guardoqui and Sons of Bilbao, have sent you some necessaries to the Amount of about 200 Dollars, by Captain Babson of N ewbury Port, belonging to Mr. Tracy, and I have ordered them to send duplicates and Triplicates, by other good Opportunities. I have also written to Mr. Moylan of L’orient to send all the Things of which you gave me Minutes, for yourself, Mr. W ibird , M....
683Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 28 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
How does my Dear Mrs. Warren through a long and tedious Winter? in which I have never been honourd with a single line from her hand. Possibly she may think me underserving of her favours; I will not presume to lay claim to them upon the score of merrit, but surely she should have charitably considered my lonely State, and Brightned the Gloomy hour with the Benign Rays of her Friendship...
684John Adams to Abigail Adams, 28 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have sent you, one yard of fine Cambrick, at 14 Livres an Ell, two of a coarser sort at 6 Livres an Ell. Eight India Handkerchiefs at 6 Livres each and three of another stamp at 6 Livres a Piece. These seem monstrous dear, but I could not get them cheaper. If the Marquis should make you a Visit You will treat him with all Distinction that is due to his Merit and Character, as well as his...
685John Adams to Abigail Adams, 28 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have already sent to the Marquis de la Fayette, a Number of Letters for you, and the Children, from their Brothers, who favoured me with their Company last night and are just gone off to the Accademy. Charles’s Master is full of his Praises, and John I think is more solid and steady than ever. In two of the Letters to you, you will find no Writing, only a small Present to you and Miss Nabby,...
686Abigail Adams to John Adams, 1 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I had scarcly closed my packet to you when I received your Letters dated Ferrol and Corunna. I am happy indeed in your safe arrival and escape from the danger which threatned you. I feel glad that you have determined to proceed by land tho so tedious and expensive a journey. I grow more and more apprehensive of the dangers of the sea, tho I have really no Right to Quarrel with old Neptune,...
687Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 2 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I cannot close the packet, without acknowledging the recept of your Letter, and thanking you for it. You have great reason for thankfullness to your kind preserver, who hath again carried you through many dangers, preserved your Life and given you an opportunity of making further improvements in virtue and knowledge. You must consider that every Moment of your time is precious, if trifled away...
688Abigail Adams to John Thaxter, 2 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I must attempt a few lines to you (tho very much troubled with whitlows upon my fingers) in reply to your favours from Ferrol and Corruna, which gave me much pleasure and entertainment. I rejoiced at your safety after the hazard you run of a spacious Grave. I think myself fortunate in having received all the Letters that my Friends have written since their absence, by which means I follow them...
689James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 7 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
The Post but now arrived will be again on his Way in an Hour; I retire therefore from a Circle of public Debate, to acknowledge, at a Side-Window, your Favor of February 13th. this Moment unsealed. I admire the Remarks. Be persuaded, lovely Moralist, to indulge me with a Sight of what occasioned them—“Passages of Letters of January 6th. and 18th.” I shall be much chagrined if you do not...
690Mercy 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...
691Abigail Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 13 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Altho this is the first time I ever took up my pen to address you, I do it in perfect confidence that you will not expose me, having been long ago convinced that you are the sincere and constant Friend of one deservedly Dear to me, whose honour and character it is my Duty at all times to support. I observed in a late Philadelphia paper of Janry. 27, that the Philosophical Society had chosen a...
692John Adams to Abigail Adams, 15 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have sent you Things from Bilbao, by Captain Babson, and a small present by the M. de la Fayette, another by Mr. Lee, another by Mr. Wharton, and shall send another by Mr. Brown, another by Mr. Izard, and perhaps another by the Viscount de Noailles, and the Alliance will bring you and your Neighbours, what you and they wrote for. I intend to tax every Gentleman who goes from here, towards...
693John Adams to Abigail Adams, 15 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Brown, whom I left at Passy, when I returned to you, and whom I found here, upon my return to Paris, will deliver you this and another Letter which I intended to have sent by the Viscount de Noailles, and two small Bundles containing a Piece of Chintz each. The Price is horrid, Sixty Livres a Piece, but I cannot trade, I suppose others would get them at half Price. If you will make me buy...
694John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 15 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
On Monday Morning I had the Honor to go with his Excellency and Mr. D ana to breakfast with the celebrated Abbè Reynald, in Com pany with a large Collection of Nobility and Gentry of both Sexes. In opening upon this Company, (which was unexpected to poor me) I felt all that irksome Discomposure and painful Confusion, which so respectable an Assembly of Strangers could produce in one...
695John Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have never answered your Letter of the 8th. of June, that I remember, and there is nothing in it that requires a particular Answer but it affects me, with a Pleasure and a Tenderness and an Anxiety and a Pain, that I cannot describe to you, as all your Letters ever did and ever will, that describe your own sentiments and your own Distresses as well as those of our Country. They are the...
696John Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have not particularly answered your amiable Letter of 10 Decr. Your tender Anxiety distresses me, much: I hope your Faith however, has returned before now with your Spirits. If Captain Trash arrived safe from Corunna you have heard from me, or if Babson from Bilboa. Your delicate Charles is as hardy as a flynt. He sustains every thing better than any of Us, even than the hardy Sailor his...
697Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter last evening received from Bilboa relieved me from much anxiety, for having a day or two before received Letters from your Pappa, Mr. Thaxter and Brother in which packet I found none from you, nor any mention made of you, my mind ever fruitfull in conjectures was instantly allarmed. I feard you was sick, unable to write, and your Pappa unwilling to give me uneasiness had concealed...
698James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 21 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I most sincerely rejoice with you on the safe Arrival of Mr. Adams in Spain after so short a Passage tho’ attended with some Hardships. In addition to the News in the Prints I venture, upon some confidential assurances from the worthy Genl. Lincoln, to excite your Hopes as to our affairs in that Quarter. It is recommended to redeem the continental Currency at 40 for 1 and to model the Tender...
699John Adams to Abigail Adams, 24 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
This goes by Colonel Fleury, whom you know, who desires to carry a Letter to you. My three Boys dined with me Yesterday, being a Playday for them, in fine Health and Spirits. I long to hear, whether Captain Trash arrived from Corunna, who had Letters from me to you, or Captain Babson who had Letters and more. I dont know whether you have yet heard of our Arrival. There are a great Number of...
700John Adams to Abigail Adams, 28 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Izard goes off, the day after tomorrow, and will carry this, and all the News there is. We have none from America, a long time. I have only yours of 10 decr. since I left you. I hope you have received Letters from me, from Corunna and Bilbao. There are gone many for you, since my Arrival here, but I suppose are still detained at the Sea Ports. They will soon sail. My 3 Boys dined with me...
701John Adams to Abigail Adams, April – May 1780 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday We went to see the Garden of the King, Jardin du Roi, and his Cabinet of natural History, Cabinet d’Histoire naturell. The Cabinet of natural History is a great Collection, of Metals, Mineral s , shells, Insects, Birds, Beasts, Fishes, and presscious stones. They are arranged in good order, and preserved in good condition, with the name of every thing beautifully written on a piece...
702John Adams to Abigail Adams, 6 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
There is a great deal of hatred against the Govt. in England as you will see by the song inclosed. They are going on, with County meetings, Petitions, Committees, Correspondences, Associations &c. in our mode. What it will come to, I dont know. They talk in London about withdrawing the Troops, &c., but I suspect, We had better take em, least they should alter their minds. At last a Vessell has...
703Abigail Adams to John Adams, 15 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
By Mr. Guile who is bound to Amsterdam and from thence to France, I embrace this opportunity of writing to you; and inquiring after your welfare. Mr. Guile was the Bearer from Mrs. Dana who received them, of the first Letters I received from you. I wish he may be the safe conveyer of mine to you. I have written to you various times since your absence, but have never had one direct conveyance...
704Elbridge Gerry to Abigail Adams, 17 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
By the last Post I was honored with your Letter of the 13th March, communicating in Confidence your Sentiments on a certain publication in the Philadelphia Paper, which had been too striking to escape the Notice of Mr. A dams ’s Friends in this Quarter. It is not easy to ascertain the Intentions, of the philosophical Society in their Election of Mr. A . . . . s, or how far they were concerned...
705John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 30 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
That a Nation once distinguished in the Annals of Mankind, should by the Pride, Avarice, Ambition, Injustice and Oppression of its Governors, loose its distant Dependencies, is not an uncommon Event in the History of the World; but that the same Nation, from the Operation of the same Causes, together with Folly and Madness, should league one half the World against her, is not only a Phenomenon...
706Abigail Adams to John Adams, 1 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
Last week arrived at Boston the Marquis de la Fayette to the universal joy of all who know the Merit and Worth of that Nobleman. He was received with the ringing of Bells, fireing of cannon, bon fires &. He was so kind as to forward my Letters immediately, but his haste to set of for Philadelphia deprived me of the Honour of a visit from him at Braintree which I had hoped for, and but just...
707John Adams to Abigail Adams, 3 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
Having just heard of a Small Brig bound directly from Nantes to Boston, I write you, one Line. The day before Yesterday, I had a letter from your Uncle S mith by Way of Amsterdam, 26 February. I should advise you to embrace these Opportunities by Way of Spain and Holland, otherwise I shall very seldom hear from you. There are a full Bushell of Letters from me, and your share is among them, on...
708John Adams to Abigail Adams, 5 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
By your Uncles Letter of 26 feb., he could not hear of any Letters from me by Trash. I certainly wrote by him from Corunna, so did the Children. I wrote to Congress, as well as to you. I wrote also by Babson, who carried some Things for you, from Bilbao. I hope the letters are not lost. I went a few days ago to Biçetre, to see the Curiosities of that Place. It is a Bedlam for the Mad, a Prison...
709John Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Austin has at last arrived—he dined with me, Yesterday and today. He has been taken, and been to London and from thence to Amsterdam. All his Letters to me from Congress, the Council and my friends, he cast into the Sea.—What a Loss!—Oh how I regret it! But he brought from Amsterdam, yours of 26 Feb.—but how was I mortified, to find that you had not received my Letters from Ferrol and...
710John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 12 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
On the 10th. of this Month I had the pleasure of recieving Letters from Hingham dated in February, which informed me of the Health of all Friends at both my dear Homes. They contain the first News I have recieved of the Kind. They gave me Relief from a Burden of Anxiety I had been under respecting the Severity of the Winter there. I have also Letters from Braintree, which inform me, that a...