31From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 27 August 1816 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter of May 29th. Some days past; and yesterday Mr and Mrs. Tarbell called upon Us to our great Surprise, We never having had the least intimation or Suspicion of their Arrival. Their Account of our Three Boys is the most particular and the most pleasing We have ever heard. They are really delighted with the behaviour of you all. And I am not less gratified with your Letter....
32From John Adams to John Adams, 31 July 1816 (Adams Papers)
I find upon my table this morning your favour of the 7. March; and I know not whether I have ever answered it. I approve of your “eating and Sleeping and living together; of your playing Football, Crickett; running, climbinge, leaping Swimming, Skateing; and have no great Objection to your play at Marbles. These are good for your Health: but what do you do for your Mind? The Mind is of more...
33From John Adams to John Adams, April 1815 (Adams Papers)
I am much pleased with your Translation. The Character of Anacreon is one of the many Mysteries of Antiquity which the Researches of your whole Life will not be able to unridle. He did well to renounce the Heroes, for he either know nothing of the Sons of Atreus, of Cadmus the Theban King, or of Hercules and his twelve Labours; or if he knew any Thing, he dared not till what he know. It is...
34From John Adams to John Adams, 2 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
I have received two pretty Letters from you, and know not how to account for my own delay in answering either of them till this Time. That of the 21st of January is now before me, and is dated. Give my Love to your Brother, and tell him, he forgot to give any date to his. For your Comfort and Georges too, I can tell you, that you write as well as your Father did at your Age. But what a Writer...
35From John Adams to John Adams, 5 April 1816 (Adams Papers)
“Learn Patience of a Friend”! You think you must go to sea. Well, I have no great Objection; provided you can command yourself; and your Constitution is Strong enough to support itself in all Climates, and through all Risques But let me tell you, that to qualify yourself to be a Seaman such as Halley Rawley, Cook, Columbus &c. you must go through a course of Patient Study. You must make...
36From John Adams to John Adams, 26 May 1816 (Adams Papers)
It gives me much pleasure, to hear that you have a Taste for Numbers, because this quality or faculty, call it which you will, is commonly connected with a curiosity for Quantities, and leads to Algebraical and geometrical Studies You think you have and an Inclination for the Sea: but, my dear Child, you know not, as yet, your own Propensities. You must learn to think before you decide; to...
37To John Adams from John Adams, 4 October 1815 (Adams Papers)
Ego recepi tua epistolam a te scriptam Vigesimo tribus mensis Julii. ubi nuntius te a bombardâ matutinâ expavi actum fuisse dicis quoque tibi propinationês plamusque nullo modo placeve et frateribus mihi qua valda placent. Discipulus sum in Schola Doctoris Nicholas, ad Ealing, ubi docenti Septuaginta quisque condiscipulos habeo—Magister noster Universitatis Oxonii alumnus est, et mihi maxima...
38From John Adams to John Adams, 3 October 1815 (Adams Papers)
I know not whether you have read Tristram Shandy, or The Sentimental Journey or the Sermons or Epistles of Stearne. I was never an enthusiastic Admirer of him, though he was amusing enough Sometimes; moral now and then; pathetic once in a while but tedious often and always Odd. I See announced, a Publication of Dr John Ferriar, of Manchester under the Title of “Illustrations of Sterne, with...
39From John Adams to John Adams, 10 August 1816 (Adams Papers)
I culled a Few Flowers for George from The Andrian. I have done the Same for you here from the Step Mother, and will do the Like Soon for Charles. I Sent Georges by Mr Thatcher. A. John! Your Father and your Grandfather can attest upon Oath to a Similar Voyage in 1778. John! The Case of the Step Mother here is the Case of your Grandfather! Meditate a little upon it. MHi : Adams Papers.
40From John Adams to John Adams, 22 October 1815 (Adams Papers)
Your capacity is as Smart and quick and ready, and retentive as any bodies. I Should not therefore be Surprised if you Should soon take a turn in your thoughts and pursuits, and outstrip both your Brothers, George and Charles in Latin and Greek, as well as in Arithmetick and Geometry. But I want to know what School You attend; where you board; who are the Masters, Proceptors Ushers Schollars;...
