101From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 14 March 1805 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of Feb. 25th. is recd.—Ingraham, I think, must be no further North than the 56th: degree, but when I can find a little time, I will read his Journal again and if I find any thing that will entertain you, perhaps I may transmit it. Rumphius, whom you quote is unknown to me. If what he says, which corresponds with my Observation in the generation of shell fish on the Surface of the...
102From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 30 November 1810 (Adams Papers)
I have this Moment received your obliging Favour of the 20th. Yesterday the anniversary Festival, which We in New England call by the technical Term Thanksgiving, I heard from my Reverend Pastor, Mr Peter Whitney, an excellent Sermon upon Patriotism from Psalm 137. 5. 6. If I forget thee O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the...
103From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 23 January 1813 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of Dec. 7 is not lost nor forgotten. Oh! that my Situation in Life would permit me to undertake a Pilgrimage to Oldenbarneveldt! What a fervent Votary would I be, at the Shrine of Madonna? How would I delight in the Gardens of Mappa! And how would I Stop, going and returning, at Smiths Valley. I have Consulato del mare, with a translation in Dutch. I have Machiavels Works in...
104From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 23 August 1806 (Adams Papers)
In your Letter of the seventh of July, you flatter me, with very high Eulogies, and compleat the Climax of them, with the opinion of Washington.—For the future I pray you to spare yourself the trouble of quoting that great Authority in my favour. Although no Man has more settled opinion of his Integrity and Virtues than myself, I nevertheless desire that my Life Actions and Administration may...
105From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 23 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
Your favr. of Dec. 17. 1814 has lain too long unnoticed. “Votre deuil vous plait.” I have before recommended to you the Precepts and Example of Epictetus: I now Shall refer you to another respctable Authority and bright Pattern. Forty five years ago, living in cold Lane in Boston, and holding my Barristers Office in Kings Street I walked four times a day by an obscure house, in which I...
106From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 30 January 1814 (Adams Papers)
Yours of 14th are here. You must take hints: I cannot write Letters. Half recovered from a former Illness, the fine sleighing tempted me to Boston where I ran about in Irons and got a relapse and I can Scarcely hold Pen. Mrs A is recovered. The great Mr Mead, before Becker advanced the Doctrine which his grandson and Farmer pursued, But Enoch and Jude and Paul, and Calvin and Milton, and...
107From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 26 May 1816 (Adams Papers)
As I stand in great need of a Casuist in Phylosophy, Morality and Christianity; to whom Should I apply, but to you, whom I consider as the best qualified of all my Friends? The Stoicks, the Christians, the Mahometans and our North American Indians, all agree, that Complaint is unmanly, unlawful and impious. To bear Torment without a murmur, a Sigh, a Groan, or a distortion of Face or Feature...
108From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 15 July 1812 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 6th is Safe, and I thank you for it. Like all your other Letters, it is to me, full of Entertainment and Instruction. I expected you would apply my last to yourself and think it a little Satirical; but, my Friend, it was more Serious than you was aware. It expressed the real State of my own Mind. With Eyes allmost out, with hands trembling, So that I can Scarcely move or hold a...
109From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 15 December 1809 (Adams Papers)
I have received your kind Letter of 28. of November and another Some time ago that I have not answered. I rejoice with you in all your Prosperity, particularly in the happy Marriage of your Son; and sympathize in all your Sorrows, more especially in the Misfortune of your son Friend Vreede, whom I remember well. Happy are you in your various Learning and the Enjoyment of your Books. I can read...
110From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 8 January 1806 (Adams Papers)
Having lamented for sometime, the loss of my Correspondent at Barneveldt, I was, this morning unexpectedly gratified with your favour of the twenty second of December. I return with pleasure the Compliments and congratulations of the Season. I can sincerely unite with you, in humble Thanks to the Almighty for the Blessings of the past year on you and your Family as well as on me and mine.—But...
111From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 18 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
I have just now received your kind Letter of the 3d of this month. I read every Thing which falls in my Way, which relates to the French Revolution: but I Suffer inexpressible Pains, from the bloody feats of War and Still more from those of Party Passions. Disgrace to the Cause of Liberty, and a general Depravation of hearts and manners among the rising Generation, is much to be dreaded from...
112From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 27 December 1816 (Adams Papers)
I do declare that I can write Greek better than you do, though I cannot Say, So well as you can, if you will. I can make nothing but Pot–hooks and Trammels of the Frontespiece of your amiable Letter of the 15th. If you had quoted your Authority I might have found it. Jesus is benevolense personified. An Example for all Men. DuPuis has made no Alteration in my opinions of Christian Religion in...
113From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 20 February 1806 (Adams Papers)
That showers of hot stones or cold stones may have fallen, in the neighbourhood of Volcanoes, is not impossible, nor improbable: but it is impossible that, any projectile force of exploding Mercury or any mixture of Sulphur Nitre and carbon, or any Vapour, could drive these stones to any great hight in the air, or ever ballance them in the Air so as to allow them to sail about in it like...
