151From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 August 1813 (Adams Papers)
The Meloncholly History of the last Journey and the last days of your Sister will be given you by the your Mother. My Eyes, my hands and my heart are too weak to endure it, I can only Say, May my last End be like her’s. From the Cradle the most healthy of all my Children, till the last two years; during which she has Suffered, with all that patience fortitude and Equanimity which She uniformly...
152From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 1 March 1813 (Adams Papers)
There is not a day nor an hour in which my Thoughts are not employed about you and your Family: But though my Wishes are for your return, I dare not advise you: because I cannot Satisfy myself what you ought to do. Indeed I See not how you can return. Through France or England, from Sweeden or Russia? The loss of your Child has deeply affected me. I Sympathize with you and my daughter under...
153From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 April 1815 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed I Send by your Sons, a little Information concerning the Fisheries. In tears for the loss of your Aunt Peabody; in too much Apprehension for tears at the Embarkation of your Sons which is to be next Sunday, and almost in tears of Indignation, at the Ignorance, and Insensibility of my dear New England, I Send you the inclosed Papers relative to the Fisheries. I will continue to collect...
154From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 November 1815 (Adams Papers)
Your very instructive letter of 31st. August is the last I have recd. from you. Several to your Mother are missing. Your Reasoning and expostulations with New England are conclusive and unanswerable You advise me to read Massillon. Thank you. I advise you to read Carlostad and Scheffmacher. I have read Sixty Years and five more on the Subjects. Had I about me all the Books relative to it which...
155From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 14 May 1815 (Adams Papers)
I seem to be rambling with you, to the Hotell de Valois, the hotel du Roi &c &c but you have not yet visited Passy Chaillot, Auteuil, or Versailles, nor Mont Martyr nor Mount Calvaire. What has become of these Spots, where I have Taken so many anxious and Solitary Walks. Where is the Bois de Boulange? I envy you the Society of La Fayette and de Stael. The latter is more than her Father or...
156From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 March 1813 (Adams Papers)
As I have experienced Griefs as exquisite as yours I have the better right to advise you. I have no doubt you have delighted in the hope and prospect of educating a Daughter under your own Eye, that Should be a perfect Woman, a Daughter, a Sister, a Wife a Mother an Aunt a Grandmother, without Reproach or fault. But recollect your own Reflections upon Quintillian. Recollect This Vault of Air,...
157From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 September 1816 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday Noon Mr and Mrs. De Wint, arrived, in 48 hours from New York. They dined in that City on Monday and dined with me on Wednesday. Such is the facility and rapidity of Communication which Steam Boats Packetts and turnpikes have introduced. They presented to me the first of my great grandchildren that I have Seen of the four that have been given to me, one of whom has been taken away,...
158From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 22 July 1816 (Adams Papers)
“Chain’d to his Throne, a Volume lies, With all the Fates of Men: With every Angels form and Size Drawn by th’ eternal Pen. His Providence unfolds the Book And makes his Counsells Shine; Each Opening leaf; and every Stroke Fulfills Some deep design. Here he exalts, neglected Worms To Sceptres and a Crown: Anon the following Page he turns And treads the Monark down. Nor Gabriel asks the Reason...
159From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 15 January 1811 (Adams Papers)
We have received no Letters from you, later than the 7th of September. The obstructions in the Way, are Such that if the communication is not So frequent or So regular as We wish, We compose ourselves as well as We can, and please ourselves with the hope that you are all well. Your Friends here and at Washington are all well. I write you nothing on publick affairs. Our Government has many...
160From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
The Newspapers, throughout the Continent are announcing to Europe and America, Somewhat imprudently, that you are recalled and to be made Secretary of State. I know not whence this comes: but whether true or false, I hope it is true. And if it is true, I hope You will accept the Office of Secretary of State. If there is no Truth in it I hope you will demand your Recall and come home. And if...
