271Abigail Adams to John Adams, 16 March 1776 (Adams Papers)
I last Evening Received yours of March 8. I must confess my self in fault that I did not write sooner to you, but I was in continual Expectation that some important event would take place and give me a subject worth writing upon. Before this reaches you I immagine you will have Received two Letters from me; the last I closed this Day week; since that time there has been some movements amongst...
272Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, January 1776 (Adams Papers)
Our Country is as it were a Secondary God, and the first and greatest parent. It is to be perferred to parents, to wives, children, Friends and all things the Gods only excepted. These are the considerations which prevail with me to consent to a most painfull Seperation. I have not known how to take my pen to write to you. I have been happy and unhappy. I have had many contending passions...
273Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 15 July 1779 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to Mr. S A—— the same day I received your Letter, but not a syllable of information have I yet collected from him. No Alliance yet arrived—it will afford me some releif to be scribling to somebody who will hear me, who will attend to me and answer my Queries, and tho Mr. L ovel l has heretofore wrote rather problematically with regard to the situation of my absent Friend I beg of him...
274Abigail Adams to John Adams, 31 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
You know not How dissapointed I was to Night when the Post came in and I received no Letter from You. Tis the first Saturdays post which has come in since I have been in Town without a Letter from you. It has given me more pain to Night than it would any other time, because of some Falce and foolish reports I hope. I will not, more than I can help, give way to rumours which I have no reason to...
275Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 3 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of december 19 was deliverd me this day. I would not omit by this post to thank you for it, and for your confidential communications. I cannot however comprehend your Letter to my best Friend for want of the promised key. I am more reconciled to ambiguity and ciphers, than formerly, and not a little thankfull, that the Robberies have been committed now rather than twelve Months...
276Abigail Adams to John Adams, 15 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
Capt. Caznew is now just about to sail. I wrote large packets to go by him a month ago, but hearing Capt. Trash was going from Newbury to Bilboa I sent them by him. It was thought that Caznew would not sail till Febry. But all of a suden I am calld upon unprepaird having but an hours warning—he shall not however go without a line or two. Your last which I have received was by way of...
277Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams 2d, 11 February 1779 (Adams Papers)
It is with inexpressible pleasure that I enclose to you a letter from your brother, and that I can tell you, that I last night received four letters of various dates from your papa, and one so late as the 6th of November. I would send forward the letters, but know not how to part with them. Your papa writes that he has enjoyed uncommon health for him, since his arrival in France; that your...
278Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 11 June 1780 (Adams Papers)
Your repeated favours of May 14, May 19 and 30 together with one bearing no date merrit my acknowledgement that amidst so great a Number of correspondents you should so often think of Portia. At the same time a sigh mingels with my gratitude that a Heart so benevolently disposed towards others whose life and Labours are so intirely devoted to the publick Service should have occasion for an...
279Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 23 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
And is there no medium Sir, between terms which might be misconstrued, and the cold formal adieu of mere ceremony tagd with a title. Your Sentimentilist as you are pleased to stile her prizes the Emanations of a pure and friendly Heart, before all the studied complasance of a finished courtier. Uncandid do you say? You never will find Portia so. When the character of the Statesman, the...
280Abigail Adams to John Adams, 18 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have waited with great patience, restraining as much as posible every anxious Idea for 3 Months. But now every Vessel which arrives sits my expectation upon the wing, and I pray my Gaurdian Genious to waft me the happy tidings of your Safety and Welfare. Heitherto my wandering Ideas Rove like the Son of Ulissis from Sea to Sea, and from Shore to Shore, not knowing where to find you....
281Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, January 1777 (Adams Papers)
Tis so long since I took a pen up to write a line that I fear you have thought me unmindfull of you; I should not have neglected writing to you immediately upon the receipt of your obliging favour especially as you was then under great anxiety. My Eyes ever since the small pox have been great Sufferers. Writing puts them to great pain.—I now congratulate my Friend upon the Recovery of her...
282Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 10 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Upon opening your favour of April 17 my Heart Beat a double stroke when I found that the Letter which I supposed had reachd you was the one captured in the room of that you received which was what I had supposed lost, but I should have been secure from the knowledge of the writer if Mr. Cranchs Letter and one I wrote at the same time had not accompanied it. The Letter which I would not have...
283Abigail Adams to John Adams, 21 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
Tis ten Days since I have wrote you a line; I have received one Letter since dated 27 of Sepbr. You do not mention having heard from me altho I have wrote six Letters. I thought I should have heard oftner from you in this absence than I had ever done before, but it has been quite otherways. I never found the communication so difficult, and tis only in my Night visions that I know any thing...
284Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 24 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have been hoping every day since I received your obliging favour to get time to thank you for it, but many avocations some from company some from family affairs have prevented. I have not wrote only to my counterpart since; from whom I have received two Letters since you left me. The last was 7 of july, and wrote in better spirits than any I have received since his absence, and gave me...
285Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter last evening received from Bilboa relieved me from much anxiety, for having a day or two before received Letters from your Pappa, Mr. Thaxter and Brother in which packet I found none from you, nor any mention made of you, my mind ever fruitfull in conjectures was instantly allarmed. I feard you was sick, unable to write, and your Pappa unwilling to give me uneasiness had concealed...
286Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 8 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
No, my dear Madam, not affronted I hope; you did not say so with a good grace, the only time I ever knew you miss it in my life. Yet by recalling your son so soon, I believe you a little out of the Way. I thought you would have spaird him longer, and given me a little time to have wrote you a Letter. Now I shall only scribble you a line, not worth your worrying your Eyes to read. You have...
287Abigail Adams to John Adams, 21 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
The vessel is not yet gone, and I find I have a towns man going in her. He came this evening to let me know it, and to take Letters from me. What has taken place in the last week Mr. C ranc h has informd you of, so that I shall not write politicks. I inclose a paper or two, and a journal or two of congress. In one of the papers you will see an Excellent Letter from a Friend of yours, and a...
288Abigail Adams to John Adams, 31 March 1776 (Adams Papers)
I wish you would ever write me a Letter half as long as I write you; and tell me if you may where your Fleet are gone? What sort of Defence Virginia can make against our common Enemy? Whether it is so situated as to make an able Defence? Are not the Gentery Lords and the common people vassals, are they not like the uncivilized Natives Brittain represents us to be? I hope their Riffel Men who...
289Abigail Adams to John Adams, 13 February 1779 (Adams Papers)
This is the Anniversary of a very melancholy Day to me, it rose upon me this morning with the recollection of Scenes too tender to Name.—Your own Sensibility will supply your Memory and dictate to your pen a kind remembrance of those dear connections to whom you waved an adeiu, whilst the full Heart and weeping Eye followed your foot steps till intervening objects obstructed the Sight. This...
290From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, with Postscript by Abigail Adams, 8 February 1778 (Adams Papers)
Two Days ago, I was favoured with your polite and elegant Letter of January 22. I have received so many of your Letters, within a few Months, containing such important Matter, in So masterly a style, that I am ashamed to confess I have answered but one of them, and that only with a few Lines. I beg you would not impute this omission to Inattention, Negligence, or Want of Regard, but to its...