31To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 13 October 1812 (Adams Papers)
My printer and my patients have kept me So busy for some Weeks past that I have fallen in Arrears to all my Correspondents. I Sit down with pleasure to discharge the first debt of that kind to my old friend of 1774. In my publication upon the diseases of the mind I have carefully avoided the Subject of the possessions in the New testament, also the Controversy about the nature of the mind. I...
32To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 26 April 1810 (Adams Papers)
In One of my letters written some time ago, I informed you that my eldest son had killed a brother officer and a friend in a duel at New Orleans. The distress and remorse which followed this event deprived him of his reason, and threw him into the marine hospital where he has been nearly ever since the duel. In the month of Feby: last he arrived in Philada in a state of deep melancholy &...
33To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 14 June 1809 (Adams Papers)
My son Richard who has been a customer for the Aurora ever since he lived at the Jersey College, after reading your last letter, brought the enclosed papers from his office, and requested me to forward them to you. I have lately met with an account of the brain of Voltaire being preserved by a Lady in a France, and showed to her friends as an object of affection and adoration. The author of...
34To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, April 1812 (Adams Papers)
In giving the history of the Controversies in which I was engaged in the military hospitals, and from which I suffered Abuse, and incurred the lasting resentment of the Character you allow you in your last letter, I neglected to mention in addition to the Change which my resignation produced in the expenses and Order of the military hospitals, that my Zeal and Sufferings in behalf of the sick...
35To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 6 August 1811 (Adams Papers)
You may tell your friend Mr Cranch that I included my Correspondent among the men who were so prominent in madness as to undertake the Cure of the madness of mankind by Appeals to their Reason. I have been a fellow labourer with you in this irrational business. But we will console ourselves with the comfortable reflection that we have aimed well. Were we to live our lives over again, and...
36To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 15 February 1813 (Adams Papers)
I am now Attending a daughter of Mr Mathew Careys. In One of my Visits to her, I mentioned your Opinions to him upon the Subjects of a Navy, and your documents upon the Subject of its Origin in the United States. He requested a Sight and Copies of your letters containing those Opinions & documents for a publication which he expects Shortly to issue from his press. I said I could not comply...
37To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 20 June 1810 (Adams Papers)
Wealth, respect and friendship! from your grateful and affectionate friend. War with the “great hammer of the whole earth” to use the words of which the prophet Jeremiah applied to the king of Babylon, is now the order of the day in Philada.— MHi : Adams Papers.
38To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 19 August 1811 (Adams Papers)
It is possible Dr Franklins estate, when sold, in Order to be divided, may not produce the Sum mentioned in my last letter. It consists chiefly of real property, purchased in same the early part of his life. The improvements in our City have given it its present immense Value. It is said the million of livres committed to him to be employed in secret Services to his Country, were divided...
39To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 10 April 1813 (Adams Papers)
I put the papers you sent me into the hands of Mr Carey. Some of them will be published in an Appendix to his history of the rise, and progress of the American Navy.—They shall all be returned to you in a few days.— I rejoice with you in the 5th: Naval Victory of our Country. The year 1812 will I hope be immortal in the history of this World for having given the first Check to the overgrown...
40To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 11 November 1811 (Adams Papers)
Alas! What a difference between your last, and former letters!—Instead of being charmed with the effusions of your vigorous highly cultivated Understanding and sportive imagination, your letter of the 2nd of Novr contains nothing but accounts of “graves & tombs” and “dust converted into paper,” and of “sorrows written with rainy eyes upon the bosom of the earth.”—It affected me in the most...
41To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 5 May 1809 (Adams Papers)
I am much pleased with the Specimen you have given of the Use of your Wings upon a certain Subject in your last letter. Your publications in the newspapers show still further how important to the public, to posterity, and to your family honor are the words you have preserved of your political life. Your defence of the rights of our Seamen is much admired. It discovers with the Experience &...
42To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 4 September 1811 (Adams Papers)
I am two letters in your debt. To the last I shall reply first. I am not satisfied with any one of your objections to my proposal of a posthumous Address from you to the Citizens of the United States. The “good that men do lives after them” the evil they have done or the evil that has been unjustly imputed to them generally perishes in descends into the grave with them. I have lately met with...
43To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 2 October 1810 (Adams Papers)
Hate on, & call upon all the pedagouges in Massachussets to assist you with their hatred of me, but and I will after all, continue to say, that it is folly and madness to spend four or five years in teaching boys the latin & greek languages.— I admit a knowledge of the Hebrew to be useful to divines, also as much of the greek as will enable them to read the greek testament, but the latin is...
44To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 8 January 1813 (Adams Papers)
Having just now gotten my task, that is, revised my lecture, and added to it the results of my reading, and Observations during the last year, I now sit down to acknowledge the receipt of your three last very pleasant and entertaining letters. I shall begin my Answer to them by wishing you a happy new year!— I was much gratified with your Account of your Conversations at two late public...
45To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 30 June 1812 (Adams Papers)
We both owe too much to our Wives to differ with them, and perhaps there never was a time when they are were so necessary to our happiness.—Of mine I can truly say in the words of the Scotch song, “There naw luck abut the hoose when Julia is awa’”—Let us therefore submit to thier badinage, while they submit to us in greater matters, & let us continue to treat them as our best friends. No man...
