Your Letter has remained unanswered some time in consequence of the illness of Mary which has been pretty severe tho’ short she is now convalscent and I hope will soon be well— I propose to leave Town for Frederick on Thursday next where I shall probably remain ten days after which I shall go to Baltimore to the Wedding of Susan Buchanan who is to be married on the 21st. we shall only stay one...
92From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 20 August 1823 (Adams Papers)
I write to announce our safe arrival at this place from whence we propose to start on a visit of two days to Mrs. De Wint this afternoon to return on Friday night to meet your father and proceed in the Steam Boat on Saturday afternoon to Providence where I presume we shall remain until Monday Morning—As the Horses are very tired it is probable we shall take a Stage to Quincy and see you all on...
Your Letter of the 10th. my Dear Charles afflicted me very much as it still betrayed the same spirit which has already cost your brother so much and which if not timely quelled may end in crimes at which my soul shudders with horror—Let me ask you once more, are you or any of the young person’s who are at College while your passions are excited to fury I say are you capable of judging...
94To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 31 October 1818 (Adams Papers)
The extreeme distress of mind under which Mr Adams labours in consequence of our dear Mother’s distressing illness, totally incapacitates him from writing to you on the subject which excites in us both the most painful anxiety—. Most readily will I set out to Boston if in any shape I can afford assistance, and I should delight in giving every testimony of dutiful affection and respect to our...
Since my return home my Dear George Charles I have been so much engaged it has been almost impossible for me to write more especially as I have been even more sick than ever and even my intellect seems to suffer from these constant attacks— Genl La Fayette has passed through our City and like all Meteoric lights has illumed our horizon for a few days and I fear darkened many of the pockets of...
I am afraid that you read my letters in as great a hurry as you appear to do every thing else otherwise I cannot conceive how it is possible you should pretend to understand that I ever counselled you to become acquainted with dissipated Characters after I knew them to be such—When I wrote to you concerning it—I knew but little of him and only partially recommended him to your notice as he...
97From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 14 July 1819 (Adams Papers)
I yesterday received your Letter announcing the death of Judge Tudor but the melancholy news which I had received from St Petersburg only half an hour before broke the shock as that comparatively was a calamity so dreadful that the death of the Judge appeared nothing more than an event which must naturally be expected—It is no doubt a distressing event to the family and sudden deaths are...
We have arrived safely here after a tolerably pleasant journey and a very pleasant visit at Borden Town although poor Mrs. Hopkinson was sick the greatest part of the time—I sent Charles on to secure me apartments and Mr Biddle accompanied me to this City in the Steam Boat from Washington—but our passage was boisterous and disagreeable— Charles King informed me last night that he had forwarded...
Our winter routine has begun and as usual I am plunged into the depths of visits invitations dinners &c &c &c— It is singular just after reading Randolph that I should have become acquainted with the supposed Author of the Work and that his conversation should have produced conviction in me that the supposition is not incorrect—Speaking of the Painters I could have fancied I was reading the...
As it is possible my dear George that you may hear a rumour that your father was drowned I hasten to write you a few lines to assure you that he is safe although he did run some risk this morning in one of his swimming expeditions. In crossing the river this morning in a small crazy boat in company with Anthony the boat filled with water and upset when about half over but he fortunately had...
101From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 August 1826 (Adams Papers)
I have been so very sick the last day or two it has been impossible for me to write you I am still very much indisposed but intend to proceed to Albany this Evening in the Steam Boat I believe my illness is occasioned by the keeness of the air which has reproduced most of the symptoms of the last Summers complaint The weather is however much warmer to day and I hope I shall soon be better in...
You I presume have been so deeply plunged in business that the sudden arrival of your father must have caused you even more joy than common as it in a great measure delivers you from a very responsible and delicate situation—It is however singular that none of the family have written a single word since the death of your Grandfather and that we appear to be cut of from all communication— Every...
Your two Letters have arrived safe and as we are all about as well as usual I shall appropriate this morning to writing you although our lives are so very quiet that it will be difficult to find a subject for your amusement— Your disappointment in not seeing Miss Peter must have been provoking enough. It will however be a Lesson and induce you to be always so far beautified as to be ready on...
At last my dear Charles I find a moment of leisure to address you not having had a moment since you left us disengaged from company—We have been out every night and the parties have generally been pleasant Mrs. Calhoun’s was an imitation of ours but did not take the Miss Roberdeau’s Miss Pleasanton Miss McKnight Miss Selby and one other whose name I have forgotten—They were all dressed...
I cannot suffer the day to pass my dear George without offering you the best wishes of your Mother on the return of the day which generally calls forth the good natured gratulations of our friends. May the ensuing year prove auspicious my beloved Son and ensure to you all the happiness you can desire pure unmixed and if possible without alloy.—As you are now the only one of the family who are...
