1From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 6 June 1815 (Adams Papers)
I return you Cs Letter, I think she will not be here untill the last of this month. I fear W’s situation an unpleasant one, it cannot be otherways, with a family and without means of supporting them—whether John will obtain the place he wants, I know not, nor am I very solicitious for it. I have written two letters for him. at his request, but knew not, if I was not essentially injuring his...
2From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 24 April 1815 (Adams Papers)
you always collect some comfort or consolation for your Friends—your information respecting the packet was particularly so that, which respected the Boys. I have been distrest for them this terrible North East wind and Storm—I never knew a more voilent one at this season—it must have been worse for those comeing in, than those going out; provided they had sea moon—but I will not distrust the...
3From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 25 February 1816 (Adams Papers)
I was very sick yesterday, and obliged to take an Emetic, to clear of a quantity of Bile, which the dr said was the occasion of my sleepless Nights. I hope he may be right; for they weaken me much. I was very much worried with it. I took it at half past three, pure delicious Indian Root and it never closed its opperation, until eleven at night. It is slow you know in its opperation. I did not...
4From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 15 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
you and your Mother have been So frequently in the pratcise of fitting out your Brothers for voyages that you know better than I do, what will be necessary for the Boys; will you recollect, and tell me. I have been thinking, one Suit of cloaths, beside those which they will wear at Sea, will be enough. George must have a new great Coat, and John can take his. how many Shirts a peice will be...
5From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 27 April 1816 (Adams Papers)
I am much dispirited by the weather which prevented the intended visit of you and your Friends, I promised myself much pleasure in it and wished for a conversation with mr Lyman upon the News. I recollected his account of the Bourbons and the temper of the French Nation as it respected Napoleon, they found themselves humbled mortified deprest and saw no disposition in the Monarch raise them to...
6From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 16 October 1815 (Adams Papers)
Mr Adams call’d yesterday morning before six oclock, I rose before light in order to write to you, and waited only for the sun to give me light to do so; but the man came before, and I had only time while he waited to scratch of the hasty line I sent, or I should have told you, that the paper came safe the by mr d Greenleaf. Caroline’s Letter informs me that she was well the 7th. that John had...
7From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 16 November 1814 (Adams Papers)
Feeling a little in the dumps, the why, or the wherefore I cannot tell, excepting a crick in my neck, & pain in my head, to cure all I take my pen to write you a few lines and inclose the , which Susan finished but has not had a conveyance for; so I send them by post and to make you laugh send you O an abominable wagish Letter I had almost said wicked, but then it made me laugh so, that I was...
8From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 8 September 1814 (Adams Papers)
I send you a Letter by mr Crufts this day received from Caroline. I had a few lines from her saying she was well, and longing to hear from us at Quincy. she had not then received my second Letter or Susans. I thank you for the papers & for the Nutmegs; I send by mrs Cruft the money for them. I hope for Letters by the J Adams and certainly shall have some, we must wait with patience for the...
9From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 8 March 1816 (Adams Papers)
I must write you a few lines to day from a Night of Rest, I derive Strength, all lost again by a night of wakefullness—If I do not get to Sleep as soon as I go to Bed, and that is early; it is all lost for the night yet I suffer no pain, except some times in my head. no fever, no cough, yet I was loose my flesh. my complaint seems to be an universal relaxation of the Solids. If I had lived in...
10From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 9 June 1816 (Adams Papers)
keep yourself quiet. caroline will come Shortly, and then be sure you shall have a carrier after you, but I do not look for her, untill I learn that She is come to Nyork—I return your Letter and request that you would come up Say thursday or fryday and bring mr Hinkly with you to eat some Strawberries fresh from the vines. my best Love to Your good Mother and pray her to take a kind...
11From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 5 May 1816 (Adams Papers)
A ; I opend my Letters this morning and found a Number—dated last Novbr and December, the first which John Smith wrote on Board Ship, which in his second he refered to, one from mr A. which I inclose for you only. I am much obliged by the paper you sent containing an account of the Lord Mayor feast. I approve the Toast given by the American Minister. it was liberal patriotic, and concilitary...
12From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 19 March 1816 (Adams Papers)
I received this morning your Note of Sunday and Monday, and am the better for hearing of that your Family are Some of them so; I hope mrs Baileys emetic will not prove so trying to her, as mine was to me. tho only Simple Indian Root, I have Scarcly recoverd the Strength I lost. the very cold night of Sunday and yesterday tried my weak frame, and Shut up my pores so that yesterday I was very...
13From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 22 March 1816 (Adams Papers)
I received a few lines from you to night by mrs Adams; and rejoice in the returning health of your family. as you requested I wrote to you by wednesday post, & inclosed you J A Smiths Letter, and Several others, which I thought you would like to read,—but I find you had not got the Letter when you wrote—William wrote to me, that on the 17 March, (St Patricks day a dear pady) mrs Smith got to...
14From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 10 June 1816 (Adams Papers)
As I consider you as a part of my own Family, I Send you the inclosed, which you will return with care tomorrow morning tuesday I mean—we have Letters from Mrs A. from Utica and Susan one from Abbe of 2 June, in neither of which is any mention made of the Cols Sickness, or Caroline could not have reachd there, I think at that time yet I wonder as the distance was not further, that mrs Adams...
15From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 23 December 1814 (Adams Papers)
The black hair Ribbon is just what was wanted, I thank you for thinking of it. I Should like 8 yds I believe of the Banbest like the pattern inclosed; I like the colour better; tho the Cloth is not quite so fine—they are not any so good, as I had last winter in Black. amongst the , is there not any Colevain Cotton Shirting like what I bought there winters ago, it was yd Wide at 8/9. I do not...