46To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 8 July 1812 (Adams Papers)
It is now a time of uncommon health in our city, insomuch that I spend six or seven hours of every day, including the evenings, at my desk. I mention this fact to apollogize for the promptness with which I reply to your letters. I sent your letter of this Yesterday morning to my son Richard in order that he may correct from it, the mistake I made in the name of the British minister whose...
47To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 5 July 1810 (Adams Papers)
In Contemplating the facility with which our Once chaste & vi mistress “American liberty” admits embraces of some of the most profligate and unprincipled men in our Country, I feel disposed to address her in the Words of the Song. “I loved thee! beautiful and kind, And plighted an eternal vow, So altered are your face and mind, ’Twere perjury to love thee, now. ” MHi : Adams Papers.
48To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 20 August 1812 (Adams Papers)
My son Ben sent me a quarter Cask of Old muscat Wine as a present from the Isle of Samos. The Vessel on board of which it was sent, to avoid Capture put into Boston where her Cargo is to be sold. I have requested Messrs Walley & Foster merchants of Boston to deliver it to your Order free of all Costs. I beg your Acceptance of it as a small Mark of the gratitude and friendship of Dear Sir /...
49To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 17 November 1812 (Adams Papers)
Gibbon tells us in his life, that he studied Anatomy & Chemistry on purpose to furnish himself with new Allusions for the Stile of his history. You seem to have studied natural history for the more important purpose of furnishing your memory with new precedents for industry and foresight in human Affairs, and particularly for the Conduct of Governments—But what avail reading, reflexion,...
50To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 12 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
I did not require the anecdote you have communicated to me in your letter of last month to know that I had incurred the hatred of General Washington. It was violent & descended with him to the grave. For its not being perpetuated in the history of his life, I am indebted to the worthy and amiable Judge Washington. I will give you a history of its cause in as short a Compass as possible. During...
51To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 13 June 1811 (Adams Papers)
Act I. Scene I. Mr: Adams’s Study Mr A: Who is there? Dr: R—a friend— A—Walk in.—Ah! Rush is that you? Where have been these two Months—? You seem to have forgotten your old friend Adams. R. Forgotten my Old friend Adams!—No Sir—that is impossible. I owe more to your friendship than I ever owed to any human Being, except to my excellent mother, and to my beloved and faithful Wife. A. What is...
52To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 22 May 1812 (Adams Papers)
You remind me by your wish for a copy of all the lyes that were published against you by your political enemies, of a similar wish by Dr Franklin—he said he should “like to paper his study with them”. Some of his most virulent calumniation he said were persons from whom he had received letters full of gratitude for favors Conferred upon them,—which letters were then in his possession.—Where...
53To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 9 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
You have touched me in a sore place in your letter of the 4th instant. My Son Richard has accepted of the Office of Comptroller General, and is about to remove with his family to Washington in the Course of this month. Both his parents, all his brothers and Sisters—his Uncles Rush & Richd Stockton, and all his professional and personal friends remonstrated against it. I painted to him in as...
54To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 26 July 1809 (Adams Papers)
I enclose you three numbers of Duane’s papers that you may see in what manner the late news from St James’s has operated upon one Class of our Citizens. Your Communications Continue to excite Attention. A general wish prevails among those who read them, that they may be preserved & perpetuated in the form of a pamphlet, or of a larger Work. My Wife and youngest daughter left me on the 8th of...
55To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 21 December 1810 (Adams Papers)
We read of Hurricane Months in the West Indies. Men of business are exposed to them no less than the West India islands. I am now in the height of Mine. For a few minutes only, I have torn my eyes from the tumultuous Scenes that surround me & turned them towards Woolaston in Massachusets. I see you in your Arm Chair—surrounded by your family. How do you do? And you! good madam—the faithful...
56To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 1 April 1809 (Adams Papers)
It would be well, if legislators were taught before they begin to legislate, that there are certain things which elude the power of government as certainly as a stone when thrown into the Air falls to the ground. In addition to those Subjects which have been mentioned in our letters I will add—“the dictates of Conscience, religious & philosophical opinions—the current prices of goods, and...
57To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 1 February 1810 (Adams Papers)
With this letter you will receive a bundle of Auroras, and another of the same size by the post of the next day—They are filled very much of late with our state politicks, but you will find many Columns still filled with complaints against Great Britain—so my son Richard tells me, for I assure you I have not read a Column in any one of them these six months. My wife asked me a few days ago...
58To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 11 September 1812 (Adams Papers)
I will say of the Wine which you have done me the favor to accept, What you said to me when I called to thank you for the Appointment you gave me in the Mint. “You have not more pleasure in receiving it, than I had in giving it to a faithful Old revolutionary Whig.” I hope the wine is of a good quality, and that it will assist the influence of the present times invigorating your body and Mind...
59To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 30 September 1809 (Adams Papers)
“Great men (says Lord Bacon) have neither Ancestors nor posterity.” This, you and I know is not the case with Writers. The enclosed pamphflett pamphflet is a proof that the passion for pen, ink and paper has descended in my family. It is written by my son Richard, who requests you will do him the honor to accept of a copy of it. Health, respect & friendship from / ever yours MHi : Adams Papers.
60To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 5 December 1809 (Adams Papers)
Philadelphia Decemr: 5th: 1809 I picked up some time ago a magazine in which I met with a revival of the Old controversy concerning the divine Origin of Episcopal and Presbyterian Ordination carried on by Dr Hobart and Dr Mason of New York. After reading a few pages of it, I threw down the magazine with disgust, and committed the enclosed thoughts upon that Subject to paper. The partiality you...