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...
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—...
55From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 29 November 1826 (Adams Papers)
On the 18th. instt. I received and duly acknowledged your Short note of the 14th. accompanied with your Account to the 1st. of July Last and with a promise that you would the next day forward the account for the following quarter: and this day I have had the pleasure of receiving your Letter of the 6th. and 10th with four more copies of Mr Whitney’s discourse, and all under a Cover Post marked...
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...
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...
58From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 7 December 1826 (Adams Papers)
On the 8th. of last month, I wrote you a Letter enclosing three orders from W. S. Smith, and just before receiving this morning your Letter of the 2d. instt. I had written to remind you of it, as well as of my subsequent Letters to you—I am now relieved from the apprehension that you had not received my former Letters, by your acknowledgment of the receipt of those of the 8th. 19th. and 27th....
59From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 6 February 1821 (Adams Papers)
With this Letter I commit to you a power of Attorney to receive for me any dividends, due or which may hereafter become due to me on Stock belonging to me in the State Bank at Boston There is now standing in my name of the Stock of that Bank 227 Shares at 60 Dollars a Share $13620. And the dividends due to me there, as appears on my books are Octr. 1819—on five Shares at 3 per Cent $9 April...
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...
61From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 9 December 1823 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 14th. ulto. N. 4. came duly to hand, but I have not before found time for replying to it—The House in Hancock Street must wait its appointed time; that is for the expiration of the lease. I have invited your brother Charles to come and spend the winter vacation with us, and have informed him that I should direct you to furnish him with the money necessary for the journey—You...
62From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 17 July 1824 (Adams Papers)
I have not replied to your Letter of the 24th. of June, having been in expectation of receiving your statement of Account, of the first of this Month—I shall this day give a Check on the U.S. Branch Bank, Boston, payable to R. Smith, Cashier of the Branch here or Order, for one thousand Dollars—You will on receiving this Letter, take care that it shall be duly paid—I have drawn it directly on...
63From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 25 November 1821 (Adams Papers)
Thanks for your No 5. I have now finished reading and hearing read the Four volumes of Hallam’s middle ages. It is a great work and deserves to be kept constantly in your view. It has a good Table of contents and an ample Index, without which accommodation, a book after the first reading, is commonly a useless piece of Lumber. I esteem it the greatest work of the 19th Century. He has made good...
64From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 25 June 1825 (Adams Papers)
I enclose here with the two Policies of Insurance on my two Houses in Nassau Street Boston, which will expire on the first of next Month; and which you will take care to have renewed. Keep the new Policies in your own custody, till further order from me— I hear a pleasing account of your industry and attention to your profession—Send me a list of the Law Books that you have, and I will...
65From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 10 May 1819 (Adams Papers)
You have expressed a wish—as I am told—that I would write to you—but what shall I say—we are all pritty well—so are your Father and Mother— I advise you to Study the Character of Cecrops, and the Country of Cecropia—and also the great festival of Eleusinia—and the Mystery’s of Eleusis— Show not this letter to any body living—if you show it to any of your Classmates or Collegians—they will...
66From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 21 October 1825 (Adams Papers)
We had a boisterous passage of 47 hours from Providence to this place—After reaching Newport in 2 hours and a quarter from the time when you left us, it blew so fresh a gale, and the aspect of the sky was so threatening that Captain Bunker concluded to remain the Night there.—We sailed again the next morning at 9 but a strong and steady head wind slackened our progress so that we only arrived...
67From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 4 October 1823 (Adams Papers)
I leave with you one thousand Dollars to be deposited in the Bank, and applied to the payment of a subscription which I have promised, for the Establishment of a Professorship of Astronomy, and the erection of an observatory at Cambridge—I authorize you to make the subscription in my name as my Agent, and to pay the money for me in such manner as may be directed by the subscribers. You will...
68From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 17 November 1824 (Adams Papers)
I duly received your Letter N. 14. dated the 15th. ulto. with the enclosed account, which appears to be regular and correct. I now enclose you a note for fifteen dollars from Richard Johnson, residing he says at N. 68 Hanover Street—He promised to pay it to you—I Lent him the money, on a Story of his own that he had had his pocked picked at Richmond, of more than 1300 dollars, and that he was...
69From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 14 December 1826 (Adams Papers)
The last Letter I have from you is of the 2d. instn. but I have also received Mrs Clark’s receipt upon my note to her, which was enclosed in your Letter to your brother John of the 6th.—My latest Letters to you, are of the 19th. 27th. and 29th. ulto. and 4th. and 7th. instn.—I expect answers to them all. I now enclose, 1. an order from W. S. Smith, upon the Executors of my father’s Will, for...
70From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 31 December 1826 (Adams Papers)
May the blessing of God, whose justice is remembered at the close of your last Letter rest upon you through the year about to commence, and many more, as long as it shall be his pleasure that you live upon earth, and then follow you to a better world. Your Letter and scrap of the 22d. and 23d. have brought up tolerably well the arrears of your correspondence with me, excepting that I am still...