161From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 15 April 1815 (Adams Papers)
Kealing marred Hannah Storer. Look at the seal of this Letter, and send me from London a new One exactly like it, with this Motto Piscemur, Venemur ut Olim and I will the Price to your Brother, / No more MHi : Adams Papers.
162From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 July 1816 (Adams Papers)
Sir Isaac Newton, supposes an Ether, to pervade the Universe. To the Action of this Subtile and elastic Fluid, he ascribes Gravitation, Cohesion, Repulsion &c. Hartley makes it the Instrument of propagating his Vibrations. What is the difference, between Newton, Hartley, Diderot and Grim? All this is mechanical Phylosophy. The Universe is a Chimical Experiment. Invented, performed and...
163From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 22 February 1816 (Adams Papers)
John Winthrop Esqr, Son of John Winthop of Boston Merchant and Legislator, Grandson of John Winthrop Professor and Counsellor, Great Grandson of Col Adam Winthrop of Boston Counsellor descended from the good old Governor, is destined to Bremen Where he expects to be Consul. He was educated at Cambridge and has travelled in Europe. He married Col Hitchburnes daughter who left him three...
164From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you on the 25th of February on our American Title to all the Rights and Liberties of Englishmen in all the Fisheries, which We derive not from any Grant Gift Cession or Concession or Conveyance from the Government or People of Great Britain, but from the impartial Benevolence and Bounty and Benevolence of the Author of Nature and Father of Mankind, who has given the Ocean and all its...
165From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 June 1814 (Adams Papers)
I have received your number 27. 15 October, 13. The large quarto Pamphlet entitled “Principes de Chronologie pour les temps anterieurs aux Olympiades,” by Count John Potocki I never received. It has miscarried. That the Count may have seen me, in London in France or Holland, is not improbable. I also have “plunged into the abyss of Antiquity” and have been “hunting for the books of the wars of...
166From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 December 1813 (Adams Papers)
With more joy than I can express I have recd your kind Letter of the 18th. of August. Your Mother has been Seized with a pulmonary Fever attended with very threatening Symptoms and a violent Cough which has confined her for some Weaks: but We have now the consolation of confident Assurences from Dr Holbrook that she is so much better as to be past all danger I can easily conceive of your...
167From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 6 December 1816 (Adams Papers)
John Sergeant Esquire, a Director of the Bank of U. S. is appointed by that Board to negotiate for ten Millions of Spanish Dollars, offered by a commercial House in London This Gentleman, a Son of Jonathan Dickenson Serjeant Esq, once an intimate Friend of mine in Congress in times of difficulty and danger, requests an Introduction to you. I give it, with pleasure, both because I hear a good...
168From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 4 June 1815 (Adams Papers)
Mr Bray a Son in Law of Samuel Eliot Esquire, the putative Father of the Greek Professorship at H.C. will I hope have the honor to deliver this to you in the Bosom of all your Family. You probably know the political Connections of Mr Elliot and Mr Bray: but no considerations of this kind should interupt the Intercourse of Politeness hospitality and Civility. If my Eyes and hands could endure...
169From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 June 1815 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a Letter from Judah Alden of Duxbury, a fifty fifth Cousin of yours, on the Fisheries. And another from Freeman Atwood. I have not time to read these Papers but I believe you may depend upon them. I think I have Sent you proofs enough of the importance of the Fisheries to your Country. And my Advice is to demand your recall and refuse Your Signature to any compact which shall...
170From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 16 October 1814 (Adams Papers)
I am happy to have recd. your No. 30. No. 33. and No. 34. It is impossible to express the pleasure I have felt in reading these Letters, those to your Mother Sons and Brother, or the pain from the consciousness of my physical as well as Spiritual Inability to answer them as they deserve. Last night Mr T. Greenleaf Sent his Son, to read to me your Dispatches by Mr Dallas, ten thousand Copies of...
