1Abigail Adams to John Adams, 11 February 1784 (Adams Papers)
Two days only are wanting to campleat six years since my dearest Friend first crost the Atlantick. But three months of the Six Years have been Spent in America. The airy delusive phantom Hope, how has she eluded my prospects. And my expectations of your return from month to month, have vanished “like the baseless Fabrick of a vision.” You invite me to you, you call me to follow you, the most...
2Abigail Adams to John Adams, 16 November 1788 (Adams Papers)
We Reachd this place last evening and put up at a mr Avery’s private Lodgings, where we are very well accommodated. I am delighted with the veiw I have had of this state, the River is in full sight from the House & the fields yet retain their verdure, Lands I am told are valued here at a hundred pounds pr acre, and it is not unusuall to let the Farms upon this River at four pounds pr Annum pr...
3Abigail Adams to John Adams, 23 March 1788 (Adams Papers)
I received yours of the 14 th and ever Since thursday have been in Hourly expectation of seeing you I hope it is oweing to all the packets being detaind upon this Side, as is reported, and not to any indisposition that your return is delayed, that unpleasing detention is sufficiently mortifying particularly as we wish to proceed to Falmouth as soon as possible, tho I shall fear to go from...
4Abigail Adams to John Adams, 13 December 1788 (Adams Papers)
I hope every post to hear from you, but every post has hithertoo dissapointed me. a month is a long time to be absent from Home without learning any thing from you. you have often left me and always was very punctual in writing to me. this is but the second time I have left you, and the first that I have been so long without hearing from you. I have written three times before, but have very...
5Abigail Adams to John Adams, 19 October 1783 (Adams Papers)
My last Letter to you was written in Sepbr. I closed it, because I knew not how to think upon any other subject than the solemn one I had just past through; since that date I have received a Number of Letters from you, written in April, May, june and 2 in july. To hear from you is a satisfaction, but the whole tenor of your Letters rather added to my melancholy, than mitigated it. The state of...
6Abigail Adams to John Adams, 12 January 1789 (Adams Papers)
I last wednesday received yours of Dec br 28 and should have answerd by the post of thursday but that the mail for thursday closes on wednesday Evening and does not give time for any replie to Letters which come by that post. I wrote you from this place on sunday last. at that time I was in hopes I should have been on my journey home before this, as we have every thing in readiness to set out...
7Abigail Adams to John Adams, 7 December 1783 (Adams Papers)
Will you honour a Bill of mine, drawn in favour of Uncle Smith for 60 pounds, to pay for 9 acres of wood land which I have purchased of William Adams being part of the estate of Benjamin Ruggles, which fell to Mr. Adams in right of his wife. You will think I have given a large price for it, but it is not so much as your Brother has given him for a 6 acre Lot adjoining to his. The Lot I have...
8Abigail Adams to John Adams, 29 May 1787 (Adams Papers)
I received mr Cuttings Letter on Monday morning, and was glad to find you had stoped Short of Hardwick. I prognosticated from the wind on saturday that you made your passage by nine or ten on sunday morning. I commisirated your sickness, and that I might feelingly sympathize with you, used mr Hollis’s prescription yesterday morning, finding a return of some of my former complaints. the effect...
9Abigail Adams to John Adams, 7 June 1787 (Adams Papers)
I expected to have heard from you by the last post, but was dissapointed, only a few lines from Mr Cutting have come to hand since you left me. I wrote you on the 29 th of May, and inclosed two Letters respecting mr Barclay. Since that time a Letter from the Frenchs, has arrived, in which they inform you that Mr Barclay was liberated by applying to the Parliament of Bordeaux in virtue of his...
10Abigail Adams to John Adams, 27 December 1783 (Adams Papers)
I did not receive your Letter of August the 14th. untill this very Evening; I was much gratified to find I had done what you directed, before your Letter reach’d me. That is, that I had bought a wood Lot. Concerning this purchase I have already written to you; but least that letter should not arrive, I will repeat, that the Lot I have purchased is a part of 27 acres which belonged to Samuel...
