31John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 May 1783 (Adams Papers)
It gives me great Pleasure to find, that your Situation is agreable to you. An abler Instructor than Mr. Dumas is not to be found. Is not an 100 Verses at a Time too long a Lesson? Are you familiar enough with the Latin to comprehend So many Verses at once? You have Ainsworths Dictionary I presume. Let no Word escape you, without being understood. Drydens is a good translation, but it is not...
32John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 June 1783 (Adams Papers)
The Bearer of this Letter, Eliphalet Fitch Esqr., a Gentleman of large Fortune and high in office in Jamaica, is a Grandson of Dr. Boylston and consequently your Relation. You will wait upon him and his Lady, and do yourself the honor to shew them all the Attention and Respect in your Power, while they stay at the Hague. LbC in John Thaxter’s hand ( Adams Papers ). Eliphalet Fitch was receiver...
33John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 July 1783 (Adams Papers)
I can tell you nothing with Certainty when the Peace will be finished. I hope it will not be long. You may purchase a Suetonius, provided you intend to make a good Use of it. I long to See you, but can as yet form no Judgment when I shall have that Pleasure. We have no News from Congress, a Neglect which is to the last degree astonishing and inexplicable. Do you find any Society at the Hague?...
34John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 28 May 1784 (Adams Papers)
At Amsterdam I received your Letter of the 18 and to day that of the 20th. Write me, when you Ship the Books for Rotterdam, and by what Captain what Vessell and to whom addressed. Your principal Attention Should be to Parliament, and the Bar at present. Your Stay will be short and you will not probably have another Opportunity of being much in London, for upon your Return I shall keep you very...
35John Adams to John Quincy Adams, June 1784 (Adams Papers)
There is no Accomplishment, more usefull or reputable, or which conduces more to the Happiness of Life, to a Man of Business or of Leisure, than the Art of writing Letters. Symplicity, Ease, Familiarity and Perspicuity, comprehend all the necessary Rules. But these are not acquired without Attention and Study. The Habit you now form will go with you through Life. Spare no Pains then to begin...
36John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 6 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
Last night I received yours of the 1. with the Letter from your Mother to you, by which it appears so uncertain when She will arrive or embark, that if you can persuade Mr. Smith to come over here with the Ladies when they arrive, I would not have you wait for them. Make a Visit to Mr. Whitefoord, and ask the favour of him in my name to procure you a Place in the Gallery of the House of...
37John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 6 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
A young Gentleman of 17, must not talk of low Spirits for Small disappointments. He must reconcile his Mind to them. He will meet with many. My Friend Dr. Warren often told me, I was the most uniformly lucky Man, he ever knew, and indeed I must acknowledge, I have been often fortunate, both before and Since his Compliment. Notwithstanding which my Life has been a Series of dissappointments,...
38John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 21 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter of the 15th. on the 18th. and that of the 18th. this moment, and am happy to find that you Spend So much Time and take so much Pleasure in Chancery and Parliament. Present to Mr. Vaughan and Mr. Whiteford, my Thanks for their Politeness to you. I want to know if the Books are on their Way. You Should tell me Something of them in every Letter untill they are gone off, by...
39John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 1 August 1784 (Adams Papers)
I have the Pleasure of yours of July 30. and advise you to purchase the Coach and prepare every Thing to set off with me to Dover in a Week from this Day. I will not loose a Moment, of the agreable Company, that I can avoid. Indeed I have repented 20 times that I did not go with you. The Pas of Calais and the Pas of Harwich will make me sick, but do me no harm. Purchase Johnsons Lives of the...
40John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 June 1785 (Adams Papers)
I hope, that before this day you are Safely arrived at New York, and that in another Month, I shall receive a Letter from you dated from that City. Before this reaches you I Suppose you will be at Boston or Cambridge, or Braintree or Haverill or Weymouth. Let me hear from you as often as you can. We have taken a House in Grosvenor Square, at the Corner of Duke Street, and hope to get into it...
41John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 31 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
I hope Mr. Storer, when he delivers this Letter, will find you a Student in the University, or upon the Point of becoming So. We have as yet no News of your Arrival in America, but We hope to learn it by the first ship. We are comfortably Situated here, and have all enjoyed very good Health hitherto in England. But Home is Home. You are Surrounded by People who neither hate you nor fear you. I...
42John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 9 September 1785 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letter by Mr. Church, and am very happy to hear of your Safe Arrival, and kind Reception at New York. You have a good Opportunity, to See the Place and principal Characters, and from the hints you give your Sister I Suppose and indeed I hope, you went home by Land, and Saw the Country and Persons you wanted to See. I want to hear from you at Boston, and to learn what is...
43John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 19 March 1786 (Adams Papers)
This Letter, I presume, will find you at the University, where I hope you will pass your time both pleasantly and profitably. Let Us know how you find Things, and take care of your health. You have in your Travels had so much Exercise, that it is not Safe to discontinue it, and indulge your self too much in a Sedentary Life. Never fail to walk an hour or two every day. I have read the Conquest...
44John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
Give me leave to congratulate you on your Admission into the Seat of the Muses, our dear Alma Mater, where I hope you will find a Pleasure and Improvements equal to your Expectations. You are now among Magistrates and Ministers, Legislators and Heroes, Ambassadors and Generals, I mean among Persons who will live to Act in all these Characters. If you pursue your Studies and preserve your...
45John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 June 1786 (Adams Papers)
Dr Gordon brought me your Letter of the 2d. of April, which gave me, great Pleasure. In order to get acquainted with the other Classes enquire who are the most remarkable Scholars in each, and drop in upon them frankly, make them a visit in a Leisure hour at their Chambers, and fall into Conversation. Ask them about their Tutors manner of teaching. Observe what Books lie upon their Tables, ask...
