It is a very long time my dear venerated father since I have written to you; but the events of yesterday were altogether so interesting I cannot refrain from giving you an account of them— The genl in his travels through this Country has been so much the publick idol, and the devotion of the people has been continued with so much fervour until the last moment of his residence among us, he...
2From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 30 March 1825 (Adams Papers)
Your journal which has become a necessary of life to me has failed me for a long time, but I must excuse it because it is too severe a tax upon you, and I hope and presume that George is too deeply absorbed in the studies of his profession to be able to spare time to copy your records. We are here in a news-paper flurry of flickenings for Governour and they will associate your Husband with Mr....
I write you a few lines my dear John in answer to yours which I received last night merely to say we are all well and your Grandfather better but we are so immerced in dinners and partys that my head is perfectly turned— Give my love to Johnson (Hellen), and tell him not to grieve—for I am glad the connection has failed as there is something in the conduct of all parties not altogether...
I have not been able my Dear John to keep the promise I made to you at parting of writing in consequence of having omitted to bring my writing materials which you know must involve me in some difficulty as you have frequently experienced the embarrassment attending the acquirement of the means to carry on a correspondence in this house—We found your Grandfather so much altered that we were...
I was so much occupied during my stop at Borden Town I could not answer your Letter therefore busy myself here having nothing to do with all the nonsense I can think of for pastime. You can easily conceive, the dreariness of my situation travelling alone with your father who though more of a than I can recollect since the earliest period of our marriage is still too much of a Statesman to be...
I write to announce our safe arrival at this place from whence we propose to start on a visit of two days to Mrs. De Wint this afternoon to return on Friday night to meet your father and proceed in the Steam Boat on Saturday afternoon to Providence where I presume we shall remain until Monday Morning—As the Horses are very tired it is probable we shall take a Stage to Quincy and see you all on...
7From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 6 August 1823 (Adams Papers)
In answer to your last my Dear John I can only say that if the accomodations are so suitable and the price so reasonable as you say at the Exchange I should most certainly prefer them to any others but you know that your father is particular on this point and I wish you to ascertain exactly before I come so that we may decide immediately after our arrival—There will be your father myself Ellen...
8From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 3 August 1823 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter my dear John gave us great uneasiness on your Grandfathers account and we feel very anxious lest the violence of the shock should have injured his health. We hope to hear from you frequently and that your Letters may be welcomed as harbingers of good instead of ill news for the future— I propose to leave this City on the 14 as your father wishes me to travel in the Carriage I shall...
9From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 18 July 1823 (Adams Papers)
I cannot imagine my Dear John what can be the reason of your not writing to me. You used to be a very regular correspondent, but I suppose the Ladies have such demands on your time you have none to bestow on your poor Mother. We are very happy to learn from Mr Pomeroy, that your Grandfather is so entirely recovered he tells us the old Gentleman has not looked so well this two years as he does...
10From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 3 July 1823 (Adams Papers)
I am, as well as your father, much delighted at the account you give of your Grandfathers health, and heartily pray that he may long enjoy the pleasure his little Carriage at present affords him—Charles writes me that he is quite sick, and that he would probably visit Quincy in consequence of it. I wish he may, as he does not understand managing himself, and should be under the care of those...
11From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 15 June 1823 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday brought me your Letter my Dear John and your father and myself were both pleased to see the account you give of our dear fathers health for whom we have been very anxious for some time—According to your account I am a little afraid you will get spoilt among so many belles who will so inflate your natural vanity that you will be likely to share the fate of Narcissus—Some of these...
12From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 13 June 1823 (Adams Papers)
Your last Letter my Dear John was indeed filled with grievous news and I sincerely pity the afflicted family who are left in a situation so melancholy—The shock must no doubt have been severe to your Grandfather although it was expected; but the strongest minds insensibly repel the idea of death until the inevitable doom is sealed, and we cannot fly from conviction by its sad and solemn...
13From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 29 May 1823 (Adams Papers)
I was very much hurt at the tone of your Letter yesterday my Dear John which could only be accounted for by the sourness and irritation which the late unpleasant events at Cambridge have produced upon your feelings and general character—You are too susceptible and misconceive the meaning of even your best friends still worse of a Mother who has ever shewn you the utmost kindness and...
