781Abigail Adams to John Adams, 19 March 1781 (Adams Papers)
It was only an hour ago that I was informd of a vessel just ready to sail for Amsterdam; by forgetfullness in the Messenger I have so short warning as to be able to write you only a few lines, yet a few is more than have come to my hand for six months, in all which space only a few lines written last May have reachd me. The Mars arrived the beginning of this Month after a very long passage,...
782John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 1 April 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have been duly honoured with your two favours of the 18th. of Novr. and 8th. of December. I am much obliged by the particular Account You have given of the Rise, Progress and fatal Issue of the fond Attachment of Mr. C. to Miss P. I confess with great Candour it contains many Circumstances hitherto unknown to me. I have indeed, Madam, an unavoidable and involuntary Share in the dreadful...
783John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 8 April 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have been wanting to write to you this sometime but there has been nothing worth writing, and even now I know not what to write. We have not long since, heard of the taking of St. Eustatia, it cast a great damp upon the spirits of the dutchmen here; however the latest news from America make up for it for in the English news papers there is paragraph which makes mention that by the latest...
784James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 17 April 1781 (Adams Papers)
By your Letter of the 3d. received this day I find that I have lost the Pleasure of having what you and Mr. Cranch wrote some Time ago respecting your little Invoices. Tho’ I make little Progress in forwarding your Property yet my past Notifications will show that I am constantly attentive to the Business. I suspect that Mr. Cranch may have mentioned some Waggons which came to this City with...
785Abigail Adams to John Adams, 23 April 1781 (Adams Papers)
You will wonder I suppose to what part of the world all the Letters you have written since the 25 of Sepbr. are gone, that not a line of a later date has reachd me, even up to this 23 day of April. My Heart sickens at the recollection, and I most sensibly feel the sacrifice of my happiness from the Malignant Union of Mars with Belona. My two dear Boys cannot immagine how ardently I long to...
786James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 23 April 1781 (Adams Papers)
Not receiving any Line from you by this day’s post, I recur to your favor of April 3d. already answered in part. I wrote to Col. Hughes to endeavor to forward the two Packages left by Doctor Winship, if he could find where they were deposited. I hope he will have found them and had them cased in Boards. Capt. J. P. Jones is without Letter or Invoice and supposes they must have been sent by the...
787John Adams to Abigail Adams, 28 April 1781 (Adams Papers)
Congress have been pleased to give me so much other Business to do, that I have not Time to write either to Congress, or to private Friends so often as I used. Having lately received Letters of Credence to their High mightinesses the states General of the United Provinces of the Low Countries and to his most serene Highness the Prince of Orange, I am now fixed to this Country, untill I shall...
788Joseph Gardoqui & Sons to Abigail Adams, 2 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Your much respected and highly Esteemed favour of the 4th of Septr. last we duelly received and after a due acknowledgment for its agreable Contents are not a little sorry to Informe you that it was not in our power to comply with your desire of shipping the articles you are pleased to order by our freind Mr. Smiths Vessell as she putt in at Ferrol and proceeded from thence back to America....
789Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 10 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Upon opening your favour of April 17 my Heart Beat a double stroke when I found that the Letter which I supposed had reachd you was the one captured in the room of that you received which was what I had supposed lost, but I should have been secure from the knowledge of the writer if Mr. Cranchs Letter and one I wrote at the same time had not accompanied it. The Letter which I would not have...
790Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 13 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you by the last post with a freedom which perhaps you may think I had no right to make use of. I was stimulated to it by many severe speaches that I had heard, and from not knowing myself what to say in paliation of my Friend. All former excuses were worn out by time and tho I do not believe the hard things I have heard, I think he ought to suffer any temporary inconvenience which a...
791James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 14 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
By a Letter of the 1st., this Moment received, I find that my amiable and respected Friend is under the mistake of supposing the Enemy in Possession of one of her former which has reached me, and that I have neglected to answer some others. She will know better before this reaches her. The Enemy have the one which attended Mr. Cranche’s: So that I have no Knowledge of the Mode He or She...
792John Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I am now settled at Amsterdam on the Keysers Gragt near the Spiegel Straat. Charles is with me to recover his Health after his fever. John is at Leyden. Mr. Thaxter with me. De la Motte Piquet has taken half Rodneys Plunder. I know not what other News to write. We hope, that Vessels will soon arrive from Boston. Hope you have received your Boxes by Sampson and Jones. I shall send you, as I...
793Hugh Hughes to Abigail Adams, 21 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I do myself the Honour, at the Request of the Honble. James Lovel Esq; Member of Congress, to address two Packages, that were left here by Doctr. Winship, to you. They came to Hand without a Case, which I have order’d made for their Security. They are in Charge of a Mr. Brown, who conducts a Wagon from Philadelphia to Boston, for some Members of Congress and others. When I began this, Brown...
794James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 21 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I hope you are not still without later Dates from Mr. A’s Hand than what we have—Oct. 24. I conclude he was well about the last of Febry., because Mr. Carmichael under Date of March 11th sends us Mr. A’s Plan of a Loan to be opened at the House of Nieufville & Son March 1st. We have no Vessels from Holland. Accept of my Conjecture as a Proof of my uniform Wish to contribute to your Ease of...
795John Adams to Abigail Adams, 22 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I Yesterday received your Letters by Captain Cazneau and Mr. De Neufville received his, and will accordingly send the Things you wrote for. You had better pursue this Method and write to Mr. Guardoqui at Bilboa and Mr. De Neufville here for what you want and desire them to draw upon me for the Pay. I will answer the Letters of my Friends as soon as I can, but I have so many Things upon me at...