16From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 8 December 1815 (Adams Papers)
I have lost my dear venerable second Father and ancient Friend, the upright Christian, the noblest work of God, an honest Man—I heard he was unwell on wednesday the P and I went to visit him. he was in his parlour appeard to have a voilent cold, raised freely, but I observed spoke very faintly; and appeard to me at the time, like a Lamp just expiring. I left him, dubious whether I should ever...
17From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 1 January 1817 (Adams Papers)
Many happy returns of the Season dear Harriet is wished you by your Friend, who you know would rejoice to see you at Quincy, but the Gay parties in Boston, must have more charms for the young and Beautifull, than the Sombre & dreary view of a dead & brown carpet which covers the Earth at present, & the leafless Trees, so naked and bare. I want to see it put on the white mantle, so emblamatical...
18From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 24 October 1816 (Adams Papers)
I have not had any opportunity of returning the Letter and paper you Sent me on Saturday. mr C. did not call here on Sunday, but went on to Hingham. he did not return on Sunday Evening with Susan as I expected, nor Stop here on Monday, all of which I dissaprove—the poor Mans mind is much perplexd. we had a conversation, which gave rise to a Letter of a Friendly Nature, and a most tender and...
19From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, February 1815 (Adams Papers)
I inclose to you mr Adams’s Letter of Novbr 23. the peace was it seems as unexpected to him a month previous to its taking place, as it has been to us— The passage markd begining “it is mortifying to” &c to the close which is also marked, you may give to the public, as an extract of a Letter from an American gentleman abroad to his Friend in America, and that respecting washington.— you will...
20From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 16 August 1816 (Adams Papers)
I yesterday thursday the 15 received your communications of the 9th. you see it was not possible to forward the Letters inclosed by the mail on Wednesday—I have prepared them for the morrow—I thank you for permission to read C Letter. it did as well as if written to me. I inclose you one from C to you—I had not the same licence from her, but I received a Letter from her of the 8th in which she...
21From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 15 September 1814 (Adams Papers)
What a Sad time our good Friends have for their journey. I think they will not travel in such weather, tomorrow I expect to learn something from them, I did not look for any thing on thursday. I feel rather more tranquil than when you left us, the not less solitary, and lonely, for Susan is gone to stay with her Aunt. We have been cheered by the accounts shocking as it is to humanity, at the...
22From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 8 September 1815 (Adams Papers)
By your note last Evening I conclude you had not received my Letter by the post of fryday which I expected to have reachd you the Same day—it containd a Letter from me to mr Adams to go by the vessel which is up for London, and which I then expected would Sail on Sunday, I inclosed a dollar requesting a supply of paper, to be sent me last evening, the P. and I are quite exhausted—I want a...
23From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 11 April 1815 (Adams Papers)
I inclose you a pattern of Ribbon of which I should like a peice if my wants have not already out now my Credit. if so only get me 8 Yds— I want to know how George & Susan succeeded, the morning was so dreary, that fearing worse weather the P. and Louisa were discouraged, and when G. and Susan determined upon going, Louisa was unhappy that she did not go in yesterday with her Brothers and have...
24From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 21 September 1814 (Adams Papers)
dissapointment after dissapointment—no Letter not a line from Dear Caroline. it cannot be that she has not written. She knows how anxious her Friends here must be to hear from her: I strive to imitate her even and quiet temper, when dissapointments of a Similar kind occured to her can you tell whether the carriage which took them on, is returnd may hap. the Man might have a Letter, and forget...
25From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 9 March 1813 (Adams Papers)
This mornings post, brought your Letter of march 3d with the inclosure, which I shall forward by the next mail, I thank you for the entertainment it afforded, it will answer a two fold purpose, that of letting me know the incidents of your journey, and your progress through it, and afterwards—giving a similar gratification to the Friends at the Valley, I beleive I must agree with you to...
26From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 4 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
I received last Evening, all the articles you were so kind as to purchase for me. they were perfectly to my mind, and your Mem. accurate, expect in one particular, which was Seventy 5 cts Sent back to me by Charles, which is not charged, and which I Shall insist upon your doing, because I will not allow of any Such pranks—let me be proud as well as you. I also am daily calling upon you for...
27From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 8 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
Your Theological queries, you must consult with your Learned minister. I am not able to solve them. there is certainly a difference in the two tables, in the new Testament. I do not recollect but one reference to the ten Commandments That is in the tenth chapter of Luke, when the Lawyer consulted our Saviour, asking what he Should do to Inherit Eternal Life verse 26 & 27 & 28th He said unto...
28From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 19 January 1817 (Adams Papers)
The weather has been so Boisterous to day that not one of us have ventured out to meeting. I have written a long Letter to Caroline, and I Send you her two last Letters and return those of mr Everets, with thanks. I think them full as entertaining as Eustices Letters classical Tour. I laughd heartily at the attack of the young Lady who insisted upon Waltz waltzing with the Gentlemen. The other...
29From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 5 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
Last Evening I received your Letter with the inclosurs. I wrote to you on fryday, but the post did not go, and the Letters were taken in yesterday mor’g by Thayer: I presume you got it after you had written to me— Mr Adamss Letter was written the day the peace was signd. it contains this passage which I should like to have inserted in the paper, as an extract from one of the Ministers to his...
30From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 9 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
Louisa is just gone to Bed, She has not been So well to day. her flesh all rises upon her in puffs, & her feet swell, cough is better. but her limbs pain her Sadly She cannot take a mouthful Bread, tried it—to day & worried her Sadly—dr forbids her—I have fears for her which I do not express. I Send the Review, but have not had time to looke into it, you will return it me when you please Mr Mc...