I am very glad to learn from your last that Mrs. Thornton gave Mrs. Hamilton a party as I was really grieved to be obliged to leave her in such a dull place without having introduced her to some of the inhabitants She is a very fine Woman— The Letter you sent me from John was a merry one in his usual style but I cannot help feeling uneasy about Charles although happy to know he is at Quincy—...
107From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 23 April 1819 (Adams Papers)
By some means or other it would seem that one of my Letters to you have been lost—perhaps you had better enquire at the Post Office—I answered you immediately after you wrote about the desk and recommended you to take the one offered by Louisa Smith—I send you the dates of my Letters that you may ascertain whether any of them are missing 11th. 22d 29th March 18th and 23d April 24th. & 25th of...
108To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 8 September 1825 (Adams Papers)
It is a very long time my dear venerated father since I have written to you; but the events of yesterday were altogether so interesting I cannot refrain from giving you an account of them— The genl in his travels through this Country has been so much the publick idol, and the devotion of the people has been continued with so much fervour until the last moment of his residence among us, he...
As Mr. Pope is so good as to offer to convey your skates to Boston I have siezed the opportunity of writing you a few lines in answer to your Letter my dear Charles which was very gratifying to me as it afforded ample proofs of your being good at school by the compliment so handsomely paid you by Mr. Gould—Such a compliment when it is addressed by a person in the capacity of a master or...
When I left you I did not think you were so soon to assume the sacerdotal vestment but I sincerely congratulate you on having even the external appearance of that which I so much advise and of course cannot wish to shorten the term which places you in so respectable a light— That you should be eclipsed is not remarkable at all—but that you should make great exertions to shine by your own light...
Your last Letter my dear Charles quite revived my spirits as it re-assured me concerning yours which had really alarmed me and your father very much We are in the depths of distress on another account which is the removal of your Uncle and Aunt Smith to Pensacola where he is appointed Naval Officer a place which it is expected will become very valuable at present he is to have 1000 Dollars a...
112From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 24 May 1823 (Adams Papers)
As I feel very much concerned for your dissmission from College my Dear John lest you should have some debts that may embarrass you I beg you me immediately that I may find some plan if possible to extricate you from your most pressing difficulties without disguising in the least the real state of things—My means are very small but perhaps I may find some medium which may enable me to settle...
When I left you my Dear George I was far from believing that an act of so little importance as the to the publick as the Endorsement of the Note for Mrs Moulton, should have been made a charge of so painful a nature against you Father; and brought so much shame upon the poor woman, who has been so cruelly and wantonly attacked in consequence of it—You have heard my statement concerning the...
114From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 15 November 1819 (Adams Papers)
I should sooner have answered your Letter my Son had I not expected to hear that you had received Booth’s Journal the first Number of which was sent to you last Month its he is an object of great respect and attention to our little family here the neglect and coldness with which you appear to treat his literary production has been cause of offence to all and he has determined to retaliate by...
Your Letter caused me some uneasiness perhaps more than was necessary in consequence of your first concealment which though done with the very best motive renders me fearful and suspicious that you still make less of your complaint than is necessary and by this means decieve yourself as well as me as to the care and attention which may be due to remove it—You are at a critical age and caution...
116From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 2 October 1822 (Adams Papers)
It is my intention to return to you early next week unless my Dr. forbids; I will therefore beg you to send me some Cash to pay his bill although I fear you will think me very extravagant—. I am so surrounded by company, that I have not been able to continue my journal—Going this Even’ to Mrs. Hopkinson’s and to Mrs. Manego’s—Elopements appear to be the fashion among the medical tribe—Dr...
117From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 25 January 1818 (Adams Papers)
It is impossible for me to express the happiness I feel at the news which comes by so many different channels from Boston concerning you, & which has been so agreeably confirmed by yourself. the rapid improvement which is evident in your style & writing is itself a sufficient indication of the pains you are taking to cultivate your mind, and take all the benefit and advantage which your father...
It is long since I wrote you, because I thought you so busily engaged that you would have no time to answer me, and because I believe my letters are rather an incumbrance than a pleasure— I thank you very much for the Poem which you sent me; it is like all the Poetry of Rogers very beautiful, but almost too highly polished, and if I may use the expression “smells too much of the lamp ” . You...
Still in this City I again write you and probably for the last time until I get home—Your last Letter pleased me very much I discovered more attention to composition and an easier and more correct style than in any before received—Your time will now however be so constantly occupied that you will have but little leisure to form a continued correspondence with me but I shall expect to hear from...
As I hear there has been a great fall of snow during the last week or two in Boston I suppose you have seen many of those booby huts which you wrote me about last winter and perhaps have rode in one—I am not fond of them for they are apt to make me sea sick and should like much better to have a pretty Russian Traineau— As it is also the season for skating I must renew my cautions both to John...