1From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 22 January 1817 (Adams Papers)
Last night your Brother brought me your delicious Letter of 29th Octr. How do you know that Bees and Ants, and even Caterpillars and Cankerworms never enquire into the Why and the “Wherefore”? You cannot prove it. St. Justin and Dupuis, Dr Priestley and my Neighbour Colman all agree in the Precept “Be good.” I do not find however, that any of the Popes or their Janisary Loyola, or Luther or...
2From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 2 January 1817 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letter of the 26th. of December 1817 inclosing a Postnote upon the Branch Bank of The United States at Boston for nine hundred and One dollars and Ninety five Cents, being the Amount of the dividend of five per Cent upon the debt proved under the Commission of Bankruptcy of Robert Bird and Co. at New York. I am your affectionate Father MHi : Adams Papers.
3From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 6 December 1816 (Adams Papers)
John Sergeant Esquire, a Director of the Bank of U. S. is appointed by that Board to negotiate for ten Millions of Spanish Dollars, offered by a commercial House in London This Gentleman, a Son of Jonathan Dickenson Serjeant Esq, once an intimate Friend of mine in Congress in times of difficulty and danger, requests an Introduction to you. I give it, with pleasure, both because I hear a good...
4From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
The Newspapers, throughout the Continent are announcing to Europe and America, Somewhat imprudently, that you are recalled and to be made Secretary of State. I know not whence this comes: but whether true or false, I hope it is true. And if it is true, I hope You will accept the Office of Secretary of State. If there is no Truth in it I hope you will demand your Recall and come home. And if...
5From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
I perceive you are growing Old, by the Curiosity you express to your Mother, to know Something of your Origin . My Fathers Mother was Hannah Bass; My Mothers Mother was Ann White a Daughter of Benjamin White, the Proprietor of Whites Hill in Brookline, a proud Son of Massachusetts Liberty, though an intimate Freind of Governor Dudley, as I have been informed by Richard Dana the Father of Chief...
6From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 September 1816 (Adams Papers)
I pray you to send me a Book whose Title is ΑΙΡΕΣΕΩΝ ΑΝΑΣΤΑΣΙΣ : A New Way of deciding Old Controversies By Basanistes. Third Edition enlarged Ridentem dicere verum quid vetat Hor. London Printed for J. Johnson & Co. St. Pauls Church Yard. 1815. If there has been any Subsequent Edition Send me that. But above all let me intreat you to read it. If you can inform me Who wrote it, or is Suspected...
7From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 September 1816 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday Noon Mr and Mrs. De Wint, arrived, in 48 hours from New York. They dined in that City on Monday and dined with me on Wednesday. Such is the facility and rapidity of Communication which Steam Boats Packetts and turnpikes have introduced. They presented to me the first of my great grandchildren that I have Seen of the four that have been given to me, one of whom has been taken away,...
8From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 August 1816 (Adams Papers)
Your No. 50. 29th. May is before me. You wisely persevere in your habitual accuracy, and I hope will compell your Sons to follow your Example. I have been So long incapable of Observing my rules that I know not the number of this Letter, or any other that I have written for many Years. I regret this Negligence I repent of it; and wish my Posterity, to follow Your Example and avoid mine. Yours...
9From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 4 August 1816 (Adams Papers)
This Letter is to be honoured by the Reverend Samuel Cooper Thatcher, the Son of The Reverend Dr Peter Thatcher of Brattle Street and the Grandson of Oxenbridge Thatcher Esqr Barister at Law One of the most intimate confidential and beloved Friends I ever had one of the four first rate Lawyers, Gridley, Pratt, Otis and Thatcher who recommended me to the Court in Boston in 1758 when I was Sworn...
10From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 July 1816 (Adams Papers)
In the last Week I have attended the House of Mourning and the house of Feasting. on Thursday I attended as a Paulholder the Funeral of Madam Lincoln the Relict of my ancient Friend General Lincoln Your Mother, Your Cousin Louisa and your Niece Miss Susan, attended Us. We drank Tea at Mr Colmans the Successor of Gay and Ware, in company with Judge Davis Colonel May &c. The Judge told Us what I...
