John Adams to Abigail Adams, 13 December 1798
John Adams to Abigail Adams
Phyladelphia Dec. 13. 1798
My Dearest Friend
Your Letters of Nov. 29 Dec. 2. and 3 affect me very tenderly. The low Spirits, Effects of long and exhausting sickness are apparent: but these are Evils of a serious nature. I pray you to banish as much as possible all gloomy Thoughts and be very cautious to avoid every thing which may endanger a return of your old Disorders.
To reconcile you to your fate I have a great mind to give you a detail of mine. A Peck of Troubles in a large Bundle of Papers, often in a hand Writing almost illegible, comes every day from the office of office of offfice of &c &c &c. Thousands of sea Letters Medeterranean Passes and Commissions & Patents to sign— No Company— No society— idle unmeaning Ceremony— Family Vices, Follies, Extravagance, shiftlessness, and Health, sinking for what I knew under my Troubles & fatigues.
You and I, seem to have arrived prematurely at the Age when there is no pleasure.—
All this is not the Resignation of Socrates.1
I cannot encourage the Idea of your coming on to Phyladelphia. The horrid Roads and cold damp Weather would put an End to you.
I hope our dear Thomas will arrive and chear you up.— I am with / unalterable affection
J. A2
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “Mrs A”; endorsed: “J A december / 13th / 1798.”
1. JA was referring to Socrates’ state of mind following his conviction and sentence to death in 399 B.C. for impiety and corrupting Athens’ youth, which is covered in detail in Encyclopedia; or, A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Miscellaneous Literature, 18 vols., Phila., [1790]–1798, 17:590–594, No. 33676, a copy of which is in JA’s library at MB ( ).
2. JA also wrote to AA on 10 Dec. repeating his concern for her health and conveying his worries about the Senate’s response to a second nomination of WSS (Adams Papers).