14From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 24 May 1823 (Adams Papers)
As I feel very much concerned for your dissmission from College my Dear John lest you should have some debts that may embarrass you I beg you me immediately that I may find some plan if possible to extricate you from your most pressing difficulties without disguising in the least the real state of things—My means are very small but perhaps I may find some medium which may enable me to settle...
15From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 15 May 1823 (Adams Papers)
Your Letters my Dear John gave us great uneasiness on account of your Grandfathers health and for your own situation which is painful to an extreme—But it is vain to repine at that which cannot be changed or to suffer evil to absorb all our attention—The only remedy that is now to be offered is an unwearied application to acquire reputation and renown in your profession and by this means wash...
16From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 11 May 1823 (Adams Papers)
From Letters received from Edward Taylor and Charles, I at length understand that the unpleasant occurrence which has taken place at Cambridge has again proved one of those in which the Esprit de Corps has made it necessary for you to take your part and to act with your Class—I grieve most sincerely at this necessity which ultimately must be very injurious to you and probably lose you your...
17From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 10 May 1823 (Adams Papers)
Thanks for your favor of the third—With great pleasure I learn that you are all convalescent, and that your Brother is well and intends us a visit with you—Our John performed his part at the Exhibition with applause and approbation; But something has happened since, that has brought him here, where I wish he could remain, till next August twelve months, but I cannot advise him so, for his...
18From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 10 May 1823 (Adams Papers)
What shall I say to you my Dear John? or how shall I refrain from reproaching you? I will not judge you because I cannot yet understand what the difficulty is which occasioned your fault for a fault it is and a grave one however you or your Class may colour it—You were fully aware of how much you would lose and perfectly understood how much your father always is affected by this sort of...
19To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 3 May 1823 (Adams Papers)
I should certainly have answered your last very kind Letter immediately, had I not been very suddenly siezed by a violent Fever which confined me to my bed, and so entirely prostrated me in a few hours as to render all exertion impossible. Blistering and bleeding have at length subdued the disease, and I am now about the house again, although far from well, and sieze the moment of recovery to...
20From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 26 April 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have been very sick confined to my bed for several days therefore not able to write to either of you as I have intended as I have this day left my bed I send you at least a few lines in answer to both your Letters received within two days and to express if possible the gratification which the proper and affectionate feelings they manifested to your brother occasioned both to your father and...
21From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 22 April 1823 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 16th. is a reviving cordial in which I have languished for a fortnight—But I have to complain, that it is only two days, since I heard since I heard of George’s misfortune. I suppose it has been concealed in tenderness to me, but I wish to hear the worst of bad news from the begining. This tenderness for me has concealed many misfortunes which if they had been communicated to...
22To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 16 April 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have not written to you for some time my Dear Sir because I had nothing but bad news to tell but being all once more in the mending way I hasten to assure you that Georges arm is doing as well as we can hope and that the recovery is as rapid as the injury received will permit although he must bear up against a very tedious confinement—Although his fever ran high for the first four days his...
23From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 10 April 1823 (Adams Papers)
You will no doubt have been fretting again at my unusual silence but it has been occassioned by a very unfortunate accident which befel your brother on his return from Rockville where he had been to visit Johnson—He was thrown from his Horse and fractured his right just in the elbow joint which is likely to disable him for many months—Your father and myself went immediately to Montgomery where...
24From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 30 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
Your journal which has become a necessary of life to me has failed me for so a long a time but I must excuse it because it too severe a tax upon you & I hope & presume that George is too deeply absorbed in the studies of his profession to be able to spare time to copy your records. We are here in a newspaper flurry of flickerings for Govenor & they will associate your husband with Mr Otis as...
25From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 27 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
Surely my dear John you were not in your usual state when you wrote and enclosed George’s Letter to me or you could not have put such a construction upon it—Remember that when we undertake to correct the faults of others we should have attained to years of experience and have acquired by this means the capacity of advizing or else have conquered and eradicated all those failings in ourselves...
26From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 23 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter and the pleasing information it contains has greatly delighted your father and I think you will now be rewarded by his full approbation of the exertions which you have made and which at last have proved successful—We shall certainly visit Boston as I wrote you and George has engaged to study with Mr Webster who is now here—Miss Hopkinson is at Alexandria to which place I took her...
27From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 21 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
Worn out by fatigue parties influenza and all sorts of weariness both of mind and body I have really been too idle to attend to my correspondence and have scarcely taken a pen in my hand—The apology is a poor one but such as it is you must be content to accept it for it is the truth— The City has been profoundly dull since the adjournment of Congress and we have had but one event to enliven us...