171From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 6 June 1816 (Adams Papers)
Mr Stephen Thayer whom you must have known is to carry this Letter to you. Of Braintree Origen a Son of Col. Ebenezer Thayer and Brother of a young Gentleman who studied Law with me, having been unfortunate in our late trying times is about embarking for London to revive his former Connections and renew his interrupted Business. He will have much to Say to you, concerning the Boylston Market...
172From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 December 1813 (Adams Papers)
If you were in any spot between New Orleans and Passamaquoddy I should write you every day, if I could. But the communication now is so uncertain and so dangerous that I never write without fear of hurting you or the Public. You, almost from your Cradle, and I from 16 years of Age have been Heluones Librorum. We have hunted Books in Boston, in Bourdeaux in Paris in Nantes L’Orient and Brest;...
173From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 27 August 1815 (Adams Papers)
By Mr Gore in the Galen I received your favour of the 19th of June with the Seal: and yesterday from Washington your Letters in April with the Packetts of New Papers, these are all We have recd from you since the 21 of March. By the Gallen We had Letters from all your Sons and delightful indeed they were to Us. You must not let them be homesick nor be so yourself til you are all ready to...
174From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 June 1815 (Adams Papers)
The Wars of the Reformation Still go on; and produce very curious researches. The day before yesterday was put into my hand, by W. S. Shaw “Rapport a l’Institut national, Par A. G. Camus Pluviose An XI. In page 55 and Onwards you will find some Account of the Bollandists and the Acta Sanctorum I am not enough acquainted, with the present Generation of Men to conjecture, whether this is...
175From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 October 1815 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you this morning by Doctor Reynolds and now write by Colonel Thomas Aspinwall, your quondam Tenant, Son of your once Brother Senator of Brokeline. He is Consul in London and must be intimate with you. His mutilated Limb among many other Witnesses proves his Merit as a military Officer and his Education in the University and at the Bar ensure him for a pleasant associte in the public...
176From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 May 1816 (Adams Papers)
On the 1st. Mr and Mrs Swelt made us happy by a Visit in which he assured Us he had Seen you, your Lady and Son and that you were all well. on the 2nd. Mr P. C. Brooks with his Son Edward made Us a very pleasant Visit to offer to take Letters or Packetts to you. This Mr Edward has a Steady Face and manly Countenance, I hope you will cherrish him. Your Brother has paid me the last Farthing, and...
177From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 19 December 1815 (Adams Papers)
Ah! Monsieur Adams! said my learned Friend The Abby De Mably “ Je sent un grand decadence. J’avois l’habitude d’ecrire six, huit a dix heures, mais Maintenant, Je ne puis pas travaillier que deux. Apres cela il faut que Je me jette sur le lit.” The Abby was then but seventy. As I am ten years older I may now say the same thing and with less regret The Death of my most ancient venerable and...
178From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 1 May 1815 (Adams Papers)
We are at our Wits ends for News from you. We know not whether you are at Ghent, gone to Paris, returned to Petersburg, or where you are. We are equally anxious for your Lady and your Son. We know not whether they are to remove from Petersburg by Land or by Water, to Ghent to Paris or to England. Gallia, the too faithful Alemick of Britain, “changeful as a Child at play Now calls in Princes...
179From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 March 1814 (Adams Papers)
I will not afflict you with lamentations over the Confinement of your Parents during the greater part of the Winter. Your Mother is restored to her usual health. I am better but feeble. My Eyes have suffered, and the quivering of my Fingers renders Writing painful, at a Time when The Hon. Mr Taylor of Virginia has published an immense Volume the lucubrations of Twenty years upon my obsolete...
180From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
Mr Ticknor will go with your Sons. Let me introduce him to you. His Reputation is that of one of the first Schollars. W. Shaw will tell you how many Languages he reads. His Politicks are of little consequence to me, and I know them not. Probably of the Boston Fashion. My Son! You are now in the most difficult and dangerous Situation that you ever was in. You will be courted by Dissenters by...