51To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 15 December 1807 (Adams Papers)
An inflammation in my eyes which for several days has confined me to my house, and rendered writing difficult and painful, must be my Apology for the Shortness of this letter. I admire the Correctness of your history of the ten talents committed to the Subject of your letter. Upon the talent of his taciturnity Mr Liston gave me the following Anecdote, “that he was the only person he had ever...
52To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 18 February 1808 (Adams Papers)
I have escaped for ten minutes from the pressure of business, lectures–pupils, and the Charge of the Pennsylvania hospital, to drop you a few lines which I beg you will consider as the preface only of a longer letter a few Weeks hence, when I shall be relieved from three fourths of my present labors. Our Citizens are making great preparations for celebrating the birth day of the first...
53To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 5 April 1808 (Adams Papers)
A bad cold, added to the pressure of business, has delayed my answer much longer than I intended to your last acceptable letter. You have mistaken the Church to which I belong in supposing that prayers will one day be offered up in it to the great man whose birth day has lately been celebrated in our Country. During the life of Dr Ewing whose influence was very extensive in the Presbyterian...
54To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 13 June 1808 (Adams Papers)
Public and private news & anecdotes are now so limited by the present state of our Country, that I have had nothing worth putting upon paper for your Amusement since the reciept of your letter. The principal design of this hasty scrawl is to inform you that you still live in my Affections, and that few persons occur oftener to my thoughts. Indeed I can scarcely review any of the memorable...
55To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 13 July 1808 (Adams Papers)
The Campaign of Summer diseases being opened,—and my duties calling me at all hours of the day into the field of sickness and distress, I have not had time ’till now to answer your last letter. I shall abruptly say in reply to the latter part of it, that the Union of the Democrats and Quids in our state was founded upon the dread of federal power manifested in the supposed removal of your son...
56To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 24 August 1808 (Adams Papers)
In Contemplating the events that have lately taken place in Spain, and their probable Consequences, I we feel disposed to exclaim in the bold Apostrophe of Jeremiah “O! thou Sword of the Lord, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? Put up thyself into thy Scabbard, rest, and be Still.” Chapt: 47. verse 6th: shall we hope that a Voice from heaven has arrested the destroyer of nations, or is he...
57To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 16 September 1808 (Adams Papers)
I shall answer your letter of Augst: 31st: by giving you an Account of one of my late dreams. After having recently observed the fatal effects of intemperances in the use of Ardent Spirits in one of my patients, and reflecting afterwards upon the incalculable evils they are spreading through our Country, I went to bed a few evenings ago at my usual hour, and during the night I dreamed that I...
58To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 22 September 1808 (Adams Papers)
The politicks of our City are under the direction of three Classes of people, old tories, merchents, and brokers. They are neither anticipating, nor retrospective animals. All their calculations are for the present moment. They know nothing of its treaties, nor of the former volcanic eruptions of the power and tyranny of France. The last shower with them is always the heaviest. Why then do you...
59To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 21 October 1808 (Adams Papers)
The election in Pennsylvania has issued in a manner totally unexpected by the federalists, and beyond the expectations of the Democrats. I was deceived in the Opinion I gave you in my last letter by some of my federal friends who pretended to know the dispositions of the interior And frontier Counties Stse of the State. Mr: Langdon will be returned governor by a majority of nearly 30,000...
60To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 14 December 1808 (Adams Papers)
Has your right hand forgotten its Cunning from pain or Sickness? or have you ceased to contemplate the present interesting Crisis of your beloved Country?—or have you become fearful of committing your apprehensions of her future destiny to paper? If none of these events have come to pass, why am I not favoured with Answers to my two last letters?— Say my dear and venerable friend what is to be...