121From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, September 1807 (Adams Papers)
I want to write an Essay.—Whom Shall I choose for a Model?—Plutarch, old Montaigne, Lord Bacon, Addison, Johnson, or Franklin? The last, if he had devoted his Life to the Study might have equalled Montaine in Essays or La Fontaine in Fables: for he was fitter more fitted for either or both than to conduct a Nation like Prony or Colbert. I am however too round about, to imitate the close,...
122From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 1 September 1807 (Adams Papers)
It is rare, that a Letter of yours remains so long upon my Table unacknowledged as has that of July 9th. Crudens Apophthagm is well worthy of your Remembrance and that of your Posterity for forty times forty years more. It is the only Clue to the Labyrinth of the World, the only key to the Riddle of the Universe. “Some Crimes are punished to prove a Providence; others escape to teach a future...
123To John Adams from Mercy Otis Warren, 27 August 1807 (Adams Papers)
At a time of life when retirement is sought for, and the release from all political attentions desired, ten long letters of accusation and reproach, of interrogation and retrospection, within the term of a few weeks, may be designed, not only to distress, but to create passions in my bosom which were never felt nor indulged. When I finished mine of August 15th, I thought I might calculate on a...
124To John Adams from Rev. John Disney, 24 August 1807 (Adams Papers)
Among the papers of my late friend Mr.mr Brand-Hollis; I have been greatly gratified by the perusal of several letters from you, and by two from Mrs. Adams addressed to him. It is probable that I may print a Memoir of my munificent friend, in which I should greatly wish to introduce these letters, in testimony of the friendship which subsisted between the parties, and from my conviction of...
125From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 19 August 1807 (Adams Papers)
“Pride of Talents and much Ambition were undoubtedly combined in the Character of the President, who immediately Succeeded General Washington” and these are represented as the most prominent features of his Character. Vol. 3. p. 393. Permit me Madam to ask the favour of you, to point out the Act or Word, which appeared to you to evince this Pride of Talents. I know not that I ever felt any...
126To John Adams from William Vaughan, 17 August 1807 (Adams Papers)
I feel a pleasure in forwarding to you the second part of the Transactions of the Philosophical Society for 1806 and the first part for 1807, which that Society have been pleased to transmit to you through me which I hope you will receive safe by Captain LeBosquet of the Morneo . In the same Packet, I have sent duplicates for Bowdoin College may I beg the favor of you to cause the same to be...
127From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 17 August 1807 (Adams Papers)
In the 306 page of your first Volume there are certain Traits that I had overlooked. “Richard Henry Lee Esq. was the first who dared explicitly to propose a Declaration of Independence. The Proposal Spread a Sudden dismay. A Silent Astonishment, Seemed to prevade the Assembly” &c. These Expressions, Madam, could only have arisen from Misinformation, or perhaps I shall express myself more...
128From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 15 August 1807 (Adams Papers)
In order to give you all the Authentic Documents necessary to explain the Remarks I have made upon your History, I have omitted to give you Copies of one or two Commissions which I intended to have transcribed in their Places. One of them is in these Words. The United States of America in Congress assembled To all to whom these Presents Shall come Send Greeting. Whereas these United States,...
129To John Adams from Mercy Otis Warren, 15 August 1807 (Adams Papers)
You begin your Letter, Sir, of August 8th. with complaints of “new demonstrations of Mrs. Warren’s friendship.” Indeed, I cannot see the smallest foundation of complaint from page 229, Vol. 3d. of the Revolutionary History, to signing the Treaty with Great Britain page 232, that could give cause for the smallest umbrage, except the inadvertency of placing the names of Benjamin Franklin and...
130From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 8 August 1807 (Adams Papers)
More demonstrations of your Friendship for Mr Adams appear in the 229 page of the third Volume. The Same disposition to wink him out of Sight, to represent him in an odious light, to lessen and degrade him below his Station, which runs through every part of your history in which he appears, is very visible here again. “Mr John Adams had left Holland and joined the Plenipotentiaries of the...
