211Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 18 January 1803 (Adams Papers)
I lately enclosed you a prospectus of the Rev d Doctor Smith’s works accompanied by a print of the Author, which I sent rather as a specimen of good American Engraving, than on any other account; although as a subscriber to the work, which will ere long be published, you might wish to posses so striking a likeness of the Author. I sent the print and prospectus without any knowledge of M r:...
212To John Adams from Mercy Otis Warren, 16 July 1807 (Adams Papers)
After a long suspension of a friendly literary intercourse, it was very unexpected to me this day, to receive a letter from the hand of Mr. Adams;—nor can I conceive of any thing that should occasion a resentment in his bosom, or prevent his old style of address to Mrs. Warren, or give the semblance of an “old friend being hastily converted into an enemy;”—much less could I have expected to...
213To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 10 August 1804 (Adams Papers)
I should have before this used mÿ priviledge of writing to you, had I not been informed by the Rev. Smith, who did me the pleasure to dine with us, that you Sir, with your respected family enjoy’d a perfect health—He had been a classmate of your son Boylston, and was profuse in his encomiums on the Rev. Ernat —He delighted to instil in Mr Mappa and me the high opinion you fostered of that...
214To John Adams from William Heath, 28 December 1807 (Adams Papers)
I have to acknowledge the receipt of your highly esteemed favor of the 14th. current, and to ask your pardon for not doing it sooner, which has been prevented by particular engagements, In my attempts to arouse the military genius of my fellow Countrymen, your declarations of approbation and coincidence of sentiment, are no Small encouragment and Support. I do not recollect, to have seen the...
215To John Adams from Henry Guest, 28 February 1808 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of 18 January 1806 Per post Came duly to hand and I Assure you that it gave Me greate pleasure,—for which be pleased to Except My Most Greatefull Thanks—until Very Lately I had no Subject that I thought Worthy of my the Notice of your Superior Mind—The Rever John Murry of Boston Lately paid Me A Short Visit As An Old frind that took him by the hand When he Was A Strainger in this...
216To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 12 January 1807 (Adams Papers)
I spent two days as disagreable, as anÿ in mÿ life—tears bedewed my cheeks and reason and religion could not entirely assuage the pains I felt. It is my lot not to feel—not to act by halves. Saturday I heard the report of your death—and yesterday night first the Albanÿ gazette of the 8th. mention i ng not a word of this Sad event relieved me in part of excruciating pangs. Restore peace to my...
217To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 7 September 1801 (Adams Papers)
Though my apprehension of abusing your kindness made me delaÿ my answer on your Letter, with which you was pleased to favour me in July Last, I cannot longer resist the temptation in addressing you once more with a few lines, flattering meself that my Sincere homage to your exalted virtues will atone in part for mÿ intrusion. I am persuaded at present, that the boasted answer to your...
218To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 15 October 1804 (Adams Papers)
As you assured me in your last favour, with which you honoured me the 3d. of march, that my letters did give you alwaÿs pleasure. You cannot find fault with me, that I, tho persuaded owing this flattering mark of approbation more to your kindness towards me, than to my merits, take hold of a sane opportunity in conveying to You a few lines; which my Son shall bring at the Post office at...
219To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 17 March 1808 (Adams Papers)
I flatter me Self with the fond hope, that mÿ old and high-revered friend Shall not, after Such a long Silence, be displeased by mÿ intrusion. I can not bear it longer, to withold me Self the Satisfaction—of assuring you once more of mÿ warm attachment, and unabated respect—tho I must appear before you with empty hands—So empty—as not to defraÿ the loss of you precious time, in the perusal of...
220To John Adams from Mercy Otis Warren, 28 July 1807 (Adams Papers)
Before I had an opportunity to forward my reply to yours of July 11th: I received another letter under date July 20th containing twenty pages, in which so many demands are made and so many threats denounced, that a total silence might be construed dismay. My thread of existence in this evanescent state is too far spent for me again to enter on political discussion; yet, I think it my duty to...
221To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 20 February 1809 (Adams Papers)
Soon after the receipt of your last letter in which you Advise me to shake off my retired habits and prejudices, and to come forward in Support of the petitions of my fellow Citizens for a repeal of the Embargo laws, I went to bed at my usual hour, and dreamed that I had yeilded to your Advice; and in consequence of it, determined to appear at a federal town meeting which was to be held the...
222To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 15 July 1803 (Adams Papers)
Since I Send you, at your for me So highlÿ gratifying—demand mÿ Lucubrations on Jefferson’s and Buffon’s theories —I have the honor to Submit to your criticism a Short essay on the use of copper and brass during the trojan War , addressed to our mutual frend John Luzac. I had the pleasure to send you, as you desired, his historÿ of the French Revolut . Could I imagine—that you would construe...
223To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 3 October 1801 (Adams Papers)
The favour of your Letter of 20 Aug—with which I was so unexpected honoured—procured me a delightful pleasure in renewing your kind assurances of esteem, and opening a new field for my instruction—I am only grieved, that it is beyond my power—to make some equivalent return, and discharge a part of the obligations you have laid me under. I should sooner have acquitted meself of the duty of a...
224To 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...
225To 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...