11From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 July 1816 (Adams Papers)
Sir Isaac Newton, supposes an Ether, to pervade the Universe. To the Action of this Subtile and elastic Fluid, he ascribes Gravitation, Cohesion, Repulsion &c. Hartley makes it the Instrument of propagating his Vibrations. What is the difference, between Newton, Hartley, Diderot and Grim? All this is mechanical Phylosophy. The Universe is a Chimical Experiment. Invented, performed and...
12From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 22 July 1816 (Adams Papers)
“Chain’d to his Throne, a Volume lies, With all the Fates of Men: With every Angels form and Size Drawn by th’ eternal Pen. His Providence unfolds the Book And makes his Counsells Shine; Each Opening leaf; and every Stroke Fulfills Some deep design. Here he exalts, neglected Worms To Sceptres and a Crown: Anon the following Page he turns And treads the Monark down. Nor Gabriel asks the Reason...
13From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 July 1816 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Speaker Bigelow with his Son, Mr Andrew Bigelow made me a Visit Yesterday introduced by Cousin and Neighbour Quincy. Would you Suspect that your Father was the Preceptor of this Mr Speaker Bigelows Mother? This is however a Fact. This Same Speaker is as frank and open as the daylight and as talkative as the good Old King of England. The son is a modest discrete Youth, and I pray you to...
14From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 July 1816 (Adams Papers)
Mr Andrew Bigelow, whose Character you will learn from the inclosed Letter from the President of Harvard Colledge, will be the Bearer of this Letter; and I pray you to give him a kind Reception, and if convenient let him See your Secretary and your Sons. Haec olim meminisse juvasit, on both Sides. I have been to the fortieth Independance. My Reveries would amuse You. Do you think my...
15From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 July 1816 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of May 6th. like all your other Letters for more than 20 years has been a cordial to me. I approve of your judicious Œconomy in the purchases of Books. I have need of Parcimony. Your great grandmother used often to Say “What a Mercy it is, that the Lords keeps some People poor.” If I was not poor, I should plague you to death, in hunting Books for me all over Europe. Oh! What a...
16From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 25 June 1816 (Adams Papers)
Your Mother who was Sick, all Winter, is recovered and restored to her characteristic Vivacity, Activity Witt Sense and benevolence. Of Consequence She must take upon herself the Duties of her Granddaughter Neice, Maids Husband and all. She must be always writing to You and all her Grandchildren which is as dangerous to her health as her domestic Exertions. I say She must because She Will....
17From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 16 June 1816 (Adams Papers)
Your N. 48. April 8. arrived last night, and put our little family Circle into the best possible humour. The Gaiety of Spirit, the perfect good humour the delicate Satyre and the perfect Knowledge of Persons and Politicks, delighted and astonished Us all. If you had more of Juvenal and less of Horace; more of Swift and less of Adison, more Caustics and less Emolients, you would be the Terror...
18From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 6 June 1816 (Adams Papers)
Mr Stephen Thayer whom you must have known is to carry this Letter to you. Of Braintree Origen a Son of Col. Ebenezer Thayer and Brother of a young Gentleman who studied Law with me, having been unfortunate in our late trying times is about embarking for London to revive his former Connections and renew his interrupted Business. He will have much to Say to you, concerning the Boylston Market...
19From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 May 1816 (Adams Papers)
“Je vienné de perdre le plus grand Homme de mon Reoyoms” said Louis 14th, on the death of the grand Condé. “Ah! tout est perdu” Said the same great little, Strong weak Monarch on the death of Marshal Turenne I repeat both these Ejaculations, with a heavy heart; on the premature and unexpected death of Mr Dexter. I cannot enlarge on this Subject. But I will Say, Mr Dexter and the late Chief...
20From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 May 1816 (Adams Papers)
The Words Machiavelism and Jesuitism, have for 200 years passed, have been customarily employed, by the general Consent of all honest Men; to Signify a perfect Complication of Hypocricy and Knavery; of Falshood, Fraud, Perfidy, Perjury, Tyrany and Cruelty: and all this maturely and deliberately digested and established both in Theory and Practice. Pascal, the only modern Demosthenes, in his...