11Abigail Adams to John Adams, 26 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
Major Gibbs Captain Beals & mr Woodard all are going to New-york, and all have desired Letters, but as they all go at the same Time one Letter must answer. I wrote you this week by mr Allen, since which nothing has transpired in our little village worth communicating. the Newspapers I inclose to you all that I get in the course of a week, but the printers or the persons to whom they are...
12Abigail Adams to John Adams, 23 December 1786 (Adams Papers)
We arrived here about four oclock a fryday afternoon, after a very pleasent journey. The weather was somewhat cold, but a clear Sky and a fine Sun Shine was ample compensation. We found convenient apartments, Good Beaf Mutton and excellent fish for dinner; it was fortunate that we engaged Lodgings before we came, as every House is full. To day being rainy and fogy we have not made any...
13Abigail Adams to John Adams, 30 December 1786 (Adams Papers)
I yesterday received your kind favour by mr Murry and the day before; yours by mr Bridgen. Mr and Mrs Rucker left us this morn ing, but I did not write by them knowing that the post would be much Spedier. You tell me to keep a journal, but you do not think what a task you impose or how every Hour is occupied at this place by those who stay only ten or twleve Days, and run the circle of...
14Abigail Adams to John Adams, 15 January 1784 (Adams Papers)
I write you again by this vessel altho it seem’s as if there was a Spell to detain her; she has letters of various dates from me as you will find, some of which I hoped had reachd you, but the vessels by which they were sent, met with bad weather and were dismasted obliged to return into port. This letter will not be able to boast of any other merit than that of being last dated, for I can...
15Abigail Adams to John Adams, 11 March 1788 (Adams Papers)
The Mail is this day arrived, but not a Line have I got from you, nor have I heard a word from you since you left me. I hope you are well. I am anxious to learn when you expect to get back. I find by Letters received yesterday from France that mr Jefferson is gone to meet, you, which will render your visit in Holland much pleasenter to you. Callihan does not appear in any great Hurry, and I am...
16Abigail Adams to John Adams, 15 March 1784 (Adams Papers)
I have not received a Line from you, nor heard a Syllable Since yours of November 18th, which I have allready acknowledged. I am impatient now, to receive further intelligence from you; and to learn where you are. Captn. Love in the Ship Rossamond, bound to England, must have arrived before this time, by him I trust you have received many Letters from me. I have had but one opportunity of...
17Abigail Adams to John Adams, 20 September 1783 (Adams Papers)
Dearer if possible than ever; for all the parental props which once sustaind and supported me are fallen! My Father, my Father, where is he? With Humble confidence I can say; he is with the spirits of just Men made perfect, become an inhabitant of that Country, from whose Bourn no traveller returns. In my last Letter to you, I recollect to have particularly mentiond both our dear and venerable...
18Abigail Adams to John Adams, 12 April 1784 (Adams Papers)
I hope this will be the last Letter which I shall have occasion to write to you, before I embark for Europe. Uncle Smith has been urgent with me to embrace the present opportunity and take passage on Board Capt. Calihan, and Captn. Callihan has sent me word that he would wait ten days for me, but I cannot think it prudent to embark untill I hear again from you, which I am daily expecting. Not...
19Abigail Adams to John Adams, 23 July 1784 (Adams Papers)
At length Heaven be praised I am with our daughter safely landed upon the British Shore after a passage of 30 days from Boston to the Downs. We landed at Deal the 20 instant, rejoiced at any rate to set our feet again upon the land. What is past, and what we sufferd by sickness and fatigue, I will think no more of. It is all done away in the joyfull hope of soon holding to my Bosom the dearest...