46John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 January 1787 (Adams Papers)
I am much obliged to you for the Copy of your Dialogue, which does you honour. I am the more pleased to learn that you are to col lect the Mathematical Theses, as the Same part fell to my Share in the Year 1755. Your Reasons for preferring Newbury Port to Boston for the Study of the Law are judicious, and discover an Attention and a Consideration, which give sure Presages of your future...
47John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 July 1787 (Adams Papers)
We Suppose, that you had your Degree last Wednesday, and upon that Supposition, I congratulate you upon it. it is hinted that you think of studying Law with Judge Dana till next Spring. if you can have the Honour and the Priviledge of studying under, two such great Masters as Judge Trowbridge and Judge Dana, I approve very much of the design. You cannot be in so good hands. but will the...
48John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 January 1788 (Adams Papers)
I am much pleased with your Oration and much obliged to you for it. it seems to me, making allowance for a fathers Partiality, to be full of manly Sense and Spirit. By the Sentiments and Principles in that oration, I hope you will live and die, and if you do I dont care a farthing how many are preferred to you, for Style Elegance and Mellifluence. To Vattel and Burlamaqui, whom you Say you...
49John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 9 July 1789 (Adams Papers)
I thank you my dear Son, for your dutiful Letter of the 28 th. of June, and rejoice, with exceeding Joy, in the recovery of your health My Advice is, to give yourself very little Thought about the Place of your future Residence. a few Months will produce changes that will easily Settle that Question for you. M r Parsons’s great Law Abilities make me wish that the Public may be availed of them,...
50John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 9 February 1790 (Adams Papers)
I hope your Anxiety, about your Prospects of future Life, will not be indulged too far. If, after your Term with M r Parsons expires your Judgment, Inclination and Advice of your Friends lead you to Boston, you shall have my full Consent and Approbation. If you could contrive to get a Small Family into my House with whom you could reputably board: and could reserve the best Room and Chamber,...
51John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 19 February 1790 (Adams Papers)
There is a sett of Scotch Writers that I think deserve your Attention in a very high Degree. There are Speculations in Morals Politicks and Law that are more luminous, than any other I have read. The Elements of Criticism and other of Lord Kaims’s Writings—Historical Law Tracts—sir James Steuart—Adam Smith &c both his Theory of Moral Sentiments and his Wealth of Nations— There are several...
52John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 1 April 1790 (Adams Papers)
I have this morning received your agreable Letter of the 19. Ult. and am pleased with your prudent deliberation and judicious decision, upon the Place of your future residence. The Promotion of M r Sullivan, will lead him out of Town upon the Circuits and give room to others to take his Place upon occasions. You are not however to expect a run of Business at first. Your Project of boarding...
53From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 21 April 1790 (Adams Papers)
I am not willing you should want Information from the Seat of Gov t: but I can do little more than send you a Newspaper. This Day twelve months I first took the Seat in which I now sett, and I have not been absent one Moment, when the senate has been sitting, excepting one Day when my own Salary was under Consideration. This Confinement will injure my health, if I cannot soon take a Journey. M...
54John Adams to John Quincy Adams, before 8 September 1790 (Adams Papers)
I received with great Pleasure your Letter of the 9 of August, inclosing a Receipt from Mr Parsons for one hundred Pounds lawful Money, which you paid him in the month of August, Second day, in full for your Tuition as a Clerk in his office for the term of three Years. I learned, with Pleasure also, that on the 9 th of August you took Possession of an office in my house, where I wish you more...
55John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 September 1790 (Adams Papers)
Since my return from Philadelphia where I have been to get Lodgings, against the meeting of Congress, your Mamma has shewn me your Letter: and I consent you Should keep the Horse for the present.— My Brother may Supply you with hay, as far as your occasion for it may go. Can nothing be done to make my Estate at Boston and Braintree more productive? The House where you are is at a miserable...
56John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 September 1790 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you before to day: but I forgot to say Several Things.— Have you ever attended a Town Meeting? You may there learn the Ways of Men, and penetrate Several Characters which otherwise You would not know. There are Several Objects of Enquiry, which I would point out to your consideration without making any noise or parade about them. 1. The State of Parties in Religion, Government Manners,...
57John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 4 October 1790 (Adams Papers)
I have received and read with great Pleasure, your modest Sensible, judicious and discreet Letter of the 31. of Sept r. The Town of Boston is at present unhappily divided into political Parties, and neither Party I presume has tried Experiments enough upon you to discover to which Side you belong. You might very easily induce either Side to make much of you, by becoming a zealot for it: but my...
58John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 October 1790 (Adams Papers)
The Note from Piemont, I would not have Sued by any means. Hopkins’s Pretentions I have no Idea of. I Suppose an account with him may be found in my Ledger, But I can Say nothing upon memory. Piemont ought to make out his Account— He says I had a Bar Wig and a Bob Wig of him. If so he should make out his Account and if they amount to as much as the Note, there is an End of the Business. If...
59John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 December 1790 (Adams Papers)
Your Brother Charles arrived on Saturday night from New York and has dissipated some of the Gloom of the Family. Your Mother however Seems pretty well recovered from her Indisposition: and Your Brother Thomas, tho very weak is on the Recovery, as We hope. The rest of the Family is well. In a Letter to your mamma, you intimate an Inclination to make Us a Visit. Nothing I assure you would be...
60John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 15 February 1792 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 4 th , has given me as much Pain by opening the Sceenes of Ambition in your neighbourhood as it has pleasure by the Elegance of its composition and the Intelligence with which it devellopes the Maneuvres of Parties and the Passions of Individuals. Another Drama at New York has been acted with equal Spirit and of more Importance. At Philadelphia too We have had our...