By yesterday mail I received your kind letter. It is indeed a great while since we have heard from each other, I have thought I would write every day, but have not had a moments leisure & I hoped we should be in better health for I did not wish to send you a doleful ditty of our troubles—for every family seems to have as much as they know how to bear—But for this month past we have been very...
32From Elizabeth Smith to Abigail Smith Adams, 23 January 1805 (Adams Papers)
In behalf of the kindest and best of Brothers I thank you my most respected Cousin for your kind attentions at this present time of affliction. I have known sorrow but none has equeall’d this, to be—to be brought to such an humbling situation by one who has always profess’d the most profound friendship is doubly agravating On Monday I thought it was more than human nature could bear,—but he...
A Day since I saw Mrs Harrod & she informed me that you had thoughts of making us a visit, & to take your Daughter Adams, Abigail, Elizabeth, & Thomas, in the Carriage with you—Will not the President do us the favour of a visit—Mr Peabody & I, both wish we had anything in this Town to render it more agreeable—When I lived in Haverhill, we could have company to amuse him more congenial to his...
34From William Stephens Smith to Abigail Smith Adams, 31 December 1814 (Adams Papers)
I received your letter enclosing one addressed to Mr. Adams, and presented it to the Secretary of State it will be forwarded with the public dispatches to Gent. I do not admire Williams return at this moment, having recieved his Commission as Secretary of the Legation, I think he had better hold it, and remain abroad for the present—least he should be on his Way I stated to Mr. Monroe, as he...
It is a long time my Dear Sister, since I have written to you; but I consider it a priviledge that we can think of our Friends, animate our Souls by a view of their useful lives, & refresh ourselves by a retrospect of past scenes, when we cannot find one leisure moment to visit them, or impress our Ideas upon paper.— Ever since Thansgiving we have had one, or other of our Family sick in bed,...
I was in hopes of receiving a Letter by yesterdays Mail from you—I was glad to see by the News Papers that Col. Smith, who formerly girded on the Sword for his country’s defence, was now opening his mouth, I trust in wisdom, advocating the same noble cause—What will be the issue of the present agitation of your State, & ours, I cannot predict, but I fear, unless great pains is taken to...
37From William Stephens Smith to Abigail Smith Adams, 7 July 1813 (Adams Papers)
I have the pleasure of acknowledging the receipt of your Letter of the 30th. of June, and enclose you a letter from Mrs Smith, which I received yesterday, two from Caroline and one from my Son John, whose affectionate attentions have no doubt contributed much to the restoration of their dear Mother’s health, who I am extreamly happy to find is able to travel and that she is now on her way to...
I received your letter yesterday, which informed me of yours, & Mrs Smith’s intended visit, & am glad if you were able to go, & were disposed “to bury the Hatchet ,” it is certainly best, when we are all so far advanced in age, & hope to meet in those blest abodes where Peace, & Love reign forever—where raging Party Spirit, Injustice, ambition, & mavolence cease— you had a fine day for your...
39From Mary Smith Gray Otis to Abigail Smith Adams, 11 April 1815 (Adams Papers)
I could not my dear Mrs Adams hear of the sudden death of your beloved Sister, without sympathizing in your sorrows; you like myself, have recently been call’d to part with many dear friends. The tender cords, of consanguinity friendship & affection are breaking fast from us, & we are every day call’d to mourn, for our own, or the publick loss. Your sister’s has been a useful & an active life,...
40From William Stephens Smith to Abigail Smith Adams, 2 April 1814 (Adams Papers)
I have your letter of the 22d. of march, and am much gratified that my enquiries and communications relative to Mr. De Wint meet wit your approbation—you will no doubt observe by my last letter to my dear Caroline, that ultimately my Ideas fully correspond with your own, and thinking that I was hard with the young man, I softened my letter, and withdrew from that stern position that I had...
By last Friday mail, I received your very excellent Letter, wherein you observe, it was thought a journey might be of service to your health, I have not time now to make any remarks, only upon this part of your Letter, & warmly would second the motion, & would wish you to set off immediately, without stoping to adjust every preliminary —For if you do, you will see, I fear so many Lions, in the...
It is a sad misfortune to dear Connections when their Friends do not love to write—Some I know have not time, & some have not ability, & some foolishly averse—I have not heard from Mr Fosters family, since Abby’s return from Boston.—I wish I knew how my Son likes his new Boarding place—&c—I hope he has not been confined by Rhumatism this winter—& am very sorry Mrs Smith inherits the infirmity...
Your very interesting Letter of last week in which you mention the departure of your dear Caroline, with so much affectionate regret, is a pleasing evidence of her intrinsick worth.—I hope she has comfortably reached her Home, & is seated by her worthy Partner in their own Mansion, kindly welcomed to the arms of a fond Mother, where she may safely repose without fear of molestation, or dread...
To day I re ceived your Letter with its contents all safe, & thank you for your care & for your obliging me with the perusal of your Son’s excellent Letter—I consider every word as Truth —a just representation of the state of our affairs, of which we have little, I believe in our public papers—I have not time to say now what I wish—I shall inclose his letter, for dear you may want it, & the...
45From William Stephens Smith to Abigail Smith Adams, 9 June 1813 (Adams Papers)
I have perused the Letters from Russia which you were so good as to forward to me, I submitted them as you requested to The perusal of the Vice President, who when he returned them, he expressed his thanks for the confidential communication & observed “they develope the Character of the british administration, as well as the opinions of our friend Mr. J. Q. A. on the subject” I have a Letter...