114From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 20 May 1813 (Adams Papers)
The promised Anecdote of Quaker Benevolence is this. In June 1775, The British Man of War Asia, took Prisoner Colonel Hitchburne, now of Dorchester dying of a paralitic Stroke, then a Boy, but an ingenious one, just out of the Offices of Saml. Fitch, and James Otis, where he had been a Student in Law. The Men of Wars Men broke open his Chest, as he was crossing Hudsons River at New York, and...
115From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 10 November 1815 (Adams Papers)
May your anticipations of another Visit to Quincy be reallised! Much good may your Theological Studies do you! I have been reading an Abridgment of Scheffmachers Demonstration of the necessity of a Sovereign Judge of the Faith upon Earth from the Doctrine of the Trinity. He Says the New Testament flatly contradicts itself: affirming with equal perspicuity and Energy that J. C. is, and that he...
116From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 19 March 1793 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 9. ult. has been a circuit to Philadelphia and returned to me, only on Saturday last. Your friendly Congratulations, on a late Re election, are very obliging. I am as well as you, and have been these Eighteen years a Friend of Governor Clinton: but, although I feel no Resentment at his consenting to stand a Candidate for the office I held, I cannot but regret that he yields...
117From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 16 July 1816 (Adams Papers)
The Old Folk, returning last Evening from an Airing which has become daily necessary for both, to keep Soul and body together a little longer, We found your very acceptable Letter of the 7th. at the Post Office. The Cold, the Frost and the Drouth have been as Severe with Us, as with you. Such a Spring and Such a Summer was never known. I have given you no Epithets which I did not believe and...
118From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 23 October 1816 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 16th. would occupy me for 12 months, when I know not that I have 12 days to live. The Outlines of the Life I shall be happy to receive. Basanistes is a Jeu d’Esprit. There is nothing new in it. It is only like viewing Boston Harbour from Weymouth great Hill by a Man who had often Seen it from Bacon Hill. The Same “ Analysis of Investigation ,” might be applied to prove that...
119From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 29 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
How Shall I? How can I express my Obligations to you? My Time, thoughts, labours are all Spent in my Garden, from five in the morning to Eight at night. I am more fatigued than my Boys or my Men. They laugh and Sing and dance, after I am So exhausted that I can Scarcely hear Madame or Mademoiselle read your Letters or Buckminsters Sermons, or Everets. At a time, when I had resigned the Chair...
120From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 27 November 1781 (Adams Papers)
I am this moment honoured with your Letter of Yesterdays date and I thank you for your kind Congratulations, on the News from America. May Great Britain ever Send to America, while she continues to send any, only such brave, able, active and enterprizing Generals as Cornwallis and Burgoine. Every Such General will consume them an Army of Ten or Fifteen Thousand Men, every Campain, without...
121From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 31 January 1805 (Adams Papers)
Until your wishes & enquiries shall be known concerning, Ingraham’s Journal, I see nothing more likely to afford you amusement, than that part in which he seems to believe, that he had added somewhat to our Stock of Geographical Knowledge. In the 2d. volume the first page of which he has marked 52 or book 2 ch:4, he says—"1791 April 19, We steered NNW from the Island of Dominica and at 4...
122From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 31 December 1808 (Adams Papers)
In answer to your kind Inquiries concerning my health, in your favour of the 14th, I can inform you that I enjoy as good health as a Man in his fifteenth Lustre, can reasonably expect, except a little paralytic trembling in the hands, which does not much incommode me however in Writing. I have been engaged this Summer as you have in reading History. Voltaires Moeurs et Esprit des Nations and...
123From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 23 April 1807 (Adams Papers)
you have Spent your Winter with delight as well as Industry. My Moments have neither produced pleasure or improvements to be compared to yours. I am obliged to be very œconomical of my sight. Though I can See very well, with Glasses, or without them My Eyes cannot bear fatigue as they did when they were young. you have Sett me a Task that will infallibly make me blind before it will be...
124From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 1 September 1812 (Adams Papers)
If you are possessed by any Demon, whether ghost, of Hero, Sage, Saint, heathen Deity, Head Ache, or Devil, fallen Angel or Apostate Spirit; I advise you to read Hugh Farmers Essay on the Demoniacs of the New Testament. So much for your Possession ! If this Prescription, will not cure, permit me, to quack for you, one more, read less, think less, and work less. Probatum est. If your Spirits...
125From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 3 March 1804 (Adams Papers)
Last night I recd your favor of 15 of Feb. At the two last Meetings of our Academy I made Inquiry concerning your Manuscript, and found that the committee had referred it to a Sub committee who were not then present and had not reported. I will endeavour to get this matter settled at the next meeting, in May. Buffon, I presume from all that I have heard or read of him believed in nothing but...
126From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 16 September 1816 (Adams Papers)
Do you think Basanistes, would bear Publication in this Country? Would an Edition of it, do good or harm? Tucker is an Oddity, like Tristram Shandy. His Metaphyicks would give no more Satisfaction, than Edwards, Priestly, Soame Jennings, Frederick the Great D’Alembert, His Morals are excellent but not new. His mundane Soul his Vehicular State, and his Vision, are a pretty Romance on the...