20Abigail Adams to John Adams, 30 July 1784 (Adams Papers)
I was this day made very happy by the arrival of a son in whom I can trace the strongest likeness of a parent every way dear to me. I had thought before I saw him, that I could not be mistaken in him, but I might have set with him for some time without knowing him. I am at a loss to know what you would wish me to do, as Mr. Jefferson arrived last week at Portsmouth, immediately from Boston,...
21Abigail Adams to John Adams, 3 December 1788 (Adams Papers)
This day three weeks I left Home, since which I have not heard a word from thence. I wrote you from Hartford and once from this place since my arrival. I cannot give you any account eitheir of Newyork or Jamaica as I got into the first at seven in the Evening & left it at Nine the next morning, and in this place my only excursion has been in the garden. the weather has been bad cloudy & rainy...
22Abigail Adams to John Adams, 25 May 1784 (Adams Papers)
I came to Town yesterday and have engaged My passage on Board the ship Active Capt. Lyde, agreable to the advise of my Friends: she will sail in about a fortnight or 3 Weeks and is the only good vessel now going. Mrs. Jones with whom I hoped to have been a passenger is still in so poor Health that there is no prospect of her going very soon and my Uncle Smith upon whose judgment and care I...
23Abigail Adams to John Adams, 15 December 1788 (Adams Papers)
It was not untill yesterday that I received your Letter & mrs Cranchs. mr mccomick came up & brought them both to my no small satisfaction, and this was the first that I had heard from Home since I left it, except by the News papers which I have engaged George Storer to forward to me. I have written to you every week since I left you, and Subjected you to more postage than my Letters are...
24Abigail Adams to John Adams, 20 November 1783 (Adams Papers)
Your favour dated at Amsterdam in july was last evening handed to me; and this evening your Letter of the 10th of Sepbr. by Col. Ogden reached me. I had for some time supposed that the delay of publick buisness would retard your return; hearing that the definitive treaty was not compleated untill september, and knowing that the commercial Treaty was still to form; I had little reason to expect...
25Abigail Adams to John Adams, 11 November 1783 (Adams Papers)
Col. Trumble has been so kind as to visit me, and request a Letter from me to you; I have promised him one. You direct me to write by every opportunity, I very seldom let one slip unimproved, but I find many more conveyances by way of England than any other. I have written twice to you since the recept of your last favour, which was dated july 17th. I wish you to write by way of England but to...
26Abigail Adams to John Adams, 15 December 1783 (Adams Papers)
I returned last Evening from Boston, where I went at the kind invitation of my uncle and Aunt, to celebrate our Anual festival. Doctor Cooper being dangerously Sick, I went to hear Mr. Clark; who is Setled with Dr. Chauncey; this Gentleman gave us an animated elegant and sensible discourse, from Isaah 55 chapter and 12th verse—“For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with Peace; the...
27Abigail Adams to John Adams, 22 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I received mr Bourn’s Letter to day, dated this day week, and I was very happy to Learn by it that you had made so Rapid a progress. I hope you stoped at my old acquaintance Avery’s, and that you met with as good entertainment as I had led you to expect. all your Friends rejoiced in the fine weather which attended you, and conceive it, a propitious omen. I enjoyed, the Triumph tho I did not...
28Abigail Adams to John Adams, 3 January 1784 (Adams Papers)
I have already written you 3 Letters, which have been waiting a long time for a passage; they will now all go in one ship, provided I can get this to Town to morrow; tho She was ordered for sailing to day, yet I trust to the delay which vessels usually have. Last evening I received a packet of Letters from Nabby who has been in Town a month; inclosing Your Letters by Mr. Robbins, who arrived...
29Abigail Adams to John Adams, 7 March 1788 (Adams Papers)
Not a word have I heard of, or from you Since you left me this day week. I am anxious to know how you got over & how you do. I am so unfortunate as to be confined for several days past with an inflamation in my Throat attended with canker, & some fever. it is rather abated to day, and I hope is going of. we go on packing, but it is a much more labourious peice of buisness than I imagind and...
