1From John Adams to John Trumbull, 5 November 1775 (Adams Papers)
I take an opportunity by this Express, to thank you for Me Fingal, a Poem which has been shewn me within a few days. It is excellent, and perhaps the more so for being misterious. It wants explanatory Notes as much as Hudibrass. I cant conjecture the Characters either of Honorius or Mc Fingal. Am Sorry to learn that We are likely to loose some of our best Men. We may have better in their stead...
2From John Adams to John Trumbull, 13 February 1776 (Adams Papers)
I take this opportunity by Mr. Romain to write you one Line more for the sake of reminding you of my Existence, and requesting that you would favour me with authentic Evidence under your Hand of yours, than any Thing I have to Say. Politicks are a Labyrinth, without a Clue—to write you on that subject would be endless. N. York I think is now in critical state, but I hope We shall Save it. Mr....
3From John Adams to John Trumbull, 28 April 1785 (Adams Papers)
It was with much Pleasure that I received your Letter by M r Humphreys, in whom I have found all those valuable qualities, you led me to expect. from him too I received a Copy of M c Fingal, a Poem which will live as long as Hudibras. if I Speak freely of this Piece I can truely Say, that altho it is not equal to itself throughout and where is the Poem that is so? yet there are many Parts of...
4From John Adams to John Trumbull, 13 January 1790 (Adams Papers)
I am at length determined to omit no longer to write to you.— You read yourself to death. this let me tell you, is a Sin and a crime. Whether it is not of a deeper die, than, intemperate Indulgences of the Bottle or the Girl, is a Case of Casuistry. You know best whether You are guilty of it, or not. if you are I enjoin upon You, Pennance, either of a Walk of five miles a day, all at one time...
5From John Adams to John Trumbull, 9 March 1790 (Adams Papers)
Coll Humphreys; at the Levee, this morning, delivered me Your kind Letter of Feb. 6, for the favour of which you cannot imagine how much I am obliged to you.— not less delighted with Your frank communications respecting your own affairs, than Satisfyed with your friendly cautions to me, I shall make a kind of Commentary, or at least some marginal Notes upon both. I rejoice in your health, and...
6From John Adams to John Trumbull, 12 March 1790 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of Feb. 6. has made So deep an Impression that it may not be amiss to make a few more Observations on it as it respects both of Us. Your Friends have been very indiscreat and certainly have not done You Justice.— Fluency and Animation are Talents of a public Speaker which alone will go a great Way. I have known Several rise to Fame and extensive Practice, at the Bar, and afterwards...
7From John Adams to John Trumbull, 25 April 1790 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of March 30. and Ap. 17. came to hand last night. By the “attack in Metre” you mean I suppose, that written by Ned. Church, a Cockfighting Cousin and Companion of Charles Jarvis a devoted Instrument of M r H.— Jarvis’s Mother was a Church.— This Fellow, this Ned Church, I know nothing of— I scarcely ever spoke to him in my Life.— His Traitorous Brother, I knew very well: and the...
8From John Adams to John Trumbull, 23 January 1791 (Adams Papers)
I have been So much of an Antiœconomist as to leave your Letter of June the fifth unanswered to this day. The Defence of the American Constitutions, is not I apprehend a “Misnomer.” Had the Patriots of Amsterdam repulsed the Duke of Brunswick from the Haerlem Gate, an History of the Action, might have properly been called an Account of the Defence of Amsterdam: although the City, on the Side...
9From John Adams to John Trumbull, 31 March 1791 (Adams Papers)
The Secy. of the Treasury is so able and has done so well that I have Scarcely permitted myself to think very closely whether he could or could not have done better. I may venture however to Say to you, that I have always been of your Opinion, that a System a little bolder would have been more Safe: and that it would have been better to have begun at once with a small direct Tax, a pretty...
10From John Adams to John Trumbull, 31 January 1793 (Adams Papers)
Are you acquainted with the natural History of Mother Careys Chickens ? I know not the Latin Name of these chattering Birds, having never consulted the Dictionaire D’Histoire naturelle, nor Buffon nor Tournefort for information concerning this important Subject: but as a Mariner I have had frequent Occasion to curse the rascally Species of Mischief makers. In the calmest Moments at Sea, they...