11From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
My thanks are due to you, and are most joyfully given, for two copies of your Report on Weights and Measures, one of them elegantly bound. Though I cannot say and perhaps shall never be able to say that I have read it, yet I have turned over Leaves of it enough to see that it is a Mass of historical, philosophical chemical mathematical and political knowledge which no Industry in this country...
12From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 July 1822 (Adams Papers)
At the request of our worthy friend and excellent Neighbour Dr Amos Holbrook; I transmit you the inclosed papers, praying you to convey them to the Superintendent of the Patent Office, If I knew Dr Thornton was there I would have transmitted them to him. But I think I have heard some other Gentleman was there, and that he was in some other station—My Compliments to him, if you please— It is...
13From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 March 1822 (Adams Papers)
Contrary to my established habit for many years I must now become an intercessor for a candidate. You must remember a virtuous & industrious lady old lady the widow Owen who lived to be 90 odd years of age, and maintained an always an excellent character and was highly esteemed by your mother. You must remember also young Hollis her grandson who lived some time in our family and was the...
14From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 August 1817 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday was one of the most uniformly happy days of my whole long life. The Morning brought Us a Letter from our Friend Crafts of your Arrival; in a few hours our Neighbour Beal brought Us a Newspaper confirming it, and the Evening presented Us your Letter to your Mother of the 6th. that you were Landed “All well”. A thousand Circumstances exalted the delight or as West used to Say upon all...
15From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 February 1819 (Adams Papers)
I have been employed for a month or six weeks in hard labour to save you trouble. I have ransacked chests, trunks, boxes, bureaus, chests of drawers, escritouirs, or in fewer words, every hole & corner, from the basement story to the cockloft, in search of manuscript books & papers, and in course I have been obliged to break open locks whose key’s were lost and destroy every thing that lay in...
16From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 February 1825 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter of the 9th: Never did I feel so much solemnity as upon this occasion—the multitude of my thoughts and the intensity of my feelings are too much for a mind like mine in its ninetieth year—May the blessing of God Almighty continue to protect you to the end of your life as it has heretofore protected you in so remarkable a manner from your cradle. I offer the same...
17From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 December 1818 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 14th. found me deeply immersed in researches, not astromical or mineralogical or metaphisical; but after old Papers, Trunks Boxes Desks Drawers locked up for thirty Years have been broken open because the Keys are lost. Nothing Stands in my Way. Every Scrap Shall be found and preserved for Your Affliction for your good. I am now employed very anxiously and laboriously,...
18From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 28 October 1817 (Adams Papers)
I have not acknowledged your 5. & 7 Octr. We have had another delightful Family Scene. Madam De Wint her Son your Nice with two of my Great Grand Children and to finish the Picture Mrs Clark all arrived in perfect health. On the 83d 25th Octr. We all drank “All our Friends and Connections of every generation”. “Now lettest thou, thy Servant depart in peace” has been So hackneyed that I will...
19From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 4 December 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have seen many of your poetical effusions, from the time when you were at College, to this last Month. And there are so many indisputible proofs of natural and Social affections, and genuine poetical imagery that if you will had cultivate the muses as much as you have politicks you might have made a Shakespear, a Milton or a Pope, for anything that I know, how “How sweet an Ovid, is in...
20From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
I will teise you no more, at present, with Metaphysicks or Books. I expect with Something very like impatience, once more to embrace You and the dear Creatures about you, meaning your Wife and Children. One Star Sitts with brilliancy, and another rises with brilliancy, notwithstanding certain Spots, which you and I have had opportunities to observe. Mr Monroe has certainly had the good Fortune...
21From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 October 1822 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for the present of your Book and your kind letter of the 24th. September. It was wisely done to collect all those papers together and arrange them in order that posterity might see them in one view without ransacking twenty libraries for the newspapers and the pamphlets of the day. Without this prudent precaution they would probably have never been all read by any one individual....
22From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 January 1826 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter inclosing the letters from Mr Basset and Mr. Custis Congress had resolved, but I believe not passed int o a law, to erect a monument to President Washington; but they passed resolutions requesting the then President to write a letter to Mrs. Washington soliciting her consent to have her remains removed, to be entombed with those of her Husband in the City of...
23From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 2 March 1825 (Adams Papers)
I enclose you a letter from honest Spafford. I do it with great reluctance but he has so much merit in his New-York Gazetteer that I wish something could be done for him. I know however the difficulty indeed the impossibility that a President should get into any of the offices a single clerk. I tried to get Mr Dalton into an office in the Treasury Department. I proposed it to the Secretary who...
24From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 6 June 1821 (Adams Papers)
I have enclosed to the President a letter from Dr Waterhouse. I wish you would ask to see it. Between you and me I suspect that our friend Eustace has been of no service to Waterhouse. Ancient Jealousies of him among professional men in Boston may have left some traces. But as this is mere conjecture I lay no stress upon it. Whether any thing can be done for him consistent with the public...
25From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 21 May 1819 (Adams Papers)
The Revnd. Mr Greenwood the successor of Mr Thatcher and Dr Kirkland in the Church in Summer Street Boston; will deliver you this letter—and altho he is a more liberal Christian than you are—I hope you will receive him with Politeness and Cordial Civility as I have no doubt you will— George came to us last night and brought me joy and Literature—John & Charles will be here to night or to...