30John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 3 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Church proposes to embark on board the british Packet, which is to sail to-morrow. He has offered to take my Letters, and I suppose, he will be the bearer of dispatches from Congress.—Our Passage, though it was not a stormy one, was very tedious. Of eight weeks, that we were at Sea, we had at least four of such calm weather as not to proceed more than 8 or 10 leagues a day. As we were...
31John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 21 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
I am now much more at my disposal, with respect to my Time, than I was at Haverhill, and can devote more of it to writing, though, it is said, this Quarter, that is, the last of the Junior Sophister year, is most important, and busy, than any other in the four years. Mr: Williams’s Lectures on natural Philosophy, render it so; his Course consists of 24 Lectures, 13 of which we have already...
32John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 18 May 1784 (Adams Papers)
I have only time to write a few lines for the present as the Post is about to depart. On Saturday the 15th. instant I sailed in the Packet Boat from Hellevoetsluys, and had another, long tedious voyage, tho’ the weather was so fine as to compensate for it in some measure. I arrived yesterday in the afternoon at Harwich, from which place I came in the Stage Coach here. The Adelphi Hotel, being...
33John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 20 May 1784 (Adams Papers)
I have been looking out for lodgings, yesterday and this day, and have at length found a bed Room, in the House, where Mr. Smith lodges; and as he intends to go into the Country next week, I shall then take those Rooms which he now occupies. Captain Calohan , is expected every day, and it is very probable that within a fortnight, I shall hear from our Ladies. I have not seen Mr. Stockdale yet,...
34John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 6 August 1784 (Adams Papers)
We have not received as yet any answer to the letters we wrote you the day I arrived in town; and are yet in a State of great uncertainty and doubt whether to go over to Holland or to go directly on to Paris to meet you there. We have got all ready to leave this Place to morrow morning if we had received any directions from you, and indeed we had some thoughts of setting off for Harwich at any...
35John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 25 May 1784 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday, I met Mr. Bridgen at the Coffee House; he told me he had a book for you, and this morning he sent it to my lodgings; Mr. Watson who leaves this place to morrow, has been so kind as to offer to take charge of any thing I wish to send, and will deliver you the volume, with this. The Parliament have done nothing as yet, as all the time has been taken up, in swearing in the Members,...
36John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 1 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I received your favour by Dr. Parker, and was very glad to find you pleased with your situation, tho’ I was myself in pretty low Spirits. I have been continually endeavouring to get acquainted with some person who would introduce me into the House of Commons, and have not as yet succeeded; on the other hand, Callihan is arrived; has had a delightful passage, but in lieu of our...
37John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 15 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
I this day receiv’d your favour of the 11th. instant and expect to send the Books away, in the course of this week, if I receive no contrary orders from you I shall leave this place, to morrow se’en nig ht, and shall attend Parliament, and the courts of Justice, which are now sitting, as often as possible, in the mean time. Mr. Whitefoord, who has been extremely polite and kind to me,...
38John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 18 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
In my last Letter, I informed you of my intention to set off for the Hague next Wednesday; since that I have thought that it would be more prudent for me to wait ’till the Saturday after; because Mr. Smith is now in the Country, and will in all probability return before in the course of the next week, and I shall then be able to see him before I go: I believe he intends returning to America...
39John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 30 August 1786 (Adams Papers)
I received a few days agone, your favour of June 2d: you mention an Affair, concerning which I had determined to write in the begin ning of this Quarter. I have thought much of an Office in which to Study the Law. Should you return home next Spring, and be yourself at Leisure to instruct me, I should certainly prefer that to studying any where else. But if you are still detained in Europe, I...
40John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 30 June 1787 (Adams Papers)
I am at length released from the multiplicity of business which has employ’d so much of my time, for the last eighteen months: during that period I had scarcely a leisure moment, and was forced to a degree of application, which has been injurious to my health. but as I am left at present free from every employment, I shall have time to recruit; and I shall also be able to give more frequent...
