31From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
If Parson Nelson could call that Composition of Alexander, Petrarch and Werter, The Admiral, “ Great and good , Surely it may be excusable in me, to make free with the Same Epithets. But away with Badinage. Be it known to you that I am in Correspondence, with your Rival; your victorious Rival; and what is more marvelous, a friendly correspondence. One of his Letters is inclosed, copied by your...
32From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
I have recd. your Letter of Oct. 27. 1814. and that of 26. of November. I congrtulate you on the harmony between you and your Colleagues an inexpressible Felicity of which I have not always been So fortunate as to enjoy the Sweets. I congratulate you also on the Peace and the glorious moment in which the News of it arrived. The Raptures of Joy I leave the Newspapers to describe. It is my...
33From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 October 1815 (Adams Papers)
The young Gentlemen are all flying to Europe, and apply to me for Introductions to our Ambassador in London. You must Shake hands with them all, invite them to a dinner on Mutton and Brockoli, with your Wife and yourself; but Entertainments a la mode you cannot give. The Corps diplomatique, will say “Adams lives “dans le plus infame Œconomy” their Coachmen and Footmen will look down on yours...
34John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 August 1794 (Adams Papers)
In its due time, I received your Letter from Philadelphia of the 27. of July. Although, in the Opinion of The Secretary of State, the Mission to Holland may be “almost exclusively reduced to a pecuniary Negotiation,” yet, in the Opinion of others among whom your father is one, the Post at the Hague is an important Diplomatick Station, which may afford many opportunities of acquiring political...
35From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 1 August 1813 (Adams Papers)
I congratulate you on the new acquaintences you have made. Madam de Stael and Sir Francis D’Ivernois are illustrious personages who will make a figure in history; a more splendid figure, that I can expect; or even than you can hope. Madam I never had the honor to see. With her handsome Lord I have enjoyed many a diplomatic dinner sometimes at his own hotel, and if I was not mistaken he had...
36From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 February 1819 (Adams Papers)
I have been employed for a month or six weeks in hard labour to save you trouble. I have ransacked chests, trunks, boxes, bureaus, chests of drawers, escritouirs, or in fewer words, every hole & corner, from the basement story to the cockloft, in search of manuscript books & papers, and in course I have been obliged to break open locks whose key’s were lost and destroy every thing that lay in...
37John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 December 1792 (Adams Papers)
I rec d by the last post your favour of the 16. The Votes from New Hampshire to Maryland inclusively have been unanimous excepting the factious Voice of New York, and one D r Johnson of Conecocheague formerly a New Yorker a Particular Friend of M r Clinton and by his own confession under particular Obligations to him. Southward of Chesapeak all are for Clinton except S. C. I thank you for your...
38From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 August 1815 (Adams Papers)
I feel so uneasy, on your account, that I want to write to you, every hour. But I am become so great a Coward, that I dare not write any thing to you. I never take my Pen, but with the utmost Anxiety, last I should hurt your Feelings, embarrass your Employments, give you unnecesary solicitude for your Country or excite a useless gloom on the prospect before Mankind. Shall I give you a History...
39John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 27 July 1777 (Adams Papers)
If it should be the Design of Providence that you should live to grow up, you will naturally feel a Curiosity to learn the History of the Causes which have produced the late Revolution of our Government. No Study in which you can engage will be more worthy of you. It will become you to make yourself Master of all the considerable Characters, which have figured upon the Stage of civil,...
40From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 June 1815 (Adams Papers)
To Shew the pretty, little, easy task you have undertaken, let me give you a Schematic Picture of the publick and private Courses in a German University, for Six months. 1. Encylopedy, and Method of Studies. An encyclopedick course of general Litterature, of the divisions and Subdivisions, and of the relations of Sciences among themselves. A course on the method to be pursued, in Academick...
41From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
I know not whether you are acquainted with the Bearer of this Letter Samuel G. Perkins Esqr, or his Lady a Daughter of the aged and Honourable Stephen Higginson Esqr. Mr Perkins was one of my Associates in the Board of Trustees and Visitors. We have thought it, a fortunate Opportunity, Politicks apart, to Send your Sons with Mr and Mrs. Perkins, and their Son about Johns age, and especially as...
