You my beloved Sisters, whose time is ever filled , with the various duties of Life, can more readily pardon me, for not sooner acquainting you how, & when I got home—Leaving a large family only for a few weeks, makes domestic Cares press hard, & my Boarders Cloatths got very much out of repair, in my absence, & the cold season, & thanksgiving advancing, made new, highly necessary, so that no...
I had anticipated a visit from Mrs Adams, & both her Children, for a few days at least, when she came to Haverhill, & we regretted very much that it was not in our power to send for them, or to visit her while there—Abby, & I, both went down a monday, and had the mortification to find she went to Boston the Saturday before—Mr Peabody was absent the whole of your Thansgiving week, & I could not...
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...
54From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 8 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
I had heard of your illness with extreme concern, from my wife, and also through Mr: Cranch and Mrs. Quincy—The sight of your hand-writing again, has given me the purest joy, though allayed by the evident weakness in which you wrote—I believe there is in the sentence I have just written there is something which might be called a bull —But my feelings both of pleasure and pain at the idea of...
55From Richard Cranch to Abigail Smith Adams, 23 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
Agreeably to your request I have been recollecting some particulars respecting the antient and honourable family of Quincy (from which you are descended) that I have met with in reading or that my long acquaintance with the family have brought to my knowledge. It appears from antient historians, particularly from Mathew Paris, who flourished in the thirteenth century, that Robert De Quincy...
It would be impossible for me to tell you how disappointed, grieved, vexed, & everything, I was, when Mr Peabody returned from Andover a Friday Eve, & told me Mrs Adams was to return the next day home—If I had been the least apt to shed tears, I am sure they would fallen in plenty—For to have conversed with her, would have been next to having seen you my dear Sister,—I had many questions to...
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...
I am rejoiced to hear that you, & my niece got home safe. Such little excursions are really advantageous to our Health—We require some relief from the same round of cares, & objects. Though I have often found myself fatigued at the time, yet the Friendship & cordiality of my Friends, has proved the balm of Life, & very beneficial to my health & spirits— To your kind enquiries after my Abbys...
59From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 9 August 1809 (Adams Papers)
Often as it has been my fortune in the course of my life, to be parted from my Parents, and dearest friends, as well as from my Country, upon no occasion has the separation been so painful, as at the present time—When my wife and Catherine went out to Quincy the Thursday before we sailed, had even the time permitted, I know not whether I could have prevailed upon my feelings, to go and repeat...
60From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 21 October 1809 (Adams Papers)
The seventy-ninth day since our departure from Boston, and not yet in Petersburg—But we are on land, within twenty miles of it, and at the end of our voyage in the ship Horace.—We have indeed had a very long passage, and it has not been without its interesting incidents, had I but the time of narrating them—But to you as well as to us, the most interesting of them is, that we are all, thanks...