Last Tuesday the Horn blew to announce the Departure of the Mail an Hour sooner than the usual Time, which obliged me to break of abrubtly, even without any Signature—Though I suppose you would know from whom it came, by the badness of the writing, & local Circumstances—I find since my last Fall sickness that my hands tremble more than they used— Not received a Letter from you, nor my Cousin,...
Mr Lion and his intended I suppose so , as the modern phrase is, called here last Wednesday—I was very glad to see any one from your house, that could give me any information of my Dear Sisters health & welfare—I told Mary, she I fancied, was going to add one more pair to the Nuptial Circle of your Dometicks—She with down cast smiling simpers, blushed the Affirmative— She talked as if she...
48From William Stephens Smith to Abigail Smith Adams, 19 June 1813 (Adams Papers)
Enclosed I send you a letter from my dear Caroline mentioning that my dear Mrs: Smith is getting better—It will give her great pleasure to have our Son John with her for a time— On Thurday last I dined at the Presidents and was honoured with the seat next to Mrs: Madison, who is a polite amiable elegant Lady, She entered on the Subject of Williams marriage and expressed herself very much in...
To tell you that I am exceedingly grieved , to hear that you have been very sick, would be to inform you, of what I am sure you already know. For, when three Sisters love each other, with such sincere affection, the One, does not experience Sorrow, Pain, or affliction of any kind, but the Others Heart wishes to relieve, & vibrates in tender Unison. Like a well organized musical Instrument, one...
50From William Stephens Smith to Abigail Smith Adams, 13 March 1814 (Adams Papers)
I have your Letter of the 2d. inst. one from My dear Caroline of the 28th. of Febry. and one from my son John of the first and one from Mr. DeWint of the 2d. inst. all of which I have answered, the majority however goes by this post— The subject is highly interesting I have promptly answered Caroline, my Son and Mr. De Wint— I wrote a note to The Hon ble : Mr. Oakley a member in Congress from...
your good grandchildren are just gone to repose in the arms of sweet Sleep, soothed by the consciousness of having endeavoured I trust to perform their duty to one of the best of Parents—I was so pleased with their coming to see us, that I could not bear to deprive myself of one moment of their company till they had retired to their bed—And now I embrace one moment, to assure you, of my...
You will now have no occasion to wish for more Snow, if at Quincy you are favoured with as much as we are in Atkinson—I find it adds much to the coldness of the Atmosphere, though it has made it better travelling—I hope I feel grateful to Heaven for preserving us as yet, in so much better health than we had in our family last winter— The spotted fever, I see by the papers, has again commenced...
It has been a cold backward Spring, & Abby could not get abroad as I wished, she has a great deal of pain in her side yet, but I think her feverish habit abates, if her appetite was but good I should be greatly encouraged, & hope she would soon be as well as ever—I am rejoiced to hear Mrs Foster has a Daughter, & comfortable, from what you wrote, I was greatly concerned about her. Mrs Norton &...
54From William Stephens Smith to Abigail Smith Adams, 7 December 1812 (Adams Papers)
I send you another paper with the second proclamation of Genera l Smyth, with observations on it—these proclamations produce a very great sensation thro’ the whole of this state—the allusion Scored in the paper came thus scored from Albany—I suppose by the Editor—But if the people at the election succeed in their votes for W:S.S. I think he had better go to Washington than to an ill arranged...
55From Elizabeth Smith to Abigail Smith Adams, 19 May 1812 (Adams Papers)
To Correct an error has been Considerd as proof of a Candid Mind—Will you then permit me my much respected friend to express to you,— And by thus doing obtain your forgiveness ,—if I have in the least wounded your feelings by any expressions derogatory to that respect & esteem at all times due to one so much my Superior, and to whom I Consider myself under great Obligations.—I know the...
56From Elizabeth Smith to Abigail Smith Adams, 3 July 1813 (Adams Papers)
Altho’ I did not Accept of your kind invitation for yesterday, it was then my intention to have been with you to day but alas we know not what a day will bring forth My good Brother is unexpectedly remov’d from Office and it has thrown us all into such Consternation that with my present feelings I could not partake of that pleasure—which I have ever receivd & had anticipated the ensuing...
Last week I went to Newburyport to accompany Capt Peabody, when I returned a Letter from my Sister Cranch was handed me, which announced the joyful tidings of the birth of your Grandchild—Most sincerely I congratulate you, & the Parents, who by this circumstance I suppose, are made completely happy—I long to clasp my dear Thomas & Nancys little Bantling to my bosom, I hope it will live, and be...
58From Sarah Smith Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 20 May 1816 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter favour of the 20th Instant enclosing Mr Clarks letter and your reply—My Daughter has been with you from her Infantcy—you made me exacted a promise that I would never take her from you while you lived—I have however painful the relinquishment—adheared to my promis—you are now going to resign her to the protection of a stranger—If your heart sanctions the...
None but an affectionate Sister, can tell how much I was gratified, to recognize your well known hand, & to find you able to offer a tribute of gratitude, in the congregation of the living, to that Being, who has so kindly raised you from sickness, & restored you to the dear companion of your youth, the Children of your Love, & the anxious trembling friends of your Heart. You say, you were...
By Mrs Welsh, who spent the afternoon with us, I was informed that Your dear Grandson was going to Russia. He will be an agreeable, interesting Companion, for he is possessed of singular strength of Mind—And if he goes, may the Angel of Mercy, be commissioned be to smooth his Passage, & waft him in safty over the briny Ocean, with prosperous Gales, & conduct him to the embraces of parental...