796Abigail Adams to John Thaxter, 23 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
The sight of your old Friend Mr. Storer will give you sensible pleasure, he means to be the Bearer of this to you. I wish him safe. I need not add any thing in recommendation to you, who know him so well further than to say his character is not less fair or amiable, than it was when you quitted your native Land. He will I hope continue as free abroad from the fashionable vices of other...
797Abigail Adams to John Adams, 25 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
In this Beautifull month when Nature wears her gayest garb, and animal and vegetable life is diffused on every side, when the Chearfull hand of industery is laying a foundation for a plentifull Harvest who can forbear to rejoice in the Season, or refrain looking “through Nature up to Nature’s God?” While my Heart expands, it sighing seeks its associate and joins its first parent in that...
798Jean de Neufville & Son to Abigail Adams, 25 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
We are honor’d with your Ladyship’s letter of the 15th Jany. last, and deem ourselves peculiarly unfortunate, not to have been more happy in the choice of the Color of Silk we sent you. ’Tis the more painful to us, as we can make no amends but by redoubling our attention and Vigilance, In the execution of your future Commands which we set so high a value on that we consider your Continuance of...
799Abigail Adams to Charles Adams, 26 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I am sometimes affraid my dear Boy that you will be spoilt by being a favorite. Praise is a Dangerous Sweet unless properly tempered. If it does not make you arrogant, assuming and self sufficient, but on the contrary fires your Breast with Emulation to become still more worthy and engageing, it may not opperate to your Disadvantage. But if ever you feel your Little Bosom swell with pride and...
800Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I hope this Letter will be more fortunate than yours have been of late. I know you must have written many times since I had the pleasure of receiving a line from you, for this month completes a year since the date of your last Letter. Not a line from you or my dear Charles since you arrived in Holland, where I suppose you still are. I never was more anxious to hear yet not a single vessel...
801Abigail Adams to John Adams, 27 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have written so largely to you by Mr. Storer who goes in the same vessel, that I should not have taken up my pen again, but in compliance with the request of a Friend whose partner is going abroad, and desires a Letter to you as an introduction. Of Mr. Dexter the Bearer I know nothing but his Name. I have inclosed the Letter which I received from his partner who you know is a valuable...
802John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 27 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have been honoured with your favor of the 5th. February last. It would give me infinite Satisfaction to contribute in any way to your Enquiries into the Religion, Government, manners and Customs of this Country: and in some future Letter I will endeavour to give a small sketch (tho very imperfect) of them. The best History of this Country is in Dutch , and according to the Stile of the...
803Abigail Adams to John Adams, 28 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I could not have conceived that a Letter written upon merely political subjects could have communicated so much pleasure to my Bosom as yours of the 28th of December to the president, of Congress, has given to mine. This Letter was taken by the Enemy, carried into New York, and published by them, and republished by Edes. For what reason the Enemy published it I cannot tell, as it contains...
804James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 29 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday’s Post brought me your Letters of the 10th and 14 with a Copy of March 17. on the Subject of which I shall be particular when I have a proper Opportunity. I have a Friend to whom I communicate most unreservedly all the Ocurrences which tend to govern my Pleasures and my Pains; your Letters will of Course be submitted in that mixt View: I have already hinted their Influence in the...
805Enclosure: Invoice of Goods, 30 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
INVOICE of Sundries Shipped on board the Juno William Haydon Commander, bound for Boston. Consign’d to Mr. Isaac Smith Mercht. there, on order, and for Account of the honorable Lady Adams, in Braintree, mark’d, and number’d, as in margin Viz. No. 1 1 Box Containing No. 1 2 Damask Table Cloths 5 by 3 1/4 Ell at f.11 1/2 23 2 2 do. do. 1 1/2 by 3 1/4 at f. 10 1/4 20 10 3 2 do. do. 3 1/4 by 3...
806John Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Le Roy the Bearer of this is a native of N. York but has lived nine years in Amsterdam with his Aunt Mrs. Chabanelle, a Lady who with her whole respectable Family, have been vastly civil to me and mine. Our Children have found that House a kind of home. I therefore wish Mr. Le Roy every Respect in America that can be shewn him. He wishes to form Mercantile Connections in America and...
807James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 16 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have already acknowledged the Receipt of your Letter of May 10th covering a Copy of March 17th, and accompanied by one of May 14th. I think I told you I would be more particular, at some future Day, in considering certain Parts of them. I meant to do it by Cyphers; but the present Opportunity renders that mode needless. Genl. Ward will probably take a safe Road for himself and consequently...
808Sarah Sever to Abigail Adams, 16 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
I am exceedingly oblig’d to Mrs. Adams for her condescention, in the communications she has made in the very kind billet, this day handed me, by Mr. Austin. I am sincerely pain’d at the disagreable intelligence from my Cousin! Poor unfortunate youth! I hope his life is not so near drawing to its close! Just as his conduct merited the approbation of the Judicious; when his freinds might flatter...
809Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 23 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
And is there no medium Sir, between terms which might be misconstrued, and the cold formal adieu of mere ceremony tagd with a title. Your Sentimentilist as you are pleased to stile her prizes the Emanations of a pure and friendly Heart, before all the studied complasance of a finished courtier. Uncandid do you say? You never will find Portia so. When the character of the Statesman, the...
810James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 26 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
The Alliance may have brought you Letters: neither that nor the Franklin have given us any from Mr. Adams. Mr. Dana on the 4th of April resolved to go from Paris to Holland on the Sunday following. He mentions nothing of Mr. A but I send you a Scrap from the Hague which proves the Health of him and his, in a good Degree, March 4th. Any Thing to the contrary would have been mentioned by Mr....