It is sometimes said that suspense is worse than the certainty of evil—But it is a hard relief from suspense to be informed of evils worse than were apprehended. From the length of time which had pass’d without bringing me a letter from you, I felt great anxiety; but it was principally for the dear child, whom I had left so unwell—Your letter when it came, announced to me not only the child...
Captain Bates arrived here yesterday morning, from Amsterdam, and has lent me a number of American Newspapers, of the month of August, and to the first of September inclusive—They were brought by the Dutch vessel, the Prince of Orange, arrived at the Texel—The same that had touched at Havre de Grace—The Dutch Minister, Mr Changuion had gone in her to America, conveyed by the Ajax, a Dutch...
I have received only one letter from you—that of 25. Novr: since I left you—And none from any of my other friends—Though I accustom myself to Patience in the expectation of Letters I begin to feel extremely anxious; lest some of you should be ill—The Mails have been interrupted by the obstructions in the Roads, and I have imputed the delay of your letters to this as long as I could—But we have...
My last Letter accounted regularly for my progress from Stockholm, only as far as Oerebro, where I arrived, at 11. O’Clock on Friday Evening 3. June. My Servant according to my directions had waited for me there—I immediately made up his ticket or Marche-route for the next day; allowing for the Stages, at the same rate of time that I had untill then found necessary. I dispatched him...
The wind, which had been blowing for ten days to the Westward having yesterday become fair, Captain Angus went up to Gothenburg, and informed Mr Russell and me that he was ready to sail—We determined to embark immediately, and I had barely time to close my Letter for you, which went by the Yesterday’s Post—The Ship was laying about three Miles below the City, and we came on board, about 8...
Last Evening I received a letter from Mr William Wyer, (I suppose a brother of the Consul at Riga) dated the 4th: instant, at Bordeaux. He informs me that he embarked at New-York on the 24th: of October, in the Swedish Ship Gustaf Adolph, and arrived at Le Rochelle—This is the vessel by which the rumour at New-York of the capture of Drummond’s army, was brought—Mr: Wyer mentions it in his...
The day before Yesterday, I received the first of your Letters numbered by yourself—The number, 13, was exact, as you will see by my acknowledgments of the receipt of the twelve that preceded it; but in the date, 24 June, I apprehend there is a mistake—for your preceding Letter, number 12, which I received last Week was also dated 24. June; and then you had received neither of mine from...
Since the departure of Mr Gallatin, I am left here the only remnant of what was called the Congress of Ghent—Instead of the continual succession of Americans coming and going, I am now reduced to the Society of the hospitable Inhabitants of this City, and of Mr and Mrs: Smith—Instead of the painful suspense and expectation of irritating Notes, alternating with the anxious labours of replying...
Your Journals to the inclusive have been regularly received, and have become a sort of necessary of life to George and me—Whatever the Cause of the Confidence which you say you have but recently acquired of writing to me whatever comes into your head, as I am the principal gainer by the acquisition—hope it will be permanent—Your advice is always acceptable, and if I do not always profit by it,...
I have nothing new to tell you from this place. I have no letter from you of later date than 25. Novr:—My purpose now besides enquiring how you and the children, are is to enclose the within from Kitty to Caroline. Our weather for some days past has been very bad—Snow-Hail-Rain and Sleet have followed one another in uninterrupted succession—It was so bad last Evening that the Ladies could not...
Your letter of the 16th: brought me consolation and hope in the information that you were all getting well—My anxiety on account of my mother has been extreme; having heard through Mr: Cranch & Mr: Quincy, that she had been very dangerously ill—I learn also that George is at Mr. Cranch’s I am still waiting for my Cause to be called in Court—It was called again the day before yesterday; but Mr:...
No letter from you, since that of 10. September, which I received, this day week—The next Post-day was Saturday, when there came one from Mr Harris of 14 September; but none from you. I have some apprehension, that on receiving mine of 19. August, and the newspaper accounts from England which must have reached you about the same time, you ceased writing to me, on the persuasion that I should...