28From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 6 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
As I consider y’r ladyship as always imprison’d during a session of Congress I congratulate you upon y’r jail delivery by their rise they have not been very angry during this session consequently not very entertaining—our two sons arrived here in good health & spirits at the proper season and a furious snow wh’ blocked up all the roads detain’d them here for three or four days and enliven’d my...
29From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 15 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
Thanks for your Journal of the 26th. There is in human nature, a germe of superstition which has cost mankind very dear; And there is another germe, the love of finery, And which has done almost as much harm, And both have been employed with great sagacity by temporal, and spiritual politicians, to debase, degrade and subdue mankind, even with their own consent under the cruel iron rod of...
30From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 14 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
Thanks for your Journal of the 26th. There is in human nature a germ of superstition, which has cost mankind very dear, and there is an other germ the love of finery, and which has done almost as much harm, and both have been employed with great sagacity by temperal and spiritual politicians to debase, degrade and subdue mankind, even with their own consent under the cruel iron rod of...
31From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 12 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
Ere you can have arrived at Baltimore my beloved Children I address you in the hope that my Letter may find you immediately after your arrival at Boston in good spirits and safety and to thank you both for the many happy hours which you have caused your Mother to enjoy by your good conduct and affectionate attentions during your visit. Life is a scene so mixed so full of pleasure and pain that...
32To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 7 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
7 Feby. We remained at home all the Evening Morning—Mr Adams dined at the Capitol with Mr Mrs L Hill and walked part of the way home which encreased his Cold and was quite unwell when he got to Mrs. Brown’s where we all went to a Ball which was very splendid and elegant—I had a great deal of conversation with many person’s and one with Mr Archer of Virginia upon second marriages which was...
33From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 1 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have received your last Journal, and thank you for it. When the Lady asked you which you prefered, the Illiad, or Paradise lost, you should have answered her as we New-England people do, by asking her another question, pray Madam do you read the Illiad in Greek, or in Pope. I wonder not that you threw your arms round your husband upon reading his answer to General Smyth, I would have done...
34To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 30 January 1823 (Adams Papers)
30th: January—Mr A & the boys dined at Mrs Decaturs & met us at Mr Cannings They found Mrs Decatur was very affable & agreeable & they were much delighted with their entertainment—The balls at this house are always elegant but there is still something flatt & stiff resulting from the knowledge of the Masters rigid love of ettiquette & ceremony—Beauty always appears to advantage here— 31st:...
35To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 22 January 1823 (Adams Papers)
22d The day was very unpleasant and I remained at home until the Evening when we went to the Drawing Room notwithstanding that it poured with rain. To our great surprize however we found a number of Ladies and Gentlemen and quite a sociable Party. We remained there about an hour and were rejoiced to get safe home. The young men went to the Circus to see the wonderful Rider who has just...
36To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 1 January 1823 to 20 January 1823 (Adams Papers)
1st January. If the weather to day is ominous of the storms of the ensuing year we must not expect much quiet—Let it come—I will not flinch be the end what it may—We went to the Presidents where we found a much larger party assembled than would have been expected considering the difficulties attendant on a sortie in such an inclement day—The Corps diplomatique paid their usual compliment and...
37From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 14 January 1823 (Adams Papers)
Wonderful Woman, wife of a wonderful Man, How it is possible for you with your delicate Constitution and tender Health, to go through such a hurry of Visits, Dinners, and parties, Converse with such a variety, of Characters, masculine, and Feminine, and at the same time keep so particular a Journal. Yours of the 14th of December, up to the 30th. has arrived this Morning. your journal is a kind...
38From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 29 December 1822 (Adams Papers)
I have received your last Journal and found it entertaining though you seem to think so little of it; I have infinitely less to write to you, Though you seem to think your journal infinitely little, nevertheless as our friend Shaw is with me, and willing to write for me, I will gossip with you a little.— The Newspapers of this part of the World are blazing with republications of Mr. Adams’s...
39From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 25 December 1822 (Adams Papers)
Your Journal beginning the third of the month has given me great pleasure. You are much to be envied and much to be pitied; such a variety of good Company is very desirable, but so much cerimoney and such fatigues must be rather burdensome.— We have received this morning the annunciation of Mr. Clays “GREAT UNKNOWN VOLUME OF GHENTISH HISTORY ” It will appear I presume at least as soon as the...