41From John Adams to John Adams, 27 June 1816 (Adams Papers)
I know not whether I can ever consent to your being a Sailor Boy. I have already prescribed to you Geometry, Astronomy Algebra Geography &c as one would think enough to discourage but I have still more to Suggest to you. Are you willing to go to calledge take a Degree and After that be admitted to the respectable Rank of a Midshipman? As the Czar Peter did. Are you willing to Study Homer and...
42From John Adams to John Adams, 11 September 1815 (Adams Papers)
You cannot imagine, how much pleasure, your Letter of July 24th gave me. Your Father and Mother have improved Your hand in a few days, more than We were able to do, in as many Months. I enter So feelingly into the Spirit of your Amusements that I wish you had mentioned the names of the principal Dancers male and female at the Opera. I have been present at all those Scenes of life that you...
43From John Adams to John Adams, 14 December 1815 (Adams Papers)
Your classical letter of the 4th. of Octr, does you honour, upon every Supposition that I can make. If you have composed it yourself, it is highly honourable to the Skill and care of your Preceptors and to your own Application to your Studies; All of which must have concurred in producing Such a proficiency in so Short a time. If, by your dutiful and submissive behaviour to your Masters you...
44From John Adams to John Adams, 18 November 1815 (Adams Papers)
I am charmed with the Chirography of your Letter of the Eleventh of September to your Grandmother. If your proficiency in your other Studies is in proportion to your improvement in your hand writing you will soon be a first rate Scholar. Your Account of the Accademy at Ealing is quite Satisfactory. If under Such Masters pursuing Such Studies and Exercises, with Such Companions, you do not lay...
45From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 11 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
I have a rich Budget to send you by the next Ship. I have no time to prepare it by the Milo. I would send you some Newspapers but am told a Collection for the Months past is prepared for you Mr E. Copland Junr will present this. He is first Clerk to Degrand. You have all the Treaties and Projects of Treaties I presume but Britain and U. S. I presume from 1782 to 1815 Jays, Monroes Erskines and...
46From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 4 March 1811 (Adams Papers)
This Letter is devoted to one Subject. Since the Death of Judge Cushing there has been frequently expressed in Conversation, much regret at your Absence, among People of all Parties. Presuming that Absence to be an insuperable Bar to any Nomination as a Judge, I have taken very little Notice of such Insinuations of Regret and imputed some of them to one Motive and Some to another. I need not...
47From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 22 November 1815 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for the Memoirs of Doctor Price. Though there is little in this Work which was new to me, except the Calvinism of the Doctors Father and Uncle. Yet I love to run over again the Passages of a Life which I esteemed and loved as one of the wisest and most benevolent of the human Race. I Shall not review this Pamphlet, and have nothing to Say in praise or censure of it, except that...
48From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 April 1812 (Adams Papers)
though I owe you many Apologies for neglecting to write for so long a time, it would give you no pleasure to read them. The Misfortunes afflictions and griefs in our Family in 1811 were sufficiently pungent, and to repeat them would be to renew them. I feel too much for you, your Consort and your Sister, as well as for Mr Smith to wish to renew the Sorrows which you must have felt at the first...
49From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 June 1815 (Adams Papers)
I have requested a number of Friends, to Search and Seek for information concerning the Fisheries, and they have procured me many Letters which I have Sent you. I ought to have recorded in a Book every One of those Testimonies: but you know the impossibility of it, as I have no Clerk. Some of those documents I have been obliged to Send away to you, without reading them. Inclosed is one from...
50From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 October 1815 (Adams Papers)
A Gentleman, whose Name is Reynolds a Native of Boston, a Graduate at Cambridge, a Pupil in Medicine and Surgery of the late Dr Warren, a Son of a respectable Merchant, a good Scholar and an amiable Character, requests as all other young Travellers do, Letters to You. He goes, I Suppose to See the Hospitals in England Scotland France &c. I have nothing in particular to Say, but that Yesterday...