I now enclose you the two bills, together with an order upon the Bank at Boston for their amount—which I hope will reach you by Christmas—You will see that the order is made payable to Mr: Shaw, who will receive and pay you the money.—I will thank you to get receipts upon the bills and forward them to me; as Mr: Hellen must have them. The party at Mr: Madison’s yesterday was almost entirely...
After informing you by my last Letter of my arrival in this City, and of the Hotel where I had taken up my abode, I have suspended my Communications to you, under the expectation and the hope that you will have left St: Petersburg, before any further Letters from me could reach you there by the Post—Even that Letter may have to travel back after you as far as Riga, if you take your departure...
15From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 7 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
On Thursday Morning Mr Rodda arrived here from St: Petersburg, which he had left on Monday Evening. He brought me a very kind letter from Mr Krehmer, enclosing two letters of Introduction, for Stockholm and Gothenburg, for which I am much obliged to him—I answer his letter by this Post, and beg you when you see him or Mrs Krehmer, to assure them how much I feel myself indebted to him for his...
Mr. William Willink (the father) of Amsterdam, with his Lady arrived here from England, the Evening before last—They have been upon a visit to one of their sons, who is settled at Liverpool, and after spending the Summer there, are now upon their return home—They dined with us yesterday, with Mr: and Mrs: Smith, and Mr: and Mrs: Meulemeester, and are to proceed this morning upon their journey....
17From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 9 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
Mr Rodde informs me that before he left St: Petersburg the twenty-five English Mails had arrived, from which I conclude that the Gulph of Bothnia has already been for some time passable—I now regret very much that I did not go by the way of Abo; for I should in all probability have been at this time in Stockholm; and here am I wind-bound, and ice-bound; and for ought I see likely to be so a...
Since you recommended writing to me, you have dropp’d the thread of the numbers of your Letters—That of 23. October, which I received as I was closing mine of last Tuesday, I have numbered 37. having left one number for that which I suppose to be waiting for me at the Post-Office of Dresden. It is the eighth day since we sent our last Note to the British Plenipotentiaries—Their reply to our...
Your two Letters of 15 and 16. December were delivered to me yesterday Morning, and are numbers 51. and 52—The day before, I had received two from Mr Harris of December 14 and 21.—Harris always forwards his Letters by the way of Amsterdam; by which means they sometimes come quicker, though on the other hand they are sometimes delayed longer than yours which are forwarded directly, and which...
I received yesterday Morning your’s of 27. December number 54—and readily excuse the omission of a Letter on the Birth-day in the satisfaction of reflecting that you were at that time partaking in the celebration of a day memorable in the annals of Russia, as it will henceforth be memorable in those of our Country, and particularly memorable in the days of my life—It is yet for my Country to...
We have at length got through the argument on the Cause for which I came here. It was finished yesterday after having taken up nearly four days—The opinion of the Court will probably be given in the course of the week, and my intention is to leave this place, to-morrow week, which will be the 13th:—I depend therefore upon the pleasure of seeing you again at latest in three weeks from this day....
First for the news from America. I had not closed my last Friday’s Letter to you, when the Times , of the 10th. and 11th. were brought to me. They had been sent to us by the British Plenipotentiaries, who receive the Newspapers by their special messengers, twice a week, sooner than they can come by the Post, and who very obligingly communicate them to us. The papers of which I now speak were...
Meeting here Dr. Huntt, who informs us that he left you last Friday at Bordentown, and Charles the next day at New York, I avail myself of the opportunity of saying to you that we are here well. I hope you have received the Letter which was enclosed to Mr Charles King, under the expectation that it would meet you in New–York—Yesterday, my father’s Will was proved by Mr Quincy and myself—We...
I received last Evening your Letter of the 1st. instt. from New York—I now enclose to you the Letter which I had wriiten you, on the 25th. of Last Month; and which was forwarded to Mr Charles King in the hope that it would meet you at New York—I wrote you also at Boston Wednesday Morning by Dr Huntt—He was to pass through Lebanon yesterday or this day, but I am afraid will again miss meeting...
