501From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to Harriet Welsh, 27 November 1820 (Adams Papers)
According to your desire I burnt the Letter which you wrote me and respect greatly the anxiety you manifest for the subject of it, but all traces of the event having apparently disappeared I hope it will never be renewed to pain the feelings of your friend I was not aware that she was a daughter of Miss Outrums I pity her from my heart and think she was fortunate in not becoming his Wife of...
502To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 22 January 1819 (Adams Papers)
Jany. 22 Still in bed not allowed to rise in consequence of the faint turn’s which still harrass my frame—The Dr made an attempt to bleed me, but the blood would not flow—and after opening two veins he abandoned the attempt—grew better towards noon—Col Johnson concluded his speech—Mrs. Smith passed the day with me and nursed me most affectionately—Mr Adams went to a Ball at Mr Pleasanton’s...
I have been so unwell it has not been in my power to answer your last Letter—Poor John—Has the belle passion again seized his imagination it is not yet time for it to occupy his heart —Is this the cause of his poetic ardour and his fits of absence—Tell him I shall be much hurt if he does not write me soon for though I will make all possible allowance for love I must not be forgotten— Your...
I will begin my letter, by offerering the joint congratulations of your father and myself, to you and your brothers, and all our mutual friends, on the anniversary of the new year, which we passed with more than usual pleasure, in consequence of the very flattering accounts which we have received in a variety of forms from Boston, of the good conduct and improvement of yourself and your...
Having just dismissed my visitors Mr. Jackson and Mr McTavish I hasten to write you in answer to your long expected and long wished Letter which reached me yesterday— Your encreasing popularity is a thing as you observe calculated to excite vanity you must therefore be on your guard against the encroachment of so ignoble a passion for even men of superior understandings suffer it sometimes to...
506From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to Harriet Welsh, 25 November 1818 (Adams Papers)
I yesterday received your kind Letter in which you so feelingly lament the loss of Mrs. Adams—The loss to her family is irreparable and like yourself there is nothing I dislike so much as common public newspaper puffs which blazon virtues to the multitude who feel and respect them as little as if they never had existed and by whom they are no sooner read than forgotten—Hers were excellencies...
507To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 22 January 1820 (Adams Papers)
Jany 22 The ettiquette question will soon be put down as the fathers of the Nation now decline all pretence to the right of first visits as Senators; but think they ought to receive it Strangers, making it thereby perfectly optional as it regards those who may be residents in the City to visit or not according to their inclination—And they are reduced to the necessity of denying the fact of...
508From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 5 July 1821 (Adams Papers)
Your father yesterday performed his part to admiration and there was as much general satisfaction expressed as could possibly be expected in a place where so many great interests and powerful passions are ever at work—He looked better than I ever saw him and was less fatigued than could have been expected or hoped It was the anniversary of your eighteenth birth day and the mingled feelings of...
509From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 11 June 1824 (Adams Papers)
I enclose a Letter from Mary to Mrs. Gelbot and at the same time have the pleasure to inform you that we are pretty well—Mr. Todd the M.C. has done me the honour to call on me with two other Gentlemen We have four invalids here besides ourselves all elderly men three Virginians and one from Carlisle—The life we lead is so quiet we have not a single incident to note excepting that yesterday was...
510Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams and Thomas Baker Johnson, Poem on Deaths of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, 4 July 1826 (Adams Papers)
Not a smile was seen—Nor a sound heard of joy Tho’ the day was to Gratitude vow’d The brightness of pleasure that ne’er knew alloy Had been dimm’d like the Sun by a cloud The day that a Nation first gave to the world And millions of Freemen—Now blest In its oft welcom’d Course—Saw no banner unfurl’d Save what proud exultation exprest With hearts high in hopes & with Gratitude fill’d The bright...