Adams Papers
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Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 17 October 1791

Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch

N york Sunday october 17 [1791]1

my dear sister

I arrived here last Night. my first inquiry was for a Letter from you, which I was happy enough to find, and great relief did it afford to my anxious mind.2 I sent to the post office to see if I could get any further intelligence last evening but was dissapointed. I am ready however to attribute it more to your not getting an opportunity of conveyance than to any unfavourable circumstance, and I was much incouraged yesterday by seeing mrs judge cushing, who told me of a cure performed upon mrs Hyslops leg after a mortification had really taken place.3 she made great use of Bark and wine. I am sure my dear sister neither mr Adams or I can ever think our wine used to a better purpose than in aiding the recovery [of so] dear & valuable a Friend, and we request you to get more from our cellar when that is expended. can there be a greater pleasure in Life than rendering kindness to those we love and esteem and who we know are every way worthy of our regard. how many of my anxious & painfull hours did you in the summer past alleviate by your sisterly kindness. how much too am I indebted to my dear Lucy for her goodness. I am anxious for her Health, and full of the mind that a free use of the Bark would relieve her Nervious Headacks Katy who is with me was relieved only in that way after a slow Nervious fever. I had a pleasant journey in point of weather. mr Adams found himself very weak and feeble when we came to travell. his Nerves were more affected than I was aware of before I left home. he has not had any return of his fever, but if I had not gone through all & more than he has sufferd I should be much more distrest. he gains strength by his journey, but what I fear is the buisness & company which he cannot avoid and which are very unfit for a person recovering from such a disorder. Thomas & Louissa are well— mrs smith & Family I found well—but I cannot learn a word from Philadelphia. Remember us all kindly to mr Cranch with our most sincere wishes for his perfect restoration to Health. I am my dear / Sister affectionatly yours

A Adams

RC (MWA:Abigail Adams Letters); addressed by TBA: “Mrs Mary Cranch / Braintree”; endorsed by Richard Cranch: “Letter from Mrs / A Adams (N York) / Octr 17. 1790”; docketed: “1790.” Some loss of text due to placement of the seal.

1Sunday was the 16th.

2Not found.

3Either Mehetabel Stoddard Hyslop (1719–1792), wife of Boston wholesale merchant William Hyslop (1714–1796), or Betsey Williams Hyslop, wife of their son William Hyslop (1753–1792) (E. W. Stoddard, appendix to Anthony Stoddard, of Boston, Mass., and His Descendants: 1639–1873, N.Y., 1873, p. 124, 126).

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