127From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 13 July 1815 (Adams Papers)
I have read D’Argens’s Ocellus, Timæus and Julian. Instead of being Sincere he appears to me to be a consummate Hypocrite, in the Beginning the middle and the end. The most frank, candid, impudent and Sincere Lyar; I ever read. It is plain that he believed neither Old Testament nor new; neither Moses nor Jesus. He labours to destroy the credibility of the whole Bible, and all the Evidence of a...
128From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 5 July 1814 (Adams Papers)
Bad health ever Since last Christmas! the last month worse than ever! Head loaded, Eyes almost blind! horrid Chh Yard Cough! high fever! feet almost Stumbling on the dark mountains! rapidly advancing towards the Valley of Jehoshaphat! No Veal Cutlet, no Old Hock, no old or young Madeira, no meat, no Spirit: nothing, but Indian Porridge, Water gruel and mutton broth, lemonade, five and twenty...
129From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 13 July 1801 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 20 of June has been long on its Journey. I cannot recollect, in detail, the particulars of the Conversation you allude to at Mr De Neuvilles.—Capellen de Poll was a noble man by Nature. A frank, manly, generous Soul. Wherever I have met such spirits I have always felt them. Capellen was frequently with the Reports fabricated by the Anglomanes, representing the affairs of...
130From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 1 December 1813 (Adams Papers)
You have in your late Excursion made So many Conquests among the learned, the Scientifical, the powerfull and the beautiful: Aye! especially and above all, among the beautifull!, that I expect it will be very rarely, and by great favour that I shall in future be honoured with a Letter from Barneveldt. I shall not wonder. Indeed I am so poor a Correspondent that I have long wondered at your...
131From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 24 November 1814 (Adams Papers)
Your’s of the tenth has been longer than usual on the Way, This Vault of Air, this congregated ball Self center’d Sun and Stars that rise and fall; There are, my Friend, whose philosophic eyes Look through and trust the Ruler with his Skies. This imitation by Pope of Horaces “Hunc Solem et Stellas &c together with Cleanthes’s “Why Should I grieve, when grieving I must Share bear? And take with...
132From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 14 December 1802 (Adams Papers)
"Il ne vaut pas un sou d’etre votre ami" Said Count Sarsofield to me, on day in London.—Upon a curious occasion which I will explain to you another time. Mean while I believe you will find that he estimated my Friendship at as much as it was worth. My Correspondence is not worth one groat. I am more occupied in gathering Seeds and preparing Fields than you are if I may judge by the fruits of...
133From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 18 March 1813 (Adams Papers)
A Jacobine Clubb, or a Washington benevolent Society, has a Right to discard, and exclude a Member, who will not conform to their Rules. The hard Cyder Clubb, which once existed, might refuse to associate with a Member who complained that the Cyder was too Sour. The Lying Clubb might banish from their Society an individual, who remains of Conscience might think the Lies of the Majority too...
134From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 16 February 1809 (Adams Papers)
I have yours of the 18. Jan. When you receive your Diploma you will have no fees to pay. We have not yet adopted any regulation which requires fees from the Members elected. Perhaps it would be prudent in future to adopt Such a Measure and give a Salary to our Secretary. Our Officers are now Men of So much Business and So dependent on their Business for the Support of their families that they...
135From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 5 February 1813 (Adams Papers)
I want to see, that “triffling wreath” the Castigation of Mr Dow.” and the “sketches of Calvin and servetus.” Dr Morse, I suspect, must think you, no Friend to the Peace and Order of the Churches .! No Orthodox Clergy will correct you . No! No! They will call you Deist! perhaps Atheist! certainly No Christian! And such Billingsgate, will be as good a refutation as the Politicians have given me...
136From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 27 March 1790 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of March 17. is rec d. — The French Revolution will, I hope produce Effects in favour of Liberty Equity and Humanity, as extensive as this whole Globe and as lasting as all time.— But I will candidly own that the Form of Government they have adopted, can, in my humble opinion, be nothing more than a transient Experiment. an obstinate Adhærence to it, must involve France in great...
137From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 2 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
If with blind Eyes and paralytical Hands, I could enfanter des in Folio, like De Wolf, Priestley and Voltaire, and at the Same time had the Library of the late King of France, about me I might be qualified in part to correspond with you. Buckminster imported Brucker with him from Europe. In the Sale of his Library, the Competition was between Harvard University and the Athenæum. William Smith...
138From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 29 January 1807 (Adams Papers)
Upon my Word and honour, if I know myself, and for any Thing I know to the contrary, I am Alive, and wide awake, and in as good health as usual, and have been So for Several years past, excepting now and then Such a Cold as that which you cured with a Bottle of Old Hoch and a pound or two of Veal Cutletts for Supper three Evenings Successively. Pray tell me.—Is it actionable or indictable to...