226To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 15 March 1806 (Adams Papers)
I avail myself of the first leisure hour I have had since the Conclusion of my lectures to acknowledge your last favor. I shall begin my Answer to it by answering the question with which you concluded it. The Barilla is a native of the seacoast of the United States. It is to be found on the shores of Massachusetts, and of the Delaware states. From the interest you have kindly taken in my...
227To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 7 April 1806 (Adams Papers)
An indisposition of a week–occasioned bÿ a severe cold–with the unavoidable transactions of familÿ concerns, compelled, me to delaÿ an answer to your Lett. with which your kindness has again favoured me. I restored myself to health–in taking a liberal portion of veal—cotelets—and a free draught of generous wine for mÿ supper–two nights after another–and now I enjoÿ, as well as ever–health and...
228To John Adams from Daniel Wright, 3 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
BORN and educated in the same state which has given birth to you, and to which our hearts are tied by the dearest and most sacred ties; we address you in the name of this our common country, at a time, in our opinion most ominous, and threatening the destruction of our rights, liberty and happiness. We look up to you in the name and in behalf of many in the interior of Massachusetts, for...
229To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 10 June 1806 (Adams Papers)
My long delay in answering your last letter has arisen from two causes—an unusual share of business from an unusually sickly Spring—and the Want of Subjects for a letter that would be interesting to you. I perfectly accord with you in your opinions respecting the tendency, and issue of the present state of things in the World. Never perhaps was there a time in which there was more to fear from...
230To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 14 December 1808 (Adams Papers)
Tho I have actuallÿ nothing interesting to communicate, your kindness Shall make mÿ apologÿ, when I indulge a wish of Sending you a few lines. I hope, your health remains unimpaired—and your domestic enjoyments unaltered. These valuable blessings are indeed the utmost, which we can aim to attain here—To live alone for the Public—to endeavor to make Nations wise—and happÿ—approaches...
231To John Adams from Mercy Otis Warren, 15 August 1807 (Adams Papers)
You begin your Letter, Sir, of August 8th. with complaints of “new demonstrations of Mrs. Warren’s friendship.” Indeed, I cannot see the smallest foundation of complaint from page 229, Vol. 3d. of the Revolutionary History, to signing the Treaty with Great Britain page 232, that could give cause for the smallest umbrage, except the inadvertency of placing the names of Benjamin Franklin and...
232To 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...
233To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 11 July 1806 (Adams Papers)
At the request of my Wife I called upon a friend of mine a few days ago to borrow “the secret memoirs of the Court of St: Cloud.” He said he had not a copy of it—but politely put into my hands “Cumberlands memoirs of his own life”, which I have since filled up the leisure minutes of the day in reading. It is a pleasant Work, and contains a good deal of information of men and things which would...
234To John Adams from William Cunningham, 17 December 1808 (Adams Papers)
Since I enjoyed the pleasure of addressing you on the 10th. inst. I have seen two numbers of the Palladium and found them both silent respecting Mr. J. Q. A. Doubtful whether the Editors would publish my encomium on him I retained a copy, which is subjoined, and which shall release your patience from any farther tax on that subject. “The causes of the Embargo originating unperceived, and...
235To John Adams from Adam Gerard Mappa, 30 December 1801 (Adams Papers)
Mr. van der Kemp communicating to me your desire of committing to writing a description of the Phenomena Which I Saw floating on the Surface of the African & Asiatic Seas, commonly call’d and known by the name of Portuguese Men of war, I do cheerfully undertake,—unhappily I am not Sufficiently informed of the variety and species of foam, to be found in those Regions, which undoubtedly are very...
236To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 3 August 1808 (Adams Papers)
I can not express in words the livelÿ Satisfaction I enjoy’d in receiving your favour of the 25th of april. It was Some time, before I observed, that it was more than three months old. From where does this originate. Is the correspondence of an Insignificant, forgotten western Inhabitant an object of alarm? but it can not be poor V. d kemp at whom these reptiles aim—they gnaw with rancour at a...
237To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 19 February 1805 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 6th: instant revived a great many pleasant ideas in my mind. I have not forgotten—I cannot forget you. You and your excellent Mrs Adams often compose a subject of conversation by my fire side. We now and then meet with a traveler who has been at Quincy, from whom we hear with great pleasure, not only that you enjoy good health, but that you retain your usual good spirits,...
238To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 15 February 1804 (Adams Papers)
As I was not confident of your kind indulgence, which I did so often experience, I should hesitate, to importune you again with a letter, as I cannot expect to enhance much the pleasures of your dignified retirement by my correspondence. As you hinted in your favour of Aug—last, that the fate of my remarks on Jefferson’s and Buffon’s whimsical theories would presumptively be decided at the...
239To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 31 October 1807 (Adams Papers)
I am ashamed of my long silence after the receipt of the two last letters from my kind friend and benefactor. The hurry introduced into my ordinary mass of business by the Influenza and its Consequences, must be my apollogy for my seeming inattention to your interesting favors.— You have happily distinguished between Prudence and Art . I agree with you in your history of Disinterestedness. It...
240To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 12 May 1807 (Adams Papers)
In one of your former letters you say as an excuse for your not assuming the reserve of certain public men, that you never beleived yourself to be a “great man”, and of Course did not expect that every thing you said, and did & wrote would be the subject of public Observation and Scrutiny. I consider your not preserving a Copy of your letter to your youthful friend Mr Webb as a proof of the...