At length my dear Madam we have arrived in this splendid City and find ourselves plunged into the midst of difficulties, and expences from which nothing but a return to our own Country can extricate us, unless the American Government will double the present appointments, which I am almost certain will never take place— Mr Adams has not yet been presented owing to the indisposition of the...
Your last kind Letters of the 20 of May reached London only two days since and according to your request I hasten to answer it—I wrote you some time since that I had performed my journey in safety and passed two delightful Months in Paris which I quitted with the greatest regret since which the fate of that unfortunate Country has been decided and it is doomed to return to that state of...
As Mr & Mrs Smith are about leaving this Country I cannot suffer them to depart without a few lines although my Spirits are not in a state to render a letter from me very agreeable Mr Adams as you probably know has left me in Petersburg and it is very uncertain when we shall meet again; did I not fear to indulge my feelings I could make bitter complaints of the cruel separations I am obliged...
I cannot refuse myself the pleasure of answering, your very beautiful, and affectionate letter, of the 24 Feby, although I am at this moment, labouring under one of my severe sick headache’s, which afflict me so unceasingly, in my hair is already perfectly blanched. it is a bad apology for my silence but since I have nursed my little daughter I have suffer’d more than usual and have been...
25From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 1814 (Adams Papers)
To offer you anything like consolation for your irreparable loss my dear Mother is I feel utterly impossible and Heaven alone can pour balm into the wound which in its wise decrees it has ordained. Too recently have I suffer’d the same dreadful stroke not to feel how every fibre of your heart must have been rent by this great great affliction if the tenderest sympathy could in the smallest...
Mr. Adams brought me your very kind Letter from Town the day before yesterday dated in Septbr: and was very happy to find that you enjoyed your health so well throughout the Season which is generally so trying to you and I hope that you will pass the fast approaching Winter equally well. you must be careful of yourself and not expose yourself by taking the whole charge of the family as you are...
As this is probably the last opportunity I shall have to write you I sieze it with avidity, and hope notwithstanding the failure of our negociations, that some favorable circumstance may occur, which will render the communication more frequent, and more safe. Our prospects are dreadful, and I see no end to our banishment, unless some miracle should release us from our present difficulties. I...
We wait with much anxiety for Letters, to reassure us on account of your health; although the last accounts were highly favorable, for which I am indebted to my old and valuable friend Harriet Welsh, we yet cannot feel perfectly satisfied, until we are assured under your own hand, of your complete restoration to the blessing of health. I am at last enabled to answer your questions concerning...
Your very kind and welcome letter arrived yesterday and completely reanimated my frame which was almost congeal’d by the intense cold of these frozen regions it is now June and only the day before yesterday we had a Snow storm I verily believe my dear Mother had not the electric shock which the very unexpected good news your ever watchful kindness sent me us to cheer our painful exile from...
An occasion now offering to write you I sieze it with the utmost pleasure to inform you of our health which has hitherto withstood the severe shocks of a Russian Winter—I wish I could inform you of our comfortable establishment but I much fear that is fa r ther of than ever and we must submit to all the disagreeables of a Russian Hotel which are indescribable you can form no idea of the morals...
Your kind letter of the 2 September was delivered to me the day before yesterday, conveying the melancholy intelligence of the loss my poor Sister had sustained; my heart bleeds for her, for too well I know the pangs she must have experienced, and though time has and religion have soothed the excessive agony I endured under the same circumstance, memory still recalls the painful recollection...
I write you my dear George, with a hope that this letter will not reach you. however as we have reports here of an Embargo, being to take place in America, early in the Season, I will not omit the opportunity which now offers, of assuring you of my tenderest affection, & solicitude, for your present and future welfare. Your Father, and myself, were very anxious to have both you, and your...
33From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 12 October 1810 (Adams Papers)
I recieved your letter my dear Child only a few days since and am charmed to find that George and you are such good boys I am sure you are much obliged to Cousin Abby for your letters. and I you will soon learn to write them yourself I hope as they will afford me double pleasure George is now near ten years old and is I am sure too much of a man to play truant any more and I am sure you never...
34From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 14 July 1814 (Adams Papers)
You cannot think what a disappointment your not writing occasion’d me! I have been weighing and reflecting upon every thing which might have caused your silence and have only been able to attribute it to that of sickness, which fills my heart with uneasiness Your Aunt Smith, being about to return to America, I take the opportunity of sending you a Watch, which I request you will use in the...
Another Letter was yesterday brought me but it gave me no hopes of your return and I dare not flatter myself yet that you will obtain any answer more decisive to this last effort, than they have hitherto given upon any point. as I wrote you once before notwithstanding I am so anxious to see him you I could almost wish you might be detained untill the coming Spring, so fearful am I that this...