Your Letters from Philadelphia of the 15th and 16th. have come to hand—From the last of them I hope you are by this hour. (6 in the Evening) at New–York. I answered your Letter from Wilmington, by a short one which I hope will overtake you at New–York— Major Grahame from Frederick has been here these three days with Coll. M Pherson a friend of his who wishes to obtain a warrant of Midshipman...
I received your Letters written in the Steam Boat, and that from Philadelphia—The immediate decision of Dr Physick upon the case of your brother, is doubtless the best thing that could have happened, and I hope the operation when effected, will not be so severe as you apprehend—I believe it is usually considered as safe, when skilfully performed, and have known several cases in which it was...
Although I have been since I wrote you last Friday constantly engaged in preparing for my departure, I have not been able to get away this day as I had intended, and it is possible that I may not go before the last of the week; beyond that time I do not see the prospect of being detained, and indeed my present intention is to start the day after to-morrow—If I pass Friday I shall write you...
Last Evening I received your’s of the 14th: which makes me anxious to hear from you again—Your sore throat and George’s cough will keep me upon thorns untill I hear better tidings of you—I am perhaps the more susceptible on this subject from the heavy calamity so recently befallen the family here.—It is vain to lament or to anticipate—and would be vain to attempt expressing what I feel. The...
At length I may indulge the hope of having reached the remotest bound of the distance which separates me from you, and that when I move again, it will be to return to you. Mr Russell left his Son at Amsterdam having placed him at a School where Mr Bourne had his two sons. Being thus left alone, he took a seat with me, in the Dormeuse. We left Amsterdam at 6 in the Morning, the day before...
Your journal of the 24th. and 25th. has been received—The complaint of cold, and the want of winter Clothes, almost makes me stare; though even here we have had two or three more moderate days— I give you an extract of a Letter which I have this morning from my father— “If you cannot come on yourself, I wish Mrs Adams would, and bring with her, her Brother Johnson.—The air of Quincy Sea, and...
I wrote you from Cambridge last Tuesday, and then promised that my next should be from this place—Yesterday morning I walked from Cambridge into Boston, intending to come here in the Stage—My Passage was engaged, and I waited from four O’Clock in the afternoon, at Whitcomb’s untill Six expecting the Stage to call for me; but he came away and left me—having previously engaged as many passengers...
I wrote you last Sunday, the day after my arrival at Quincy and gave you an account of the progress and termination of my journey from New-York. On Tuesday I went with my father to Cambridge to attend the inauguration of the new President of the College, Mr: Webber.—The ceremonies of the day were sufficiently dull—The performances mostly in Latin, with a comfortable proportion of English in...
All your journals have been duly received, and I should not have failed writing to you for the exception which absorbs all my leisure—When I first began the remarks upon Jonathan’s duplicata , I told you it was to me an affair of more than life and death, and so it is still—The plot has been seven years hatching, and its whole history has not yet been told. Your advice to treat all...
Instead of four 5 dollar bills, I enclose you a draft, payable to your order , on a Bank in Philadelphia—I am a little shy of entrusting to the Mail Bank Bills payable to the bearer —for they are more apt than all others to make themselves wings and fly away—A draft which will not be paid without your endorsement is safer. We have had a little, but very little rain, and it comes too late to...
The latest letter I have from you is dated the 14th: when you were very unwell with a sore throat and George with a very bad cough—I wait every Evening with the hope of a line from you of a more cheering nature —not unmingled with an apprehension of having in its stead, addition of anxiety—My hopes and my fears must be postponed from day to day and the state of Suspense still hangs over me....
Last night I received your kind favour of the 4th: instt: with the information the most delightful to my feelings, that my mother is recovering still, that the children are well, and that I may hope to find you so, upon my return.—May God Almighty grant that this hope may be realized. This is the last Letter which I purpose to write you from this place—Yesterday the Supreme Court delivered...
I have as little faith in presentiments as yourself—but the anxiety which I have felt for this whole week on your account has been such, that on receiving this morning your two letters of the 19th: and 21st:—I opened them with a trembling hand and heart—I lay this morning an hour before day-light, torturing myself with the fancy that some calamity of fire had befallen you or the children; and...
