31From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 12 March 1826 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letter of the 1st. instt. numbered 1. and written in execution of your promise when I was last with you—I trust you will continue to write me from time to time, and will answer your Letters whenever time shall be indulged me for the purpose. We have had the Influenza here as prevalent as it has been with you, though not in general so severely—I was anxious to hear from you...
As I have not received a Letter from you I cannot pretend to answer one but I will write notwithstanding altho’ I have nothing to say no not even nonsence. a great art by the by I believe infinitely more difficult than to write mere prosy common sense.— To tell you how we go on here would be almost impossible. more especially in the great Councils of the Nation Whisper’d rumours however...
Why you should have thought that I was offended my dear George I cannot imagine as I have never had an idea of the kind but I believe that the state of my health and the constant irritation of the nervous system has so soured my temper I am now always crass and unpleasant to myself and to everybody else.—Mr. Quincy has left us after a short visit in which we endeavoured to obtain his company...
It is some time my dear George since I wrote but much sickness and trouble have kept my mind in a state of anxiety which has prevented my answering your last which was most kind and affectionate—Our pore coachman John Cook was found dead in his bed last week and left us a prey to surmizes and conjectures as to the causes of his decease which can never be satisfied— I had got thus far when your...
I cannot suffer the day to pass my dear George without offering you the best wishes of your Mother on the return of the day which generally calls forth the good natured gratulations of our friends. May the ensuing year prove auspicious my beloved Son and ensure to you all the happiness you can desire pure unmixed and if possible without alloy.—As you are now the only one of the family who are...
I am so much concerned my Dear George to learn from your last letter what a state of suffering you were in that I have been anxiously looking for a second letter to assure us of your recovery—We learn from the newspapers that the cold has been intense and I fear you do not take precautions to guard against its extreme severity— We are here in the midst of the busy bustling scene of a session...
37From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 22 December 1825 (Adams Papers)
I enclose herewith the Policy of Insurance upon the house in Court Street and also that upon the House in Hancock Street—Both of which you will safely keep: and remember to have them renewed at the proper time. I am greatly concerned to learn, that you were suffering with the toothache, and inflamation of the face; but hope that it has before this subsided. I propose to seize upon the first...
As you are determined not to write to your Mother or in any way to continue an intercourse always yielding her so much pleasure I shall only send you some very indifferent lines written to accompany the portrait now in the hands of Stewart— We are all well and only want your company to make us quite happy—Charles say’s you are the fortunate one of the family all the rest will be ruined— Accept...
39From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 8 November 1825 (Adams Papers)
I enclose herewith a Certificate of two Shares, N. 657. 658. in the Middlesex Canal, transferred to you in consideration of which, I expect you will pay some attention, to the direction of that Corporation and to the management of its concerns. I received your Letter announcing the departure of your mother, and her attendants from Quincy; they arrived here on the 18th. instt. all well except...
We have arrived safe after a very tedious and on the whole disagreeable journey as the state of my health tho’ much improved still makes me a burthen to all I most love in the world and I fear there is little prospect of a change for the better—There is something in this great unsocial house which depresses my spirits beyond expression and makes it impossible for me to feel at home or to fancy...
In the course of my ride from New Brunswick yesterday my Dear George the wish you expressed for something like a translation or imitation of the Lines I wrote in french and I dictated to Elizabeth while she wrote the very indifferent lines which follow—One verse is added and I beg you to alter or correct as you please—I know they are not good but they in a great degree convey the ideas...
42From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 21 October 1825 (Adams Papers)
We had a boisterous passage of 47 hours from Providence to this place—After reaching Newport in 2 hours and a quarter from the time when you left us, it blew so fresh a gale, and the aspect of the sky was so threatening that Captain Bunker concluded to remain the Night there.—We sailed again the next morning at 9 but a strong and steady head wind slackened our progress so that we only arrived...
43From Edward Everett to George Washington Adams, 17 October 1825 (Adams Papers)
I will thank you to Send Me by the bearer the diplomas of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences of which We Spoke at Mr Lloyd’s. If they do Not happen to be in Your Keeping may I trouble You to let me know when I shall send for them. Your friend & Servant MHi : Edward Everett Papers.
You will be quite worn out my dear George with my would be poetic effusions; but as I told you in my last I know that the événemens de tout les jours are so well and so constantly sent to you by your brother, I have nothing left but to send you the singular scraps of my folly elicited occasionally by unlooked for circumstances On the departure of General Lafayette from our own house I felt...
As you know me to be an Amateur of the horrible incidents of human Tragedy if my Dear George you will not be surprized at receiving some lines written by me on a melancholy event which recently took place in the City—The Actors were in a middling class of society and the circumstance has died away like the poor miserable victims of passion with out eliciting a remark excepting from the levity...
