31John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 February 1782 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I received your Letter of Jany. 1/12, and thank you for your account of the Place where you are. I will send you a Dictionary, as soon as I can, but it will be a long time before you can have it. I am very anxious for your Studies. Write me what Books You can procure there, and what others you want. I am much pleased with your Letter to Mr. Thaxter, but it is a Mortification to me to...
32John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 14 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I received yours of 13 this morning. If you have not found a convenient Place to remove into, you may continue in your present Lodgings another Month. I am glad you have finished Phaedrus, and made Such Progress in Nepos, and in Greek. Amidst your Ardour for Greek and Latin I hope you will not forget your mother Tongue. Read Somewhat in the English Poets every day. You will find them elegant,...
33John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have this Morning received yours inclosing a Letter from the Duke de la Vauguion. Please to inform me in your next, when the Vacation begins. It is my Design that you shall come and spend a Part of the Vacation with me.—I approve very much of your taking the Delft Gazette the Writer of which is a great Master of his Language, and is besides a very good Friend to his Country and to yours. You...
34John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 22 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have just now received your Letter, of Yesterday, and am very well pleased with it, because it is written with care, in an handsome Hand, and is prettily expressed, which shews that nothing is wanting but Pains and care, to make you an excellent Writer, for your Age. I am of Mr. Pechini’s Opinion that it is better to keep your Brother Charles to conjugating Verbs for some time, I agree...
35John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter of 23d. March, and was very much pleased with it, because it is a pretty Composition and your Mamma Assures me it is your own. The History, you mention of Bamfylde Moore Carew, is worth your Reading altho he was a very wicked Man, because it serves to shew you, what a Variety there is in the Characters of Men, and what Odd, whimsical and extravagant Effects are produced...
36John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 June 1783 (Adams Papers)
The Bearer of this Letter, Eliphalet Fitch Esqr., a Gentleman of large Fortune and high in office in Jamaica, is a Grandson of Dr. Boylston and consequently your Relation. You will wait upon him and his Lady, and do yourself the honor to shew them all the Attention and Respect in your Power, while they stay at the Hague. LbC in John Thaxter’s hand ( Adams Papers ). Eliphalet Fitch was receiver...
37John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 31 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have received, by the Way of Bilboa, a Letter from your Mamma, of the 8th of October, in which She presents her tender Affection to you and your Brother, as well as her Respects to her agreable Correspondent Mr. Thaxter. Your Sister was at Boston, your youngest Brother at School learning fast. You should write me a few Lines, now and then, to inform me of your Health and of your Progress in...
38John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
You are now at an University, where many of the greatest Men have received their Education. Many of the most famous Characters, which England has produced, have pursued their Studies for some time at Leyden. Some, tho not many of the Sons of America, have studied there. I would have you attend all the Lectures in which Experiments are made whether in Philosophy, Medicine or Chimistry, because...
39John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 27 April 1783 (Adams Papers)
Last Night I received your Favour from the Hague of the 22 and I congratulate you, on your Safe Arrival. You have had a long Journey, from Petersbourg, and I hope it has not been a disagreable, nor an unprofitable one. You Should write to Mr. Dana and to me, an Account of th e Monies you have taken up and expended upon the Road. Keep the Letter from Mr. Dana to me, till We meet. Mr. Hartley is...
40John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 August 1782 (Adams Papers)
It is with Pleasure that I enclose this amiable Letter from your Sister, which breaths a very commendable affection for You and solicitude for your Welfare. There is nothing more tender than these Correspondences between Families, as there is nothing more sacred than the Relations of Brother and sister, except that of Parent and Child. It is your duty to answer her. I say again, it is a moral...
41John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 22d came to hand this Morning. I shall leave it wholly to Mr. Thaxters Judgment, what Lectures you are to attend, as at this distance I cannot form any opinion. You will apply the most of your Attention, I hope, to your Latin and Greek Master, for the present. I am pleased to see that you recollect the 22 of December, the day on which, those Patriots and Heroes landed at Plymouth,...
42John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I am two Letters, I believe in your Debt, but I have been too busily engaged, to be able to write you. I am pleased with the divisions of your time, which you tell your Brother you have lately made, which appears to be a judicious distribution of Study and Exercise, of Labour and Relaxation. But I want to have you, upon some higher Authors than Phaedrus and Nepos. I want to have you upon...
43John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 May 1783 (Adams Papers)
No Letters from you by the two last Posts. Let me hear from you as Soon and as often as you can. This is the only Substitute for the Pleasure of Seeing you, which I fear I cannot enjoy for Some time, as the Conferences for the definitive Treaty languish more than I could wish. When I desired you to send me an Account of your Expences, I did not mean a particular Account, but only the Amount,...