Your Letter which I received yesterday gave mutual delight to all of us—It was exactly the style I have so often wished you to acquire easy playful and affectionate. This is the peculiar charm of familiar correspondence and worth all the studied phrases and elegant quotations that you could select from the first rate and best authors I suppose your appointment to be one of the standing...
72From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 21 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
I have been pleased with your Journal. I envy, or rather I wish, I could have Shared with you, your Evenings with, your Father. Your Worthy Præceptor might have Said that the whole Christian World is and has been divided, in their Interpretations of Some Texts in the Epistles of St. Paul. But Greek and Latin, and Mathematicks ought to be your Objects at present. Metaphisicks you may leave,...
We have arrived safe after a very tedious and on the whole disagreeable journey as the state of my health tho’ much improved still makes me a burthen to all I most love in the world and I fear there is little prospect of a change for the better—There is something in this great unsocial house which depresses my spirits beyond expression and makes it impossible for me to feel at home or to fancy...
74From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 9 December 1821 (Adams Papers)
The information in yours of the 30 Nov. & that we have from Susan of the health & spirits of you all is a cordial comfort to me. I am glad you have read Blackstone. As you say you are not yet informed what you are to read next with submission to your more learned preceptors I would advise you to read Sullivans lectures but above all I pray you to make it as a perpetual maxim “petere...
75From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 24 December 1826 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 15th. instt. has been duly received. I s till hope that your Account to the first of October will be received by me before the close of the year; and that the next, that is, your Account for the present Quarter will be made up and forwarded to me at the day. On the first of January, you will pay to my brother, the sum of 315 dollars, and take from him a receipt in following...
76From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 17 December 1822 (Adams Papers)
yours of the 9th. is received, you do not give me any account of your Studies as formerly—Mr. Smith and your Aunt have been very fortunate in escaping the Plague at Pensacola, please to give my love to them. I hope the Mexican Ambassador and his eight Gentlemen companions have brought with them plenty of Milled dollars, and Mexican Bullion, and after teaching our Merchants and Manufacturers...
77From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 30 October 1826 (Adams Papers)
I have received with much satisfaction your Letter of the 23d. and 24th. instt. with the enclosed copy of the writ, and list of papers left with you in the two Trunks marked with the Initial Letters J. A—Your account of the employment of your Time is equally gratifying, and if you have persevered in the plan upon which you commenced, even to this day, I am sure you have found a reward of...
Your Letters were both delivered to me yesterday the one by Dr Waterhouse and one by the Mail. I am very happy to observe that you have at last considered the object of a correspondence with your parents in its proper point of view and from henceforth I have no doubt you will be as attentive as we could possibly wish— You must naturally feel a little anxious concerning your Socrates and I hope...
Your father my dear George is so much occupied at this moment by the duties of his Office he cannot find time to answer you immediately and has commission’d me to be his proxy; a poor one I confess but I know acceptable. Your remarks on Mr. Colemans preaching and manner were interesting and I have no doubt correct and there are few things that tend more to the improvement of young people than...
80From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 13 January 1822 (Adams Papers)
I am glad to learn by your No. 12—that you are reading Burlamaqui and as he is sound in philosophy morals and Religion, I hope that you will not only read, but study him. Make an abstract or analysis of him, for I inculcate on all my young friends the maxim “studium—sine calamo, somnium.” My early patron Mr Gridley of whom you have so often heard me speak with veneration, who educated more...
As Congress have has adjourned I have literally not a word to write as we have nothing stirring here whatever either to interest or amuse—We are preparing to brave the Summer heats which bid fair to be as great though not so lengthened as usual the weather until yesterday having been unusually cool— John Randolph has again sailed for England as mad as ever and perhaps more malignant than ever...
According to my promise I write to you again altho’ I do not feel quite sure that you will have time to read my Letters or that they will be more acceptable than the nonsensical scraps of poetry which I used to plague you with last Summer generally by the advice of Charles—but as that mania appears to be over I shall only write you short occasional Letters to let you know how we go on altho’...
As you are determined not to write to your Mother or in any way to continue an intercourse always yielding her so much pleasure I shall only send you some very indifferent lines written to accompany the portrait now in the hands of Stewart— We are all well and only want your company to make us quite happy—Charles say’s you are the fortunate one of the family all the rest will be ruined— Accept...
It is an age since I have written to you my Dear George in consequence of having no subject on which to write that could afford you any pleasure and the times are such that it is hazardous to note even the events of the hour—On Sunday Morn Messrs. de Bresson and Laborie quarrelled about a piece of Omlet at the breakfast Table and adjourned to the race ground to settle their dispute with Swords...
85From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 5 July 1826 (Adams Papers)
I have received with pleasure your Letter of the 28th. ulto. and should have been glad to have found in it an acknowledgment of the receipt of mine of the 20th. which enclosed one to the Committee of the Proprietors of the Athenaeum—Your Promotion both civil and military, will necessarily abridge your leisure time, and I hope it will also accustom you to the habit of the despatching business,...