51From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 January 1813 (Adams Papers)
It would be ridiculous in me to write you, upon public Affairs. If We have Judges as at the first; We certainly have not Counsellors or Warriors as at the beginning, except by Water. On the Ocean and on the Lakes We have no reason to blush. You have Sent a Pamphlet upon the Analogy between Russian Words and Sanscret Words. Our University and our Accademy See no importance in this Pamphlet. I...
52From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 28 August 1815 (Adams Papers)
My perplexities are increased every day, as I fear yours have been and are still. Mine, at present are altogether on your Account. The Princes Speech, paragraphs in London and Liverpool Papers scraps of Letters from both; all convince me that you have had Severe Tryals of your Intelligence and Integrity. It is universally believed here, that a Treaty of Commerce has been Signed, but there is a...
53From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 June 1813 (Adams Papers)
I cannot forget the loss I have sustained in the death of Dr Rush. Since your departure his correspondence has been a kind of substitute to your conversation. Had I your pen, your tongue or your fingers, I would have pronounced his Eulogium before the Academy, rejoice always in all events be thankful always for all things: is a hand precept for human nature: though in my philosophy and in my...
54From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
If Parson Nelson could call that Composition of Alexander, Petrarch and Werter, The Admiral, “ Great and good , Surely it may be excusable in me, to make free with the Same Epithets. But away with Badinage. Be it known to you that I am in Correspondence, with your Rival; your victorious Rival; and what is more marvelous, a friendly correspondence. One of his Letters is inclosed, copied by your...
55From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
I have recd. your Letter of Oct. 27. 1814. and that of 26. of November. I congrtulate you on the harmony between you and your Colleagues an inexpressible Felicity of which I have not always been So fortunate as to enjoy the Sweets. I congratulate you also on the Peace and the glorious moment in which the News of it arrived. The Raptures of Joy I leave the Newspapers to describe. It is my...
56From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 October 1815 (Adams Papers)
The young Gentlemen are all flying to Europe, and apply to me for Introductions to our Ambassador in London. You must Shake hands with them all, invite them to a dinner on Mutton and Brockoli, with your Wife and yourself; but Entertainments a la mode you cannot give. The Corps diplomatique, will say “Adams lives “dans le plus infame Œconomy” their Coachmen and Footmen will look down on yours...
57From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 1 August 1813 (Adams Papers)
I congratulate you on the new acquaintences you have made. Madam de Stael and Sir Francis D’Ivernois are illustrious personages who will make a figure in history; a more splendid figure, that I can expect; or even than you can hope. Madam I never had the honor to see. With her handsome Lord I have enjoyed many a diplomatic dinner sometimes at his own hotel, and if I was not mistaken he had...
58From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 August 1815 (Adams Papers)
I feel so uneasy, on your account, that I want to write to you, every hour. But I am become so great a Coward, that I dare not write any thing to you. I never take my Pen, but with the utmost Anxiety, last I should hurt your Feelings, embarrass your Employments, give you unnecesary solicitude for your Country or excite a useless gloom on the prospect before Mankind. Shall I give you a History...
59From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 June 1815 (Adams Papers)
To Shew the pretty, little, easy task you have undertaken, let me give you a Schematic Picture of the publick and private Courses in a German University, for Six months. 1. Encylopedy, and Method of Studies. An encyclopedick course of general Litterature, of the divisions and Subdivisions, and of the relations of Sciences among themselves. A course on the method to be pursued, in Academick...
60From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
I know not whether you are acquainted with the Bearer of this Letter Samuel G. Perkins Esqr, or his Lady a Daughter of the aged and Honourable Stephen Higginson Esqr. Mr Perkins was one of my Associates in the Board of Trustees and Visitors. We have thought it, a fortunate Opportunity, Politicks apart, to Send your Sons with Mr and Mrs. Perkins, and their Son about Johns age, and especially as...