61From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 14 December 1826 (Adams Papers)
The last Letter I have from you is of the 2d. instn. but I have also received Mrs Clark’s receipt upon my note to her, which was enclosed in your Letter to your brother John of the 6th.—My latest Letters to you, are of the 19th. 27th. and 29th. ulto. and 4th. and 7th. instn.—I expect answers to them all. I now enclose, 1. an order from W. S. Smith, upon the Executors of my father’s Will, for...
It is so long since I heard from you I begin to find it difficult to account for your Silence—Have the Muses siezed upon your imagination? Or is it a touch of the belle passion which occupies your contemplation and makes you forget your Mother? either of these things might perhaps plead in excuse though I can only allow these to be momentary.— Your occupations are I know numerous but one...
63From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 31 December 1826 (Adams Papers)
May the blessing of God, whose justice is remembered at the close of your last Letter rest upon you through the year about to commence, and many more, as long as it shall be his pleasure that you live upon earth, and then follow you to a better world. Your Letter and scrap of the 22d. and 23d. have brought up tolerably well the arrears of your correspondence with me, excepting that I am still...
Your Letter which I received yesterday gave mutual delight to all of us—It was exactly the style I have so often wished you to acquire easy playful and affectionate. This is the peculiar charm of familiar correspondence and worth all the studied phrases and elegant quotations that you could select from the first rate and best authors I suppose your appointment to be one of the standing...
65From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 21 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
I have been pleased with your Journal. I envy, or rather I wish, I could have Shared with you, your Evenings with, your Father. Your Worthy Præceptor might have Said that the whole Christian World is and has been divided, in their Interpretations of Some Texts in the Epistles of St. Paul. But Greek and Latin, and Mathematicks ought to be your Objects at present. Metaphisicks you may leave,...
66From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 3 May 1824 (Adams Papers)
Abby S. Adams returns home in company with Mr Fuller. I have requested him to pay her expenses on the road, and upon his arrival, to give you a minute of them, informing him that you will discharge it—I now write merely to request you to do so, and to charge the same, in account, to me. your affectionate father MHi : Adams Papers.
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...
68From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 21 October 1823 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your Letter N 1. dated the 15th. instt. with its enclosure, and am much pleased with the attention you are paying to my Affairs and your own—In entering upon a new Scene of life, it is important to begin well; to commence the formation of good habits, and to form a system for the employment of time which will obviate the formation of bad ones. At your Season of life, it is...
69From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 9 December 1821 (Adams Papers)
The information in yours of the 30 Nov. & that we have from Susan of the health & spirits of you all is a cordial comfort to me. I am glad you have read Blackstone. As you say you are not yet informed what you are to read next with submission to your more learned preceptors I would advise you to read Sullivans lectures but above all I pray you to make it as a perpetual maxim “petere...
70From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 24 December 1826 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 15th. instt. has been duly received. I s till hope that your Account to the first of October will be received by me before the close of the year; and that the next, that is, your Account for the present Quarter will be made up and forwarded to me at the day. On the first of January, you will pay to my brother, the sum of 315 dollars, and take from him a receipt in following...