241Abigail Adams to John Adams, 10 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
I received your obliging favour by Mrs. Morgan, with the papers, and the other articles you sent which were very acceptable to me. As they are not to be purchased here, I shall be very choise of them. I have according to your desire been upon a visit to Mrs. Morgan, who keeps at Major Miflins. I had received a Message from Mrs. Mifflin some time agone desireing I would visit her. My Pappa who...
242Abigail Adams to John Adams, 25 September 1775 (Adams Papers)
I set down with a heavy Heart to write to you. I have had no other since you left me. Woe follows Woe and one affliction treads upon the heal of an other. My distress for my own family having in some measure abated; tis excited anew upon the distress of my dear Mother. Her kindness brought her to see me every day when I was ill and our little Tommy. She has taken the disorder and lies so bad...
243Abigail Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 6 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
Your obligeing favour of Sepbr 10th was put into my hands the day before I set out upon a journey which detained me a fortnight abroad, and prevented my Reply to your kind inquiries after my absent Friends. I did as you supposed receive Letters by Capt. Grinnel one of which was dated in july; but I have the mortification to assure you sir that our common Friend did not then entertain any hopes...
244Abigail Adams to John Adams, 8 June 1777 (Adams Papers)
I generally endeavour to write you once a week, if my Letters do not reach you, tis oweing to the neglect of the post. I generally get Letters from you once a week, but seldom in a fortnight after they are wrote. I am sorry to find that your Health fails. I should greatly rejoice to see you, I know of no earthly blessing which would make me happier, but I cannot wish it upon the terms of ill...
245Abigail Adams to John Adams, 29 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
It is difficult my dearest Friend at the instant in which the Heart finds itself dissapointed of some darling hope, to avoid reflexions that however, our cooler reasons dissaproves. I know not whether the pleasure I had in hearing that you were in Health the 10 of last June, was eaquel to the pain I endured in not receiving one Single line from you by the vessel which arrived last week from...
246Abigail Adams to John Thaxter, 9 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
Your repeated kind favours demand my acknowledgment. I own I have been rather remiss in not sooner noticeing them. I must plead many avocations in excuse, with which you know I am cumberd; and the real Dearth of any thing worth communicating. Some part of the time my mind has sufferd a distress which cannot be discribed, upon account of intelligance which you very cautiously conceald from me,...
247Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 8 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Morton has given me great pleasure this morning by acquainting me with the appointment of our Worthy Friend to the Bench. Have I any influence with him? If I have I beg he would accept. I know very well what he will say, but he has long been accustomed to Courts and the office he held led him to some acquaintance with Law, and his own abilities will easily qualify him to fill the place...
248Abigail Adams to James Lovell, February – March 1779 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of Jan’ry 19 never reachd me till the 26 of this Month. The only reason why I did not mention the recept of your Letter November 27 and acknowledge with thanks Mr. L ovel l ’s kind care and attention to the Box which arrived safe was oweing to my not receiving the least intimation of it, till after my Letter was sent to the post office. In reply to a certain congratulation, can...
249Abigail Adams to John Adams, 20 March 1779 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of December 9 came to hand this Evening from Philadelphia, by the same post received a Letter from Mr. L ovel l transcribing some passages from one of the same date to him, and the only one he says which he has received since your absence, and his pocket proves that he has written 18teen different times, yet possibly you may have received as few from him; the watery world alone can...
250Abigail Adams to John Adams, 14 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you to day by Mr. Smith but as I suppose this will reach you sooner, I omitted mentioning any thing of my family in it. Nabby has enough of the small Pox for all the family beside. She is pretty well coverd, not a spot but what is so soar that she can neither walk sit stand or lay with any comfort. She is as patient as one can expect, but they are a very soar sort. If it was a disorder...
251Abigail Adams to John Adams, 19 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
I set down to write you a few lines by the post, because I would not omit one opportunity. I received yours of August 6 but cannot tell what to do for you confined as I am here. I shall know what you would have me do by Mr. A when he returns. At present all my attention is taken up with the care of our Little Charles who has been very bad. The Symptoms rose to a burning fever, a stupifaction...
252Abigail Adams to James Bowdoin, 16 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have the Pleasure of acquainting you that I last Evening recieved Letters from Mr. Adams, wherein he informs me that the Congress are determined to support the Massachusetts—that there is a good Spirit among them, and that they have an amazing Field of Business before them—that it is extensive, complicated and hazardous, but their Unanimnity is as great as before—that they have a Number of...
253Abigail Adams to John Adams, 1 August 1781 (Adams Papers)
O that I could realize the agreable reverie of the last Night when my dear Friend presented himself and two Son s safely returnd to the Arms of the affectionate wife and Mother. Cruel that I should wake only to experience a renual of my daily solicitude. The next month will compleat a whole year since a single Line from your Hand has reachd the longing Eyes of Portia. No vessels have arrived...
254Abigail Adams to John Adams, 22 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
I received yours of june 10, for which I thank you. I want you to be more perticuliar. Does every Member feel for us? Can they realize what we suffer? And can they believe with what patience and fortitude we endure the conflict—nor do we even tremble at the frowns of power.—You inquire of me, who were at the engagement at Grape Island. I may say with truth all Weymouth Braintree Hingham who...
255Abigail Adams to John Adams, 26 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
This day I am happy in the News of your safe arrival at Corruna by a vessel arrived at Newbury port in 60 days from thence. I cannot be sufficiently thankfull for this agreable intelligence, or for the short, and I hope agreable voyage with which you were favourd. I suppose you will proceed from thence by land and flatter myself that a few weeks will bring me the agreable tidings of your...
256Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 24 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
I know not whether I ought to reply to your favour of April the first, for inded Sir I begin to look upon you as a very dangerous Man. It was a Saying of a very corrupt Statesman that every Man had his price, had Sir Robert Walpole impeachd mankind with a universal Love of Flattery I believe his assertion would have been more agreable to Truth, but I suppose he was judgeing others by his own...
257Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 28 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
How does my Dear Mrs. Warren through a long and tedious Winter? in which I have never been honourd with a single line from her hand. Possibly she may think me underserving of her favours; I will not presume to lay claim to them upon the score of merrit, but surely she should have charitably considered my lonely State, and Brightned the Gloomy hour with the Benign Rays of her Friendship...
258Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I hope this Letter will be more fortunate than yours have been of late. I know you must have written many times since I had the pleasure of receiving a line from you, for this month completes a year since the date of your last Letter. Not a line from you or my dear Charles since you arrived in Holland, where I suppose you still are. I never was more anxious to hear yet not a single vessel...
259Abigail Adams to John Thaxter, 15 February 1778 (Adams Papers)
I little thought when you left me, that so much time would have Elapsed before I had taken my pen to write to you, but indeed Sir my Hands and my Heart have both been full. My whole Time has been taken up in prepareing my dearest Friend, and Master John for their Voyage, and yesterday they Embarked from this Town, the place you well know, Hofs Neck. I think the wind has been fair for them to...
260Abigail Adams to John Adams, 10 April 1782 (Adams Papers)
How great was my joy to see the well known Signature of my Friend after a Melancholy Solicitude of many months in which my hopes and fears alternately preponderated. It was January when Charles arrived. By him I expected Letters, but found not a line; instead of which the heavy tidings of your illness reachd me. I then found my Friends had been no strangers of what they carefully conceald from...
261Abigail Adams to Charles Storer, 28 April 1783 (Adams Papers)
May I address you by the Epithet of my dear Charles? for I realy feel towards you a Maternal Regard. I enjoyed a Feast upon the receit of your Letters. Col. Quincys came to my care, I carried them to him, there I found your pappa and Mamma, who had just received a packet from you. After mutual congratulations, we set ourselves down to hear and read, Col. Q—y began, whilst the whole circle...
262Abigail Adams to John Adams, 17 September 1777 (Adams Papers)
I have to acknowlidge a feast of Letters from you since I wrote last, their dates from August 19 to Sepbr. 1. It is a very great satisfaction to me to know from day to day the Movements of How, and his Bantitti. We live in hourly expectation of important inteligance from both armies. Heaven Grant us victory and peace, two Blessing s I fear we are very undeserving of. Enclosed you will find a...
263Abigail Adams to John Thaxter, 29 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
I know not but you are upon your return home. If you be a pleasent journey to you but you will not I fear find us a bit better people than you left us. We are more extravagant, selfish, oppressive than we were last year, and then you well know we were bad enough. What can be done with this light commodity which makes such strange work amongst us. It cost me as much to live one month as it used...
264Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 5 March 1781 (Adams Papers)
Your two sons did me the favour of calling upon me yesterday morning and Breakfasting with me. The bad roads prevented their lodgeing here the Night before as they kindly intended. I was very glad to see them, and would have had them remain with me till the Storm was over, but they were apprehensive of worse weather, and chose to go on. I feel for these young Gentlemen a particular affection,...
265Enclosure: List of Articles, 13 November 1780 (Adams Papers)
26 yards of Dutch bed tick 2 Gray muffs and tippets 2 Bundles of english pins 2 sets of House Brushes 1 doz. of blew and white china tea cups and sausers half a doz. pint china Bowls half a doz. diaper table cloths 2, 5 Ells wide 2 four 2 three. one Scotch carpet 4 yards square or 6 Ells. half a doz. white gauze handerchifs the same size that the black were NB an Ell in Holland is but 3...
266Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 3 September 1780 (Adams Papers)
Where is my Friend Mr. L ovel l? Can he be an inhabitant of this world and inattentive to a Lady? Can he suffer Letters repeatedly to reach him and not deign a line in reply? Can he be so apsorbed in the Region of politicks as to have forgotten Social engagements? Snatch him some friendly Genius from the Region of torpitude, bear him hence Benevolence, he is your intimate acquaintance....
267Abigail Adams to John Adams, 30 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
Shall I tell my dearest that tears of joy filld my Eyes this morning at the sight of his well known hand, the first line which has bless ed my Sight since his four months absence during which time I have never been able to learn a word from him, or my dear son till about ten days ago an english paper taken in a prize and brought into Salem containd an account under the Paris News of your...
268Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 4 January 1779 (Adams Papers)
May I be permitted to call of your attention from the important and weighty concerns of State to answer me a Question in which I feel myself interested. I find by some late intelligence which I have collected that there is a New arrangement of the commissioners, Doctor Franklin being appointed Minister plenipotentiary for France, Mr. Lee for Spain. My query is where is my Friend to be placed?...
269Abigail Adams to John Adams, 1 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
Have pitty upon me, have pitty upon me o! thou my beloved for the Hand of God presseth me soar. Yet will I be dumb and silent and not open my mouth becaus thou o Lord hast done it. How can I tell you (o my bursting Heart) that my Dear Mother has Left me, this day about 5 oclock she left this world for an infinitely better. After sustaining 16 days severe conflict nature fainted and she fell...
270Abigail Adams to John Adams, April 1777 (Adams Papers)
The young folks desire Mamma to return thanks for their Letters which they will properly notice soon. It would have grieved you if you had seen your youngest Son stand by his Mamma and when she deliverd out to the others their Letters, he inquired for one, but none appearing he stood in silent grief with the Tears running down his face, nor could he be pacified till I gave him one of...