41John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 18 May 1785 (Adams Papers)
After a very warm and dusty Journey, setting out early, and riding late, I arrived here on Monday the 16th. instant at about 4. o’clock in the morning. As soon as I had taken a little rest, I enquired for Mr. Barclay; and immediately went for him. He would have been in Paris, before now, had he not been retained by illness: he is not yet well but seems determined to go for Paris to-morrow...
42John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 30 July 1784 (Adams Papers)
I was so lucky as to have a passage of 26 hours from Helvoet sluis to Harwich and arrived in town this morning. I will not attempt to describe my feelings at meeting two persons so dear to me after so long an absence: I will only say I was completely happy. You will perhaps have heard before this reaches you, that Mr. Jefferson is arrived, and is gone forward to Paris. This may perhaps alter...
43John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 2 April 1786 (Adams Papers)
After having suffered so long an interval of Time to pass, since I wrote you last, it is absolutely necessary, for my own justification, to give you, an account of my Studies, since my return home, and if it is not sufficient, to exculpate me intirely, I hope, at least it will induce you to forgive me. When I arrived here, I found, that I had far more to go through, than I had an Idea of...
44John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 11 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
I am so pleased with your Letters, in general, that you may well believe that of the 6. has contributed very much to my Happiness. As you have found the Way into the Gallery, I hope you will not neglect it, but attend every Day. It is a great and illustrious School. I return you inclosed, the Letter from Mr. Dexter to Mr. Temple, to whom present my Compliments. In a Letter I wrote a Year ago...
45John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 6 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
Last Wednesday Mr. W. Vaughan, got me introduced into the house of Commons, and I was there, from about 2. in the afternoon till 1. the next morning. The Subject, was a very dry, uninteresting one to me, it was the Westminster election, and the time, till 10 at night was taken up in hearing the Council counsel , on one side for Mr. Fox, and the electors of Westminster who petitioned, and on...
46To John Adams from Samuel Adams, 16 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
The Governour of this Commonwealth will transmit to you Copies of Letters which lately passed between him and Capt Stanhope Commander of the British Ship of War Mercury. This is the same Person, as I am told, who, when a Prisoner here in the early time of the War, was not too delicate in Point of Honor to break his Parole. The Governor however had treated him from the Time of his Arrival with...
47Samuel Adams to John Adams, 2 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
I received several of your Letters with Pleasure, particularly that of May, which I will answer at a Time of more Leisure— Capt n Dashwood of this Town is going to London, to sollicit Payment of the British Crown, for Goods taken from him when the Troops left the Town, not as forfeited, but under the Apprehension that they would be of Use to our Army, & with an Express Promise that they should...
48To John Adams from Samuel Adams, 21 July 1786 (Adams Papers)
There are two great Objects which I think should engage the Attention of Patriots here, & which appear to me to involve every thing else—to preserve entire our political Liberties, & to support our National Faith. To effect either of these Capital Ends, we must counterwork the Designs of Great Britan, who to say the least does not appear to be our most cordial Friend, by her Emissaries amongst...
49Samuel Adams to John Adams, 16 April 1784 (Adams Papers)
I have not receivd a Letter from you of a later Date than the 10 th of Sept r. last. Extracts of yours to D G of the same Date have been handed about, with a View, as I conceivd, of giving the Sanction of your opinion to that of others respecting the Tories. It is often inconvenient, perhaps unsafe, to trust ones Confidential Letters to indiscrete, however honest, Friends. Detachd Parts of...
50To John Adams from Samuel Adams, 4 November 1783 (Adams Papers)
Col o John Trumbull, the Son of the worthy Governor of Connecticutt is the Bearer of this Letter. I give the Governor this Epithet, because I think his faithful Services to our Country intitle him to it. Yet even he has undergone the Suspicions of some, unsupported by any solid Reasons that I have heard of. We live in an Age of Jealousy, and it is well enough. I was led to beleive in early...