21From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 May 1816 (Adams Papers)
On the 1st. Mr and Mrs Swelt made us happy by a Visit in which he assured Us he had Seen you, your Lady and Son and that you were all well. on the 2nd. Mr P. C. Brooks with his Son Edward made Us a very pleasant Visit to offer to take Letters or Packetts to you. This Mr Edward has a Steady Face and manly Countenance, I hope you will cherrish him. Your Brother has paid me the last Farthing, and...
22From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 28 March 1816 (Adams Papers)
Your favours of 5. and 8th of Jan. are recd. and thankfully recd and read with inexpressible delight,—Notwithstanding your Calvinism.!!! For We Unitarians, One of whom I have had the Honour to be, for more than Sixty Years; do not indulge our Malignity in profane Cursing and Swearing, against you Calvinists; one of whom I know not how long you have been. You and I, once Saw Calvin and Arius,...
23From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 March 1816 (Adams Papers)
I continue to live over again. De Grimm. Tome 3d Derncire Parte, page 304, has entertained me with the following Anecdote, “Mr Beaumarchais, has obtained finally, a reparation for his little retreat to Saint Lazere. In the first place, more than a Million has been paid to him, on his Accounts with the Government. In the Second he has received from Monsieur De Callone a Letter, infinitely...
24From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 March 1816 (Adams Papers)
I have recd. your favour of Dec. 16th. The Chicanery on the Law of Nations, is no surprise to me. A Lawyer of 58 years standing must have been acquainted with this Hobgoblin for 58 years, even though he has been pushing Bayonettes with him the whole time. The Chicaneries which I have Seen, and felt, in the Courts of England, France, and Holland, differed very little from those at the Bar,...
25From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 22 February 1816 (Adams Papers)
John Winthrop Esqr, Son of John Winthop of Boston Merchant and Legislator, Grandson of John Winthrop Professor and Counsellor, Great Grandson of Col Adam Winthrop of Boston Counsellor descended from the good old Governor, is destined to Bremen Where he expects to be Consul. He was educated at Cambridge and has travelled in Europe. He married Col Hitchburnes daughter who left him three...
26From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 February 1816 (Adams Papers)
Among a million of Things I want to Say to you, which Shall I choose. Publick affairs? What are these to me? What care I, who is President or Governor, Monroe or King, Cousin Brooke or Friend Dexter. What is it to me who makes Judges and Justices Collectors of Revenue or Tide Waiters? Nevertheless, I Still interest myself in Some Things, I have read, with Eyes as bad as yours, four Volumes of...
27From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 19 December 1815 (Adams Papers)
Ah! Monsieur Adams! said my learned Friend The Abby De Mably “ Je sent un grand decadence. J’avois l’habitude d’ecrire six, huit a dix heures, mais Maintenant, Je ne puis pas travaillier que deux. Apres cela il faut que Je me jette sur le lit.” The Abby was then but seventy. As I am ten years older I may now say the same thing and with less regret The Death of my most ancient venerable and...
28From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 22 November 1815 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for the Memoirs of Doctor Price. Though there is little in this Work which was new to me, except the Calvinism of the Doctors Father and Uncle. Yet I love to run over again the Passages of a Life which I esteemed and loved as one of the wisest and most benevolent of the human Race. I Shall not review this Pamphlet, and have nothing to Say in praise or censure of it, except that...
29From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 November 1815 (Adams Papers)
Can you give me any Account of a Translation of the New Testament with notes made by Beausobre and L’Enfant: and Beausobres History of Manicheism of the Adamites of Bohemia, of the Paulicians, of the Waldenses, and Albigenses, of the Brothers of Bohemia &c. in Holland probably they might be purchased cheap; perhaps in London. The Characters of Beausobre and L’Enfant are so eminent in...
30From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 November 1815 (Adams Papers)
Your very instructive letter of 31st. August is the last I have recd. from you. Several to your Mother are missing. Your Reasoning and expostulations with New England are conclusive and unanswerable You advise me to read Massillon. Thank you. I advise you to read Carlostad and Scheffmacher. I have read Sixty Years and five more on the Subjects. Had I about me all the Books relative to it which...