26From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 November 1817 (Adams Papers)
Captain James Riley politely Sent me his travels in a handsome volume which I read with interest, for, though it abounds in the Marvellous and sometimes aproaches the miraculous; yet excruciating Sufferings and a Strong imaginaleo may apologize for So much of it as to leave enough of it credible to make it an entertaining affecting and instructive Work Inclosed is a letter from him, on a...
27From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 6 September 1819 (Adams Papers)
Number. 1 A volume of written extracts Quarto 2 Letter Book beginning from 26th May 1776 to 8th February 1778 Folio 3 Ditto from 3rd Febry 1777 to 7th July 1777. Ditto... 4. Journals of voyage to France in 1778. " 5 Letter Book France from 12th: May 1778 to 8 Novr. 1779. " 6 Journal 13 Feby. 1778 to 26th. April 1779—
28From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 July 1820 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for the promptitude with which you paid my debt to Mrss Gales & Seaton—and discontinued my Subscription for the National Intelligencer— I beg your pardon for not answering immediately your letter fo the 24th. of last Month as I ought—not being pressed by necessity, I did not draw upon Mr Cruft—till up he comes with his Lady to make us a very pleasant family visit—& tendered me two...
29From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 January 1818 (Adams Papers)
De Pradt, I Suspect is a descendant of that Arcbishop Bishop of Clermont, the Bastard of Cardinal du Pratt, and the Oputent Protector of the infant Society of the Jesuits in 1545. See Duprat in the Dictionaire historique. The Archbishop of Matines I Suspect is of that Breed and worthy of his Race. See also The History of the Jesuits Vol. 1. Our national Sympathy with the Patriots of South...
30From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 May 1818 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for the documents you Send me, which I give to the Athenaeum believing they will do more good there than in my possession. I dare not write to you upon public Affairs, because I do not understand them. All that appears under your Signature is cooly approved as Usual, and will be, till fifty Years after you are dead and then it may possibly be admired by a fine Antequarians. Your...
31From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 11 April 1817 (Adams Papers)
Lieutenant John Percival of the Navy of The United States is about to embark for London, and from thence to the other maritime Powers of Europe upon business of importance to Navigation and consequently to Humanity. The Subject is a new Invention of an eliptical Valve Pump, which if I understood it, I must not explain. I earnestly recommend him to your Attention, as much as possible; though I...
32From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 December 1818 (Adams Papers)
I thank you, my dear Son, for your Letters and for the Presidents Speech, which is Consolation for all our Miseries for 60 Years. But I must have done with public affaires. Your Sons who behave well have been with Us last Week. They leave Us this morning for their School. Mr and Mrs Clark, and my little darling Susanna Maria were comfortably lodged last Night at Dedham on their Way to...
33From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
A new Administration has commenced, Mr Monro’s inaugural Oration you will See in the Newspapers. It Seems to be popular. Even Ben Russel Says there has been nothing like it Since Washingtons Administration. If there is any Faith in the Government or any Sincerity in the People, you are appointed by the former, and are elected by the other Secretary of State. My Advice is to accept it without...
34From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 September 1820 (Adams Papers)
Our George has gained the first prize—and bares his honour meekly—He is a dutiful Son, for he is deeply engaged in Platonick Greek, In obedience to your advice and requisition—and what surprises me more is, that he is becoming an early riser—He was up this Morning before I was—And his Mind appears to be awakned by an Ambition to become an eminent and useful Man—John is at present devoted to...
35From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 May 1819 (Adams Papers)
I have particular reasons—for asking the favour of you to inform me—in what year you wrote those three Essays—pray inform me in what Year—they were written—and under what Signature, in the Boston Centinal recommending a System of Neutrallity to the United States—I believe they were written in the year. 90. 91. or 92.—I believe they were printed together in a small Pamphlet—I must, and I will...
36From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 December 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have seen many of your poetical effusions from the time when you were at College, to the last Month, And there are so many indisputable proofs of natural, and social affections, and genuine poetical imagery; that if you had cultivated the muses as much as you have politicks, you might have made a Shakespear, a Milton, or a Pope, for any thing that I know— How sweet an Ovid, is in Murray...
37From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 19 February 1819 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for the noble pacquets of documents you send me, for though I cannot read them it is convenient to have them by me. I may get a friend to consult them for me as occassion may require. I thank your lady for me for her last journal. I am really grieved at her late severe indisposition which appears to me so alarming that she ought to be extremely cautious of exposing herself to any...
38From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 November 1817 (Adams Papers)
I must, as long as octogenarian infirmities will permit, Send you a line to prove to you my continued Vegatation Peter Heigne’s Mother, when the News arrived of her Sons glorious death arrived , Said “Peter was always running about, and She always expected he would come to a bad End.” Washingtons Mother used to Say that “George would be like the Pitcher which after going So often to the Well,...
39From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 1 May 1822 (Adams Papers)
The documents you Send me from Mr. Williams have been to me for Several Years the most inscrutable Mystery in nature. My mind Suggest but one hypothesis for the Solution of it and that is not Satisfactory. I have explained it to Mr Williams. If the Mecklenburg resolutions were genuine and had been published at the time, they would have Sheltered me from the Vengeance of the Furies visited...
40From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 January 1818 (Adams Papers)
This will be presented to you by Mr Holley whom you know and whom I pray you to receive with Civility; because he is one of the few in whom I delight. I love him because he is, as Dr Holmes calls him “a phylosophical divine.” I do not much affect any unphylosophical Divines though I candidly tolerate them all and esteem Some. I am told there will be complaints against Henry Warren as Collector...