51Hannah Storer Green to Abigail Smith, 1763 – 1764 (Adams Papers)
My inclinations, tho’ not my Expectations were very much disapointed in not sending you a long Letter the last time I wrote; however I must still beg your Patience and I will pay you all, the very first minute I can.—Patience my dear I recommend to you, upon more accounts than one, first upon your friends, secondly upon your own, for if you do not have Patience with me, I shall never pay you,...
52John Adams to Abigail Adams: Falmouth, 7 July 1774 (Adams Papers)
I am engaged in a famous Cause: The Cause of King, of Scarborough vs. a Mob, that broke into his House, and rifled his Papers, and terrifyed him, his Wife, Children and Servants in the Night. The Terror, and Distress, the Distraction and Horror of this Family cannot be described by Words or painted upon Canvass. It is enough to move a Statue, to melt an Heart of Stone, to read the Story. A...
53Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 28 January 1775 (Adams Papers)
I think myself Doubly obligated to my amiable Friend that she has for once Layed aside that Cerimonious Demand of a Letter in Return for Every Line she favours me with. Your Last I perceive was wrote with a heart trembling with the Laudable feelings of Humanity Least your suffering Country should be driven to Extreemities, and its Inocent inhabitants be made the sacrifices to Disappointed...
54John Adams to Abigail Adams, 5 July 1774 (Adams Papers)
I cant be easy without my Pen in my Hand, yet I know not what to write. I have this Morning heard a Dialogue between Will. Gardiner and a Captain Pote of Falmouth. Gardiner says he cant subscribe the Non Consumption Agreement, because he has 100 Men coming from England to settle upon Kennebeck River, and he must supply them, which he cant do without English Goods. That Agreement he says may...
55John Adams to Abigail Smith, August 1763 (Adams Papers)
Germantown is at a great Distance from Weymouth Meeting-House, you know; The No. of Yards indeed is not so prodigious, but the Rowing and Walking that lyes between is a great Discouragement to a weary Traveller. Could my Horse have helped me to Weymouth, Braintree would not have held me, last Night.—I lay, in the well known Chamber, and dreamed, I saw a Lady, tripping it over the Hills, on...
56John Adams to Abigail Adams, 29 June 1769 (Adams Papers)
I embrace with Joy, this Opportunity of writing you. Mr. Langdon, who is to be the Bearer, was so good as to call this Morning, to know if I had any Letters to send. You’l therefore of Course, treat him civilly and give him Thanks. We are now but beginning the Business of Falmouth Court. The Weather has been for three days, so hot, as to render the Business of the Court very irksome, indeed,...
57Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 25 February 1775 (Adams Papers)
I had the pleasure of hearing Yesterday by a transient person that my much Esteemed friend Mrs. Adams was well. I wish she had been kind Enough to have put a line into his Hand for me who is always highly gratified with Every such intimation of friendship from those she loves. I thank you for the Letter I Received by Mr. Warren, and for the Copy of a very agreable one to a Distinguished Lady...
58John Adams to Abigail Adams, 6 July 1774 (Adams Papers)
Our J ustic e H utchinso n is eternally giving his Political Hints. In a Cause, this Morning, Somebody named Captn. Mackay as a Refferee. I said “an honest Man!”—“Yes” says H utchinso n, “he’s an honest Man, only misled. —He he he,” blinking, and grinning.—At Dinner, to day, Somebody mentioned Determinations in the Lords House (the Court sitts in the Meeting House).—“I’ve known many very bad...
59Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 9 August 1774 (Adams Papers)
I Returned yesterday from a Visit to my Venerable Father, and on our arival at our own Habitation we met the tidings that the Royal signet was affixed to those acts which are designed to perpetuate the thraldom of America: and perticulerly the Massachusets. I think the appointment of the new counsel is the last comic scene we shall see Exhibite’d in the state Farce which has for several years...
60John Adams to Abigail Smith, 7 April 1764 (Adams Papers)
For many Years past, I have not felt more serenely than I do this Evening. My Head is clear, and my Heart is at ease. Business of every Kind, I have banished from my Thoughts. My Room is prepared for a Seven Days’ Retirement, and my Plan is digested for 4 or 5 Weeks. My Brother retreats with me, to our preparatory Hospital, and is determined to keep me Company, through the Small Pox. Your...
61John Adams to Abigail Adams, 9 July 1774 (Adams Papers)
I never enjoyed better Health in any of my Journeys, but this has been the most tedious, the most irksome, the most gloomy and melancholly I ever made. I cannot with all my Phylosophy and christian Resignation keep up my Spirits. The dismal Prospect before me, my Family, and my Country, are too much, for my Fortitude. The Day before Yesterday, a Gentleman came and spoke to me, asked me to dine...
62John Adams to Abigail Smith, 12 April 1764 (Adams Papers)
I have Thoughts of sending you a Nest of Letters like a nest of Basketts; tho I suspect the latter would be a more genteel and acceptable Present to a Lady. But in my present Circumstances I can much better afford the former than the latter. For, my own Discretion as well as the Prescriptions of the Faculty, prohibit any close Application of Mind to Books or Business—Amusement, Amusement is...
63John Adams to Abigail Adams, 17 September 1771 (Adams Papers)
There is no Business here —And I presume as little at Braintree. The Pause in the English Trade, has made Husbandmen and Manufacturers, and increased Industry and Frugality, and thereby diminished the Number of Debts and Debtors, and Suits and Suiters. But the hourly Arrival of Ships from England deeply loaden with dry Goods, and the extravagant Credit that is dayly given to Country Traders,...
64John Adams to Abigail Adams, 28 August 1774 (Adams Papers)
I received your kind Letter, at New York, and it is not easy for you to imagine the Pleasure it has given me. I have not found a single Opportunity to write since I left Boston, excepting by the Post and I dont choose to write by that Conveyance, for fear of foul Play. But as We are now within forty two Miles of Philadelphia, I hope there to find some private Hand by which I can convey this....
65John Adams to Abigail Smith, 11 April 1764 (Adams Papers)
The Room which I thought would have been an Hospital or a Musaeum, has really proved a Den of Thieves, and a scene of Money Changers. More Persons have been with me about Business, since I shut up , than a few, and many more than I was glad to see, for it is a sort of Business that I get nothing by, but Vanity and Vexation of Spirit. If my Imprisonment had been in Consequence of Bankruptcy, I...
66Mercy Otis Warren to John and Abigail Adams, 17 May 1774 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Warren being prevented by many Avocations from writing this Morning, has put the pen into the hand of his substitute: who with him presents sincere Regards to Mr. and Mrs. Adams. Lets them know they have been Repeatedly disappointed in not seeing them at Plimouth. Shall not pretend to Deliniate the painful Ideas that arise on a survey of the Evils Brought on this much injure’d Country by...
67John Adams to Abigail Smith, 13 April 1764 (Adams Papers)
We arrived at Captn. Cunninghams, about Twelve O’Clock and sent our Compliments to Dr. Perkins. The Courrier returned with Answer that the Dr. was determined to inoculate no more without a Preparation preevious to Inoculation. That We should have written to him and have received Directions from him, and Medicine, before We came into Town. I was surprized and chagrined. I wrote, instantly, a...
68John Adams to Abigail Adams, May 1772 (Adams Papers)
I take an opportunity by Mr. Kent, to let you know that I am at Plymouth, and pretty well. Shall not go for Barnstable untill Monday. There are now signs of a gathering Storm, so I shall make my self easy here for the Sabbath. I wish myself at Braintree. This wandering, itinerating Life grows more and more disagreable to me. I want to see my Wife and Children every Day, I want to see my Grass...