Your Letter of 30. September, not numbered, was brought to me yesterday, after I had given up the hope of hearing from you for several weeks. That which you had previously addressed to Dresden, conformably to my request, I presume is there, waiting for me, and may possibly still wait for Months.—On Saturday last we received from the British Commissioners a Note more distinctly marked than any...
The enclosed lines were written as a tribute of my affectionate remembrance, of your birth-day—But though begun upon that day they were not finished untill the next, and the necessity of copying them fair, has delayed their transmission, untill this time. I have not heard from you of a later date than the 1st: of this month; nor have I later letters from any of my friends at Quincy—We have had...
Thomas Hellen was here last Evening and goes to–morrow Morning for Washington—I furnished him with sixty dollars to defray the expenses for which I took an order upon Mr T. Cook—George has paid for him 125 dollars quarterly; but his expenses have exceeded that sum and he has contracted some debts which must be paid,—not considerable I hope. We shall begin tomorrow to make the arrangements for...
Your Letter of the 3d. instt. only reached me yesterday—You reason exceedingly well both upon my real character, and upon that of which I have unfortunately got the reputation—I always receive with deference your counsel which I know to be generally judicious, and invariably intended in kindness to me—On the present occasion however, I have many special reasons for the request in my former...
I have received since I wrote you last two letters from you but cannot learn directly from either of them whether you had received my number 1. Yesterday the National birth day was kept here in small style. It rained great part of the day and yet the heat was melting—At the Capitol Dr Watkins read the Declaration, and Mr Hawley made a prayer. The dinner at Strothers was thinly attended but the...
43From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 4 May 1806 (Adams Papers)
The first pen I put to paper after reaching my journey’s end must be to inform you, my dearest friend, of that Event—I left New-York, at four O’Clock of the afternoon of the first of this Month; the same day that my last Letter to you was written—My Sister concluded to remain there with the Coll: at least for the present—Her prospects and those of her family, are of a gloomy cast, but I can...
After I had closed my Letter for you which is to go by this night’s Post, I received a Letter from Mr Sterky, the Swedish commercial Agent at St: Petersburg, dated the 10th: instt. last Tuesday; and enclosing one from Count Engeström of 26. April, only two days before I left you—So that if I had gone by the way of Abo, I should not have been detained by the Ice, an hour—And here—I have seen...
I received yesterday your letter of the 15th: and this morning that of the 17th: enclosing in the former a letter from to your Mamma, and in the latter, one to Mrs: Boyd—We are now at the last days of the Session, and you know how much we are oppress’d with public business at such times—This will give you my excuse for the shortness of this letter—It is not yet certain whether the members of...
From your letter of the 20th: which I have just received, I am in doubt whether even this letter will not reach New-York, too late to meet you—I wrote you last Thursday a letter directed to Washington enclosing one hundred Dollars for defraying the expences of your Journey—I hope you have left such directions, that the letter will be transmitted safely to you— The house which I expected to...
I have just received your letter of 24. Decr: and lament that the expression of my anxiety to hear from you should in any respect have been understood by you as implying any idea of complaint as if you had been negligent in writing—I never had such intention, and have always been convinced of your attention in writing regularly. It gives me great pain to find by your letter that your health &...
Your Letter of 26. November was received by me last Sunday; but in writing to you on Tuesday, the account of the Peace and the arrangements consequent upon it, which I proposed to you for our meeting again, so absorbed my attention that I forgot to acknowledge the receipt of it—Yesterday Morning yours of the 2d: instant reached me, and is on my file, number 48—The inconvenience of the house in...
I continue to receive your journals—that of the 29th. was the last; and they would continue to be most agreeable, if they all gave cheering accounts of your brother—Count de Manon called on me yesterday and told me he had seen your brother last week; and thought he looked not worse but if any thing he thought rather better than he had a fortnight before. Tuesday Evening we had a party at Dr...
My project of coming from Washington to this place, by the way of Annapolis was disappointed, by the badness of the roads, which prevented the arrival of the Stage from Annapolis in Season for us to take it the 4th:—so I took my passage on the usual way to Baltimore, Thursday and arrived here by the new line of Packets last Evening—To-morrow, I shall pursue my journey to New-York, where I...