11Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 3 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
I think You have been exercised in Deeds of Charity to that poor forlorn Man who would once have said, is thy Servant a Dog, that he should become a living prey to worms, or what is worse? He is a most striking instance of Indolence; and having no stimulous to action! none of those tender endearing ties of wife, child, sister, or Brother.— Indolence created first an apathy—and apathy crept on...
12Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 24 April 1800 (Adams Papers)
It is with great pleasure my dear sister that I can say to you, Your Son has recoverd from a Dangerous complaint which threw us all here into great Distress and anxiety upon his account. he returnd from court sick. it proved to be a Billious Cholic. mr Johnson wrote Mrs Johnson that he had been to see him, but that he was so ill that he could not be seen. the Children too were all Sick, and...
13Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 15 April 1800 (Adams Papers)
I received a few lines from You Yesterday. in replie to mr Bates queries, I would have the Room above finishd off the same Size with the lower Room, the North clossets to remain in the Room and chamber, the stairs to be one flight, a portico with a flat Top which I would have leaded, and a smilar one built over the front door of the House, the two trees cut down, but I do not wish to have the...
14Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 7 April 1800 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday mr Johnson and his Mamma arrived here, in good Health. by her I heard from mr & Mrs Cranch. she poor thing has had a mishap. I rather think it good than ill luck however for, it is Sad slavery to have children as fast as she has. she has recoverd tho she is thin & weak. your son is rising Rising in his own estimation, which was the place where he most wanted it. he plead a cause,...
15Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 22 March 1800 (Adams Papers)
I received Your Letter yesterday. I know from what I Saw and heard whilst I was at home that there was pains taken to make Mr & Mrs Porter uneasy, and that they were too apt to listen to stories which were in themselves Idle, and [ra]ised from Envy. many would be glad to get into their hands such a charge as is left with mr & Mrs Porter, who would not be so honest in their care and attention...
16Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 15 March 1800 (Adams Papers)
I find the best time for writing, is to rise about an hour earlier than the rest of the family; go into the Presidents Room, and apply myself to my pen. now the weather grows warmer I can do it. His Room in which I now write has three larg windows to the south. the sun visits it with his earliest beams at the East window, and Cheers it the whole day in winter. all my keeping Rooms are North,...
17Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 5 March 1800 (Adams Papers)
I received Your Letter of Feb ry 23. and was glad to learn that you were well, for from not hearing from you from the time of ordination I was fearfull that the fatigue had made You sick. we have now arrived to the 5 th of March with a small quantity of snow upon the ground and the weather mild. with You I suppose there is much more; Congress might easily accomplish the buisness necessary for...
18Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 27 February 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have not written to you since I received your Letter giving me an account of the ordination, the fatigues of which I should have been glad to have shared with you, and I could not but blame myself, that I did not write to request mrs Porter to have opend our House, and Stables, and to have accomodated as Many persons as they could; it is now happily over and I congratulate the Town in having...
19Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 28 January 1800 (Adams Papers)
I yesterday received Your Letter of the 19 th . I think You have testified Your proportion of Respect in a handsome manner to the Memory of the good and virtuous Washington— that he ought to live in our Memories, and be transmitted to posterity as a Character truly worthy Imitation, is Right; but some Eulogyst have asscribed to him solely, what was the joint effort & concert of Many. to no one...
20Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 7 January 1800 (Adams Papers)
I know not what could have become of a Letter written to You upon the 18 of December, that upon the 30 th You should not have received it.— I have written You more than once since that period, but do not recollect the Dates— I forget whether it was before or since then; that I inclosed to you a croun of a cap & Band. since, that I have sent the Border and a Cap for Mrs Norten, which I think...
21Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 30 December 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received Your Letter of the 23 d this morning I should be glad You would inform me from time to time the state Mrs Mears is in. I have told mrs Brisler that she was ill, but as she it cannot be of any Service to Mrs Mears, I think best not to let her know of her relapse tho I fear it will finally be fatal to Mrs Mears.— Mrs Brisler would so distress herself as very probably to bring on her...
22Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 22 December 1799 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to You the Day after we received the account of the Death of Gen’ ll Washington. this Event, so important to our Country at this period, will be universally deplored no Man ever lived, more deservedly beloved and Respected. the praise and I May say addulation which followed his administration for Several years, never made him forget that he was a Man, subject to the weakness and...
23Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 18 December 1799 (Adams Papers)
Death, thou art no Respecter of Persons; Washington is no More! a Great Man has fallen, and his End is peace. I shall dye said he, but Death has no terrors for me; this Melancholy Event, was this day brought to this city by the Mail and by private Letters; the Croup was the rapid disease which put a period to the Days, of him whose, memory will I trust be Embalmed in the Hearts of all true...
24Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 11 December 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received this week Your Letters of Nov br. 24 th and 28 th , and this morning Yours of dec br 3d, the contents of which gave me much pleasure. it will be a real subject of rejoicing to me, if we obtain mr Whitney for our pastor; it will greatly add to the pleasure I anticipate upon my return to Quincy to find that we are in possession of a Gentleman of mr Whitneys known and acknowledged...
25Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 4 December 1799 (Adams Papers)
Mrs smith Louissa Mrs Otis Rush Peters & a number of young Ladies are just gone to Congress to hear the Speech which is deliverd at 12 oclock to day; I should have liked well enough to have been of the Party, but it would not have been proper— You will see it, as soon as you will get the Letter I presume some people will not be pleased, I suppose, because it will not disclose enough about the...
26Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 26 November 1799 (Adams Papers)
Your kind Letter reachd me on the 20th. I began to feel very impatient to hear from you; Your Letter afforded me much pleasure; I rejoice that so worthy and amiable a Man as Mr Kendall allways appeard to me, is like to be so soon; and agreably setled. I would willingly exchange all the discourses I have heard here Since I came and all I shall be like to hear, for the one half which even chance...
27Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 15 November 1799 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you twice from East Chester. I left there the day I proposed; and had a fine passage across the North River—it was quite calm & not cold. we proceeded on our journey to Newark the same day, and there finding that we could go to Brunswick as conveniently by travelling through springfield and scotch plain to Plainfield the place where col smith is encampd with three Regiments. we...
28Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 4 November 1799 (Adams Papers)
Tomorow morning I expect to leave this place, and proceed on my way to Philadelphia—where I hope soon to hear from you. Frank and family had arrived before Brisler. they had only ten days passage. our Envoys I presume are ready to sail. the P writes me, that he hopes they are gone that there may no longer be room for impertinent paragraphs fabricated by busy bodies who are forever meddling...
29Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 31 October 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter on saturday the 26 th by Brisler who with his family arrived here in safety John was taken with the Mumps the day before. he was not so sick, as to prevent their proceeding to cross the Ferry— I have not heard of him since, but expect to, this day. Louissa has had the Mumps, so as to be swelld up to her Eyes. they have been a week upon her, and are not yet gone— caroline...
30Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 13 October 1799 (Adams Papers)
I got to Westown on Wednesday by four oclock and was met two miles from Town by Mrs otis, accompanied by Mrs Marshall who insisted upon my putting up with them I accordingly went, and was very kindly and hospitably receivd by the col and his Family. the old Gentleman who is now more than 80 years, still retains much of the fire and sprightlyness of youth, he is very infirm in health, but...
31Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 29 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
we left Philadelphia on Wedensday last. the day preceeding was very Hot a partial Rain had waterd the Roads for 15 or 20 miles So as to render the first part of our journey pleasent. we were overtaken by showers—and detaind by them, but on thursday we found clouds of dust for want of Rain. troops and calvacades did not lessen it, and the Heat was intolerably oppressive, so much so as to nearly...
32Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 17 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
I had a Letter yesterday from mrs Johnson of the 12 July, in which she says mr Cranch had just returnd from the Court to which he went, the Judge being indisposed; that his wounds were getting well fast, and that he did not suffer any inconvenience except a headack, by his ride—that he had written to you a full account of the whole buisness. Congress rose yesterday. the House the Senate are...
33Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 13 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
I begin my Letter by saying that mr Cranch was so much better on the 7th, the date of mrs Johnsons last Letter, as to conclude to go to the Court the next day— I would not make a long preparation to allarm or distress you, or write you a word upon the subject untill mrs Johnsons 2 d Letter came for I would not have you feel as I did, upon reading the first part of hers of the 4 of july. upon...
34Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 3 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
The extreem heat of yesterday & the no less prospet of it this day, is beyond any thing I ever experienced in my Life the Glasses were at 90 in the Shade yesterday. tomorrow will be the 4 July, when if possible I must see thousands. I know not how it will be possible to get through. live here I cannot an other week unless a Change takes place in the weather you had as good be in an oven the...
35Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 27 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
The reflections which this morning have occupied my mind previous to taking my pen, have been of a solemn & melancholy Nature. wherefore o Lord art thou thus contending with they People, that one prop after an other is taken from them? the Sudden death of dr Belknap has filld my Heart with Sorrow— following so soon after dr Clark, and I presume from the account in the paper, in as sudden a...
36Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 23 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
The weather has been so oppressively Hot for this week—and the streets of the City so nausious that I expect the concequences which must follow. they already begin—complaints of the Bowels are frequent & an inflamitory soar throat. Frederick has got below after 5 bleedings Blistering &c Becky is now sick with it. hers is less upon her throat, more in her Bowels, not much fever— I hope hers...
37Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 19 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
I expected to have heard from you on Saturday, but no Letter came and on Wedensday but still no Letter. I was dissapointed, but knowing your many avocations I concluded it must arise from thence. I hope not from Sickness tho you wrote me you was not well. I who have more leisure, and no care of Family affairs but my order can and do devote almost every morning in writing to some Friend or...
38Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 13 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
but I was thinking so much of Quincy, that I mechanically dated from thence; when I sent Letters for Louissa Mrs Brisler &C by yesterdays Mail; I could not get time to add a line of my own; being engaged in writing to Berlin by the British packet. Since my last to you, I have received a Letter from mrs Johnson inclosing Letters to her, both from mr & mrs A—at which I rejoiced. she has thought...
39Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 8 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
I received yours of June the first. I am quite delighted at the account you give of the season, and the appearence of vegetation. I was out yesterday at A Farm of Judge Peters call’d, Belmont. it is in all its Glory; I have been twice there, when I lived at Bush Hill, but he has improved both the House and Gardens Since— after being six Months in a City, you can hardly conceive the delight one...
40Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 5 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
I write you this Morning just to say that there are dispatches from our Envoys up to April by which it appears that they have had several conferences with Tallyrand, the subject of which was obtaining Money— they are just decupherd and will be communicated. no Reception from the directory, nor like to be any— I cannot but say to you, what will strike every one, that every hour they remain in...