40From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 17 December 1822 (Adams Papers)
With high spirits I received the hand writing and the journal of the 1st. of this Month. I opened gay hopes before me for the Winter I rejoice in the recovery of you health, and to hear of the good health of you all— Mr. Adams, his Lady and Son appear to enjoy a serene and patient tranquility under the pelting of this pitiless Storm of political hail the thunder is not loud, and the Lightning...
41To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 14 December 1822 (Adams Papers)
& Miss Mason Capt & Mrs. Crane Mr. Kerby with several others Members of Congress—Mr. Petry came in the Eveng. and talked freely of the Bonaparté family He told me that while he was in Poland Napoleon was very much attached to a beautiful Polish Lady and that he (N.) rode fifteen miles every night during a fortnight at the risk of his life through the enemies Country to visit her—He likewise...
42To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 14 December 1822 (Adams Papers)
14th December. We were all so exhausted that we determined to keep quiet all day at home. Received a Note from a Milliner requesting I would go and look at his things, this is a thing which has happened several times—Am I so much in vogue? I am solicited to take great care of myself this Winter and not to get sick, Are People afraid of closed doors again? What a hollow hearted World How much I...
43To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 12 December 1822 to 13 December 1822 (Adams Papers)
12. December Mrs Frye called today to see me and I went with her to the Kings Picture Gallery and appointed Monday for her to sit to him—Her husband has one of the vilest things I ever saw which was taken by some miserable dauber —it is not fit to adorn a sign post—Had 21 visits and went out to see Mrs Calhoun Mrs Findlay, & Mrs Ingham—The former is a respectable looking elderly Lady the...
44To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 3 December 1822 (Adams Papers)
Decbr. 3 A Snow Storm—No visitors—In the evening a small party in consequence of the extreme severity of the weather—It was however tolerably pleasant—Dr. & Mrs. Thornton Mrs Key Mr & Miss Tayloe, Mr Mrs. & Miss Pleasanton, Major and Miss Selden, Dr Wrightman, Miss Hanson, Miss Aldrich Miss Forrest, Judge McLean, Mr Cook of Illinois Mr. Rhea, Mr Lear Mr. Coxe Mr. Elgar and Dr. Huntt with the...
45To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 1 December 1822 (Adams Papers)
1 December 1822 This day being in tolerable health I renew my journal with the intention to pursue it through the Winter This Winter in consequence of the intriguing for the Presidency will be such an one as will furnish sufficient incident to make it interesting—As however I collect most of the news from mere publick rumour I do not vouch for the truth of it and it will of course be subject...
46From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 26 November 1822 (Adams Papers)
I have been so much engaged the last week at races parties and Ball it has been impossible for me to answer your last Letter or to write to Charles Eclipse as you have heard ran down poor Sir Charles who was totally unfitted by his lameness to oppose the pride of the North and I confess the race as it appears to me was altogether so unequal I cannot see any thing to boast of on the winning...
47From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 11 November 1822 (Adams Papers)
It is sometime since I have written you in consequence of indisposition I have therefore two of your Letters unanswered— It was scarcely possible for so great a belle as Miss A Quincy to take particular notice of a certain young gentleman without my hearing of it—publick rumour has many tongues and though you may not yet be a subject of sufficient importance to excite attention the young Lady...
48From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 25 October 1822 (Adams Papers)
Your last is written under such disagreeable circumstances it partook a good deal of your general discomfort in its tone and expression. I have therefore delayed my answer until your difficulties shall be smoothed and your usual equanimity returned when I know my Letter will be welcome and you will not misconstrue the affectionate anxiety of Parents who have perhaps an exaggerated idea of the...
49From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 17 October 1822 (Adams Papers)
I sent you from Philadelphia an odd volume of A Sketch of Old England which I wrote your name in and addressed to Quincy—The second was stolen from me but as their some good matter in the first and as it is a book in which there is no history to break it would be worth reading though it cannot rank as a perfect work in your collection—I shall soon send you the favorite of Nature which is said...
50From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 5 September 1822 (Adams Papers)
Do not suffer your failure to mortify you too much my dear John—It was accidental and must not prevent your future efforts—Fortune will at length smile propitious and reward your amiable exertions—I feel most sensibly for the pain you must have suffered and only wish I had been present to alleviate it—Your Father will perhaps be a little disappointed but your desire to excel will meet with its...