44John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
If there are any extraordinary Productions of Nature or Art, exhibited, at the Fair of Leyden, write me an Account and a description of them, and insert them in your Journal. There were so many Rarities, at the Fair of Amsterdam, that I think these Fairs worth seeing. A Youth may store his Mind with many new Ideas, and with many usefull Reflections by attending to these Things. To open your...
45John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 11 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
As the War in which your Country is engaged will probably hereafter attract your Attention, more than it does at this Time, and as the future Circumstances of your Country, may require other Wars, as well as Councils and Negotiations, similar to those which are now in Agitation, I wish to turn your Thoughts early to such Studies, as will afford you the most solid Instruction and Improvement...
46John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 28 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
The Ice is so universal now that I suppose you spend some Time in Skaiting every day. It is a fine Exercise for young Persons, and therefore I am willing to indulge you in it, provided you confine yourself to proper Hours, and to strict Moderation. Skaiting is a fine Art. It is not Simple Velocity or Agility that constitutes the Perfection of it but Grace. There is an Elegance of Motion, which...
47John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 15 December 1781 (Adams Papers)
This day Mr. Sayre arrived, with your Letter of the 12/23 of October. Yours of August I answered, Yesterday. You have not informed me whether the Houses are built of Brick, Stone or Wood. Whether they are seven stories high or only one. How they are glazed, whether they have chimneys as in Spain. What publick Buildings, what Maison de Ville or state house. What Churches? What Palaces? What...
48John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 May 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have the Pleasure to inform you, that Yesterday I removed into this House, and am now employed in setting it in order. You will see by the Gazettes, that I have been received in Character, that I have laid before the States a Plan of a Treaty, which they have now under Consideration, and I suppose will be soon finished. The Bearer of this, Coll. Vallentin, will deliver it. Perhaps he may be...
49Elizabeth Cranch to John Quincy Adams, May 1781 (Adams Papers)
How shall I excuse myself for my long neglecting to write to you? Should I offer any other apology, than want of proper abilities, it would be false; and should I offer that , which is the only true one, perhaps it might be thought I wished for a compliment. But I had rather my Cousin should have a less favourable opinion of my understanding; than have cause to doubt my regard for him. That...
50From Benjamin Franklin to John Quincy Adams, 21 April 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I am glad you have seen Brest and the fleet there. It must give you an Idea of the Naval force of this Kingdom, which you will long retain with Pleasure. I caused the Letters you inclosed to me to be carefully delivered, but have not received Answers to be sent you. Benjamin whom you so kindly remember would have been glad to hear of your Welfare; but he is gone to...
51John Thaxter to John Quincy Adams, 14 August 1782 (Adams Papers)
Yours of 22d ulto. arrived a few days agone. I acknowledge myself much in Arrears, tho’ I have by no means forgotten you. For three Months past I have been miserably tormented with the Tertian Ague, and have been a more useless being than common. However I hope the Game is nearly up at present. I had no Idea that your Climate was so bad—but you must remember that this has been an uncommon...
52John Thaxter to John Quincy Adams, 4 September 1780 (Adams Papers)
I had the pleasure of your agreeable favour of the 31st. of August this day, and am much obliged by the Continuation of your Journal. You have refreshed my Memory encore. I acknowledge my Engagements, and think I have in part fulfilled them. You have I am persuaded recieved my first before this. The portions of your Journal are very short, but nevertheless choice and well written—was You to...
53John Thaxter to John Quincy Adams, 21 August 1780 (Adams Papers)
Your favor from Brussells was duly recieved, and ought to have been acknowledged before this. By the size of your Packet that came to hand this day, I concluded that it contained a particular description of your Travels, of the Curiosities you had met with &c., but upon opening it I found one line of request, and another (truly laconic) hinting at my neglect in writing. If You had been kind...
54John Thaxter to John Quincy Adams, 28 May 1783 (Adams Papers)
I have had the pleasure of recieving your favor of the 20th. instant. With regard to the Miniature of Genl. Washington, which Mr. D ana requested You to enquire about, I have only to say, that Mr. D. has been fully informed of the Reasons of the Delay in not sending it. Mr. Dumas can give You the whole History of the Affair, as he was so kind as to undertake the Expedition of it to...
55John Thaxter to John Quincy Adams, 22 December 1781 (Adams Papers)
J’ai bien-recu les Lettres que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’ecrire de Francfort et de Berlin. Votre Lettre de St. Petersbourg sous la date de 8/19 7bre. est aussi parvenue. Je vous suis très obligé pour toutes les trois. J’ai été fort content de vos observations sur le Caractere, les manieres et les coutumes des Peuples de ces pays dans lequels vous avez voyagé: et je vous prie de vouloir...