131To John Adams from Mercy Otis Warren, 7 August 1807 (Adams Papers)
I know not how to satisfy the demands you make upon my time and patience without entering into discussions, which, at this late day, I have no wish to call up. Yet the chain of your illiberal criticisms still kept up in your subsequent letters, obliges me, however reluctantly, to pursue my remarks. I shall, therefore as leisure permits, attend to most of your paragraphs, exclusive of the...
132From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 3 August 1807 (Adams Papers)
In your third Volume page 169, you say that “on the twenty Second of April 1782, Mr. Adams was admitted at the Hague and with the Usual Ceremonies received as Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States of America. ” This mistake of a few days in Chronology is Scarcely worth a Remark, but I suppose you would wish to be correct. It was on the Nineteenth day of April, not the twenty Second....
133To John Adams from Mercy Otis Warren, 1 August 1807 (Adams Papers)
Your fourth Letter like the preceding ones, discovers a fixed determination to mis-construe every expression of mine, where-ever You, Sir, are introduced in my History of the American Revolution. I am astonished that you should discover so much resentment at a sentence in page 140, particularly at the word mortified. I did, at the time alluded to, think you in a mortified situation. I did...
134From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 30 July 1807 (Adams Papers)
Had I really been disgusted and mortified at my Treatment by Congress which in fact I was not, but was Satisfied as Soon as it was explained to me, the mortification would have been more than compensated by the Commissions I received on the fourth of November, 1779 unquestionably the more confidential Commissions that Congress had ever issued. The Commission to General Washington as Commander...
135From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 28 July 1807 (Adams Papers)
In the 135th. Page of your Second Volume, you State that in 1778 Mr John Adams of the State of Massachusetts was chosen to Succeed Mr Deane as Commissioner in behalf of the United States at the Court of France: an inaccuracy however of so little importance that it was Scarcely worth a Correction. In the 139th. page you say that within a few Months after Congress made a new Arrangement of...
136To John Adams from Mercy Otis Warren, 28 July 1807 (Adams Papers)
Before I had an opportunity to forward my reply to yours of July 11th: I received another letter under date July 20th containing twenty pages, in which so many demands are made and so many threats denounced, that a total silence might be construed dismay. My thread of existence in this evanescent state is too far spent for me again to enter on political discussion; yet, I think it my duty to...
137From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 27 July 1807 (Adams Papers)
In the 131 and 132 page of the first Volume of your History, you are pleased to say that John Adams, one of the Negatived Counsellors a Barrister at Law of rising Abilities, his Appearance on the Theatre of Politicks commenced at this Period, that is in 1774. This is of very little Importance, and would not be worthy of much Attention if it did not dis betray a Malignity of heart and a...
138From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 20 July 1807 (Adams Papers)
In the 392 Page of the third Volume of your History you say that “After Mr Adams’s return from England, he was implicated, by a large portion of his Countrymen, as having relinquished the Republican System, And forgotten the Principles of the American Revolution, which he had advocated for near twenty years.” I am somewhat at a loss for the meaning of the Word implicated in this place. If it...
139To John Adams from Mercy Otis Warren, 16 July 1807 (Adams Papers)
After a long suspension of a friendly literary intercourse, it was very unexpected to me this day, to receive a letter from the hand of Mr. Adams;—nor can I conceive of any thing that should occasion a resentment in his bosom, or prevent his old style of address to Mrs. Warren, or give the semblance of an “old friend being hastily converted into an enemy;”—much less could I have expected to...
140From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 11 July 1807 (Adams Papers)
As it is neither consistent with my Principles, Disposition or habits, upon any misunderstanding with an ancient Friend, to conceive Resentment and hostility to be changed into an Enemy, I shall still continue my old Style of address to Mrs. Warren. I have read much if not all your history of the Rise Progress and termination of the American Revolution. I am not about to write a review of it....
