351John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 7 March 1782 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 9th. of December last informs me of the Arrival of the Apollo, Minerva, and Juno, three of fabulous Divinity who know nothing of me You observe. I do not wish to altercate even with Gods, much less with Goddesses: but I have a Right to quarrel with the Destinies, or bad Men, and there is but little benefit, I fear, arising from Contests of this kind. What am I to do with such...
352John Adams to Abigail Adams, 26 July 1777 (Adams Papers)
At this Moment, I hope you are abed and happy. I am anxious to hear, and the more so because I had no Letter, from you, nor concerning you by the last Post. I wait with Impatience for Monday Morning, when the Post is to arrive. I am more Anxious, now, than ever, on another Account. The Enemy’s Fleet has sailed—But to what Place, they are destined, is unknown. Some conjecture Philadelphia, some...
353John Adams to Abigail Adams, 29 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
Our amiable Friend Hancock, who by the Way is our President, is to send his Servant, tomorrow for Cambridge. I am to send a few Lines by him. If his Man should come to you to deliver this Letter, treat him very kindly, because he is a kind, humane, clever Fellow. My Friend Joseph Bass, very cleverly caught the Small Pox, in two days after we arrived here, by Inoculation and has walked about...
354James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 13 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have already acknowledged the Receipt of your Favour of June 10th. Severely as it concluded in Regard to my Reputation I did not arraign its Justice, but wrote an ingenuous Confession, similar to one I had before made by the Opportunity of Genl. Ward. I thought your Conclusion was founded upon a natural Construction of what you had been reading. I venerated the Purity of your Sentiments. I...
355John Adams to Abigail Adams, 6 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have received yours of 24th. May and a Copy of your Letter to Mr. Dilly, and one Letter from him. Your Letter to him is a very agreable one. I hope you will continue to write him, whenever you have Opportunity. I am afraid you will have more Alarms than are necessary, in Consequence of the Brush at Grape Island. But I hope you will maintain your philosophical Composure. Saturday last, I took...
356James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 17 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
The Dates of my Letters connected with the Time of the Receipt of yours are become somewhat essential towards a right Judgement of my Character, so much called in Question lately by the Censorious. Though John Paul Jones may not even yet have left the City you will sometime or other find what I wrote to go by a Mr. Anderson and afterward delivered to the said Chevalier Jones. You will also...
357John Adams to Abigail Adams, 28 May 1777 (Adams Papers)
An horrid cold Day for Election—warm work however, in the Afternoon, I suppose. You will see by the inclosed Papers, among the Advertisements, how the Spirit of Manufacturing grows. There never was a Time when there was such full Employment, for every Man, Woman and Child, in this City. Spinning, Knitting, Weaving, every Tradesman is as full as possible. Wool and Flax in great Demand. Industry...
358John Adams to Abigail Adams, 18 February 1777 (Adams Papers)
I shall inclose with this a Newspaper or two. I am as yet in tollerable Health. My Eyes are somewhat troublesome. I believe I must assume the Appearance of Wisdom, Age and Gravity and put on Spectacles to walk in, about the Streets. I hear nothing from you, nor from any Part of New England, but I am endeavouring to devise some better Regulations of the Post Office, so that I hope that Channell...
359James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 21 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I hope you are not still without later Dates from Mr. A’s Hand than what we have—Oct. 24. I conclude he was well about the last of Febry., because Mr. Carmichael under Date of March 11th sends us Mr. A’s Plan of a Loan to be opened at the House of Nieufville & Son March 1st. We have no Vessels from Holland. Accept of my Conjecture as a Proof of my uniform Wish to contribute to your Ease of...
360John Adams to Abigail Adams, 29 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
Human nature with all its infirmities and depravation is still capable of great things. It is capable of attaining to degrees of wisdom and of goodness, which, we have reason to believe, appear respectable in the estimation of superior intelligences. Education makes a greater difference between man and man, than nature has made between man and brute. The virtues and powers to which men may be...