I was so fortunate as to recieve your No 25 on Wednesday which was the day in course but as it was the first time I mention it as something extraordinary I shall certainly be very cautious as you request about your letters— I cannot help smiling at your affected difficulty about filling a sheet of Paper and were it possible that a compliment from your wife could have any value I should almost...
We have proceeded thus far on our journey as well and with as much pleasure as we could possibly have expected and the day I have passed at this place will ever be remember’d by me with gratitude and pleasure from the very polite and kind attention of the Governor and his Lady to whom Mr Harris gave me letters of recommendation they are a charming couple exact suited to please me as they are...
My last letter mentioned some good news which I had heard from America I thank God this has been confirm’d and a great deal beside which I had neither thought’s or hopes of I was in expation of your last Letter’s being filled with the particulars but the date from London was precisely the same and you could not recieve it untill two days later your next will however contain all this news and...
Your two last No 12 & 13 were delivered to me at the same time I presume the first had been detained at the Post Office and closely inspected and even the second was also examined but not detain’d As to Day was our Wedding day and the day on which the Emperor’s return to us Capital was celebrated I went to the Te Deum and spent my morning in praying for the success of your Mission. when I...
I had left off writing entirely from the idea that you would have left England Ghent befor a Letter of mine could reach but from all the accounts which we here recieve I find that it is possible you may remain at Ghent half the Winter therefore I have resolved to write again and trust to chance for the return of my Letters in case you should be on your way— I have moved into Town and made...
In the first place I will inform you, as I know how very particular you are, that I have received No 9 and 10 with its enclosures, the last of which I have sent to your old friend the good Revd: Pere, by Mr Smith ten minutes after its reception this morning at 10 oclock. In the next place you will observe that I have number’d my letter and that you are indebted to me two numbers. my first was...
Your kind letter arrived just in time to cheer us. Charles and I were both quite sick, but are now thank God much better, though Dr. Galloway has order’d me to keep him at home for some days, the weather being uncommonly cold, and the Bridge not likely to be put up for some days. We have nothing new. there is some talk of the Emperor’s return, some say immediately, others not untill August....
I received your three last numbers they arrived nearly at the same time No. 14 on Friday and 15 & 16 on Saturday. I am much concern’d at the prospect of affairs with you, and am fearful that the English will put it out of your power to return home, as soon as you think as I understand there is positive information here , that you will be kept on in the same manner, and that no Ministers will...
No 39 arrived in due time and I have for some time been perpetually satisfied with the Post Office I hope however that we shall not long stand in need of their civilities as I am rather impatient to have you home the rappid approach of winter encreases my impatience and as the event of this negociation appears to be still unfavorable I cannot help feeling fretful and half angry at the delay...
I was much disappointed at the receipt of your last letter having flatter’d myself that you would have had some letters from our friends both in Boston and Washington The Conservateur of to day announces that you have at last recieved the answer to your last Note and that it is of so favorable a nature that peace will be the consequence of the truth of this I can form no opinion but the report...
You must laugh at the information contain’d in my last as Mr. Harris tells me he wrote you by the same post that the resignation was accepted Mr. H.—as far as prevarication goes is certainly a good diplomat for he came to me very full of what I wrote you and told me he had it from the Gentleman himself. he was here last night with what he wrote you and at the same time stating that the...
I am charmed to find by your last letter that you pass your time so agreeably at Ghent: it would be almost a pity that the Congress should break up, as by all account you have derived so much benefit from your residence, and this Climate is so injurious, that the idea of your returning to sink again into the state of into inanity into which you had fallen, is so painful I could almost wish for...
I am so exhausted by fatigue that it is with the utmost difficulty I can scrawl a few lines having just return’d from a Fète at Pavloski which lasted two days & Nights I may say as you know at what hour the Balls break up The fète was most beutiful and we recieved every possible mark of Distinction the Emperor spoke to me and asked where you were I told him you had seen at Ghent he said he had...
The last time I wrote you I was so excessively fatigued and it was so late that I scarcely know what my letter contained since which I have been expecting a letter from you and am much disappointed at not receiving one though I shall cease to regret it if your silence is caused by the arrival of the English Commissioners we have news to the 22d from England from which we learn that Mr...
Your charming letter only reached me last night the roads being very bad but it came time enough to put me in high spirits and I went immediately after to a little Ball at Miss Focks were I amased myself very much and did not return untill 3 o’clock this Morning Thank God for all the good news you gave me may he still grant us his protection and as you say turn the hearts of our enemies all my...