I am very sorry to learn from your Letter to Charles my dear George that you had hurt your eye. I have certainly been suffering from sympathy for I never had such an inflamation in my eyes before in my life— We are again expecting the good General to take up his abode with us until his departure for France which I confess I shall hail with joy—I admire the old gentleman but no admiration can...
47From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 18 August 1825 (Adams Papers)
Thomas J. Hellan is to be offered as a Candidate for admission at Harvard University this year—I wish you to give him all the assistance which he may need for that purpose, and to consider him as under your parental, or brotherly care—You will be one of his bondsmen and request my brother to be the other—You will attend to the payment of his quarterly bills, and other necessary expenses,...
We suffer too much from the heat my Dear George not to make allowance for your purisse but I am very glad to see that at least it does not affect your spirits or that the lovely brides (for brides you know must always be lovely old or young) have not produced a marrying mania and set you to seek too hartily for that which neither time nor care can ensure in its perfection—In the selection you...
I enclose you some lines which were written very hastily yesterday morning immediately after receiving the news of the death of poor Florida Pope after nine months of severe suffering—She was beautiful and a child of the fairest promise and there is some thing remarkable in the serenity and sweetness which closed her dying moments—She was calm collected and happy and distributed her little...
Your Letter is this moment put into my hands my beloved Son, and I hasten to answer it, apologizing at the same time for a neglect which has been caused entirely by the dull sameness of our lives, and the utter impossibility of finding any subject on which to write. I guessed what your silence meant on the subject of my Letter , for I had like yourself cried out, what a falling off is here!...
We have been suffering so much from intense heat this Summer my dear George it has been impossible for me to attend to any thing like a regular correspondence and indeed our lives pass in such ar a routine of invariable sameness there is not wherewithal to furnish an anecdote for a Letter or a line to interest a reader— I yesterday received a melancholy Letter from Mr. Pope announcing the...
52From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 25 June 1825 (Adams Papers)
I enclose here with the two Policies of Insurance on my two Houses in Nassau Street Boston, which will expire on the first of next Month; and which you will take care to have renewed. Keep the new Policies in your own custody, till further order from me— I hear a pleasing account of your industry and attention to your profession—Send me a list of the Law Books that you have, and I will...
I was very happy to hear from you my dear George as I felt anxious on account of the great heat knowing you would be exposed to all the ferver of an intense Sun and am very glad to find that you have not suffered from it— You say so little concerning the brilliant display of which we are told so much in the papers, that I suppose you were in too enthusiastic admir a state of admiration to find...
As it is possible my dear George that you may hear a rumour that your father was drowned I hasten to write you a few lines to assure you that he is safe although he did run some risk this morning in one of his swimming expeditions. In crossing the river this morning in a small crazy boat in company with Anthony the boat filled with water and upset when about half over but he fortunately had...
I yesterday received your melancholy Letter my Dear George informing me of the low state of Mrs. Welshs health and the painful anticipation of the family of her speedy demise—I always had a high opinion of Mrs. Welsh since I had the pleasure of first making her acquaintance and have always been very sensible of her kindness to myself and my children—The external polish of life acquired by...
I was much pleased with the flow of good spirits which your last Letter indicated my Dear George more particularly as I considered it a strong evidence of returning health which I hope will now be substantially confirmed— That you will make a good Soldier if you aim at distinction in that line I have no doubt—but the Company into which you have entered is much more famed for dissipation than...
The frequent and violent attacks of sickness which assail me my Dear George render me a wretched correspondent as the few days of comparative health which I enjoy are attended with a degree of debility which incapacitates me from any exertion of thought or rather of sedentary occupation without reproducing disagreeable sensations in my head and eyes.— We perceive with much delight an entire...
58From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 30 March 1825 (Adams Papers)
I have this day drawn upon you, at sight, for ten thousand Dollars, in favour of Richard Smith, Cashier of the United States Branch Bank or Order—I drew for the whole sum, because I cannot comprehend, how you should want five hundred dollars, to supply any claims upon you, on my account, while you are in the receipt of all the rents due not only on the first of January last, but on the first...
59From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 30 March 1825 (Adams Papers)
I have this day drawn upon you, at sight, for ten thousand Dollars, in favour of Richard Smith, Cashier of the United States Branch Bank or Order—I drew for the whole sum, because I cannot comprehend, how you should want five hundred dollars, to supply any claims upon you, on my account, while you are in the receipt of all the rents due not only on the first of January last, but on the first...
As I know you will be very anxious to hear from me my Dear George I hasten to write merely to inform you that my health though still very weak is much better and I am able to ride out— No change has yet taken place in our establishment and we have all the trouble of our removal still in anticipation but my chief concern is the disposal of our house which I fear will be attended with much...