Your ridiculous Letter as you call it was received yesterday and gave me great pleasure as at least it evinced all the discernment which I have ever given you credit for and proved your own worth by the discarding all those little petty jealousies and narrow feelings which are too apt to colour our opinions and to jaundice our opinions judgment—I have no particular partiality for either of my...
My journal does most assuredly take a considerable portion of my time, my dear George, but that is not the reason of my not having written to you so often as you seem to have expected—I need not tell you who know me so well, that I am apt to fret under disappointments, and more particularly when they proceed from those whose interests are so deeply connected with my happiness, and that it...
We have been suffering so much from intense heat this Summer my dear George it has been impossible for me to attend to any thing like a regular correspondence and indeed our lives pass in such ar a routine of invariable sameness there is not wherewithal to furnish an anecdote for a Letter or a line to interest a reader— I yesterday received a melancholy Letter from Mr. Pope announcing the...
As I have not received a Letter from you I cannot pretend to answer one but I will write notwithstanding altho’ I have nothing to say no not even nonsence. a great art by the by I believe infinitely more difficult than to write mere prosy common sense.— To tell you how we go on here would be almost impossible. more especially in the great Councils of the Nation Whisper’d rumours however...
I am not sure my Dear George whether your last Letter was answered or not but at any rate you will not be much grieved at receiving another supposing that to have been the case as in that Letter you assure me that both my Letters and my advice are of consequence to you and afford you pleasure—Upon this ground then I shall continue writing as I have much more time than you have and send you a...
What have you been doing? where has your reason flown? while your poor Grandmother was yet warm in her grave; while your own mother whose all of happiness in this world depends upon the good conduct of her children was confined to her bed with a fever, what were you doing? following the foolish example of a set of wild and unruly young men whom you had not fortitude to condemn tho’ you must...
92From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 12 January 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favour of the 5th. instant full of wise reflections philosophical and moral. I am glad you think so much and so prudently. You must be very happy all of you together I wish I could be one of your family circle during the vacations notwithstanding all the silly trécasseries of the times. Your Fathers notice of General Smyth was brought to me last night and read to me by Mr....
93From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 16 June 1824 (Adams Papers)
Mr Frink Roberts wrote me that General Jackson’s had made present to all his Sons; and I wrote him that I would instruct you to match them for me—If I understood him right, it was a silver half-dollar to each of them, and if so you must give them the same to match them—But you had better enquire of himself, and whatever the presents were, you must match them— You will take Mr W. Foster’s...
94From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 12 April 1817 (Adams Papers)
The enclosed Letter is from Mr Le Dieu, and was received the day after you left London—As I did not notice the jr. on the superscription, I opened it, supposing it was for me; and on discovering the mistake closed it again, and now forward it by Mr Boyle who I trust will find you still in Paris. We went into town on Thursday with your two Brothers. Dined with Mr G. Joy—at Paper Buildings—saw...
95From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 8 November 1826 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter numbered 2. dated 30 and 31. October is before me—Enclosed in it was the receipt of the Executors for the 901. dollars 95 Cents which I had forwarded from New-York—The Savings Bank Book, I thought it would be best not to settle, until it should be time to make the second distribution to the Devisees; the interest being in the mean time going on. I now enclose to you 1. An order...
96From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 26 February 1822 (Adams Papers)
I received this Morning your No 18—It is a universal complaint that the english Language furnishes no word to express the feeling of ennui in french. why will not inoccupation, or unemployment or idleness or leisure, or lassitude, or vacancy, answer the end. When I can write or read, or hear any one read, whether in Sermons or Romances, in Philosophy or Frevolity. I never feel ennui; It is...
97From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 30 March 1825 (Adams Papers)
I have this day drawn upon you, at sight, for ten thousand Dollars, in favour of Richard Smith, Cashier of the United States Branch Bank or Order—I drew for the whole sum, because I cannot comprehend, how you should want five hundred dollars, to supply any claims upon you, on my account, while you are in the receipt of all the rents due not only on the first of January last, but on the first...
The melancholy situation of Judge Cranch’s family in consequence of the almost sudden death of Mrs. Norton and her Infant has filled us with grief and with the deepest sympathy for their suffering which is great in proportion to their dreadful calamity—At six o’clock this Eveng she and her Infant are to be buried—This is a trial almost too much for the known fortitude of the Judge whose...
99From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 30 May 1822 (Adams Papers)
Some of Jobs afflictions & some of Jobs comforters have prevented my answering your letters as far as No 30. I hope you will persevere in studying Barbaracque. I hope you will critically study his notes & his quotations in latin & Greek from the Ancients. Endeavour to pick & search out their meaning. Mr Russells letter & your fathers remarks are arrived and running the round of conversation &...
100From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 15 June 1822 (Adams Papers)
I am well pleased with your No. 31 & 32 I hope you will continue the subject. I see nothing in the quarterly reviews but the Johnsonian antipathy to Scotland. That Mr Locke has had greater influence on the intellectual moral & political world than any man of the last century I believe; but to deny that Reid, and Stuart, have made no improvements, upon Locke appears to me uniniquitous...