141To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 9 July 1807 (Adams Papers)
I once met Alexander Cruden the Author of the Concordance of the Scriptures at Charles Dilly’s. He was then about 70 years of Age. The only thing he said while I was in his Company made an impression upon my mind which the lapse of near 40 years has not worn away. It was this. “God punishes some Crimes in this world to teach us there is a Providence, and permits Others to escape with impunity,...
142To John Adams from Esther Barrette Adams, 8 July 1807 (Adams Papers)
Having a considerable time since took the liberty of addressing you, being the Widow of your late Brother Summers, of whom I gave the particulars of, stating that by his Death I was left with three Children to maintain by my labour, which thanks be to God I have hitherto done.— Therefore Sir, having an opportunity per favor of the Bearer Captain Philip De Gruchy of this Island, who has known...
143From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 25 June 1807 (Adams Papers)
John Bunjan, if he had written my last Letter to you would have called it an history of Gods Judgments against Lyars and Libellers. Such indeed it seems to be. A great Number of others might have been added, and two or three at least ought to have been. Phillip Freneau is one of the Number: but I know not in what Light to consider him. A Libeller, he certainly was not only against me but...
144From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 23 June 1807 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favour of the ninth of this Month, and conveyed to Dr Tufts your Letter to him, who desireses me to express to you the high sense he has of your Benevolence And Humanity to Mr John Loude. The Doctor will write you, as soon as he can find means of conveying to the Parents of that unfortunate youth the money you enclosed. What Shall We Say, my Friend? A pious and virtuous...
145From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 June 1807 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is the Certificate of forty Shares in the Fire and Marine Insurance Company. The third part of the Capital which is to be paid off, you will please to receive in shares of the Boston Bank, if you approve of it, and hold them as you propose. I am your affectionate / Father MHi : Winthrop Family Papers.
146To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 18 June 1807 (Adams Papers)
The Fire and Marine Insurance Office are now repaying the third part of their capital, to which they were authorized by an Act of the Legislature; and issuing new Certificates to the Stockholders—The old Certificates must therefore be returned into the Office—I will thank you to send me, by the earliest opportunity, your Certificate for the forty shares, which stand in my name, but of which...
147To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 9 June 1807 (Adams Papers)
Permit me to trouble you with the delivery of the enclosed letter to Dr Tufts. It contains an Account of the death of his patient Mr: Land, and a small sum of money to be sent by the Doctor to Mr: Land’s parents in new Hamshire. I sent you Mr Stevens’s pamphflet “on the dangers of the Country” a few days ago. I beg your Acceptance of it. Since the date of my last letter I have been made very...
148To John Adams from Rachel Cunningham, 8 June 1807 (Adams Papers)
tho a stranger I take the Liberty of addressing you on a subject that very much Interests me, & I hope will you—I have become acquainted with a Miss Francis Adams the Daughter of Mr. Jno. Adams, who Married a Sister of Ebenz. Oliver Esqr. of Boston—Dr. Rand—married (I believe) another Sister—this Dear Girl, is Young, & Beautiful—& a Relation of your own—She had a Brother who made a very...
149From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 23 May 1807 (Adams Papers)
I received at an Exhibition of Musick in our polite Village of Mount Woollaston, on thursday, your Letter relative to Mr Loude, and sent it immediately to Dr Tufts by his Lady, that the Young Gentlemans Friends might be informed of his Situation. I lament the untimely decline of a Youth, although I never Saw him, who has been represented to me, as one who injured his health by too intense an...
150From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 21 May 1807 (Adams Papers)
I return you, the Letter of Edward Smith. Time may or may not unriddle this whimsical Mystery. It might however in the mean time to put Us on our guard against Intrigues. My not preserving a Copy of my Letter to Dr Nathan Webb (for he was a Physician) is no Wonder: for I never kept a Copy of any Letter, till I became a Member of Congress in 1774. The observation of your Son Richard is very...