42From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 November 1812 (Adams Papers)
I am not about to write you much upon War or peace. You must have enough upon those Subjects in public papers. My principal Topicks will be to inform you that We are all in unusual good health, have had an uncommonly fine Autumn and that We are all extreamly desirous of Seeing you all return to our Embraces. But none of Us can conjecture how it will be possible for you to get home, unless you...
43From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 January 1806 (Adams Papers)
The Mail of yesterday brought, me, the Documents and in the Evening I received from Boston your favour of the 14th. By the Journals of the Senate I see, that you have Work enough, to excuse you from private Correspondences. By all that I read in the Documents, Journals, and Newspapers, it seems to me that the reigning Principle is to crouch to france & Spain and be very terrible to Britain....
44From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 16 March 1810 (Adams Papers)
The Opportunity by Captain Benjamin Harrod is so unexpected and the time allowed me is So Short, that I can only Say We are all Well and your Son very good as well as very healthy. We hear and read Such Accounts of unavoidable Expenses where you are, that our frugal Country We fear will not enable you to do your Errand. Our Reading has been all about Russia Life of The Empress Porters Travels...
45From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 February 1825 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter of the 9th: Never did I feel so much solemnity as upon this occasion—the multitude of my thoughts and the intensity of my feelings are too much for a mind like mine in its ninetieth year—May the blessing of God Almighty continue to protect you to the end of your life as it has heretofore protected you in so remarkable a manner from your cradle. I offer the same...
46From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 December 1818 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 14th. found me deeply immersed in researches, not astromical or mineralogical or metaphisical; but after old Papers, Trunks Boxes Desks Drawers locked up for thirty Years have been broken open because the Keys are lost. Nothing Stands in my Way. Every Scrap Shall be found and preserved for Your Affliction for your good. I am now employed very anxiously and laboriously,...
47From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 4 August 1816 (Adams Papers)
This Letter is to be honoured by the Reverend Samuel Cooper Thatcher, the Son of The Reverend Dr Peter Thatcher of Brattle Street and the Grandson of Oxenbridge Thatcher Esqr Barister at Law One of the most intimate confidential and beloved Friends I ever had one of the four first rate Lawyers, Gridley, Pratt, Otis and Thatcher who recommended me to the Court in Boston in 1758 when I was Sworn...
48From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
I feel Some Compunction, when I recollect the long time that has passed Since I wrote you a Line. Indeed I Could take no pleasure in Writing, nor you in reading continual Narrations of Wounds Bruises, Sicknesses Amputations and Deaths, among those you Love, as I did with the most ardent and well merited Affection. I could only recommend Epictetus’ Antoninus, and St Paul, all of whom you know...
49John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 February 1781 (Adams Papers)
I received to day, your Favour of 11. You may purchase L’Art Dramatique, alone if you please. But I know nothing of the Dramatick Character of Mercier. He is not very famous, as I remember, and therefore, I think it is Scarcely worth while to go to the Expence of all his Works. I shall make you a present of Some Volumes of Pope soon.—I have seen a Terence, in three Volumes, with the Latin on...
50John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 April 1776 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your agreable Letter of the Twenty fourth of March. I rejoice with you that our Friends are once more in Possession of the Town of Boston, and am glad to hear that so little damage is done to our House. I hope you and your Sister and Brothers will take proper Notice of these great Events, and remember under whose wise and kind Providence they are all conducted. Not a Sparrow...
51John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of April 27 was put into the Post office at New York and I have neither seen nor heard of M r Dorr nor M r Jones. It is probable they found a Conveyance for their Letters in the ship which carries our Envoy Extraordinary and their Journey to this Town became unnecessary. I should have been glad to have seen them and I suppose they might have obtained their Request without...
52John 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...
53From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 December 1804 (Adams Papers)
Has there ever been an Instance, in the World, of two Persons living together without Emulation and Jealousy.? Is it possible there should be one? When I was finishing the Letter I wrote you on the 22d, the Ladies of the family without knowing what I was about read me, a passage in Hayleys Life of Cowper from p. 122. to p. 127. Vol. 1. Mrs Unwin was eclipsed by the Brilliancy of Lady Austen,...
54John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 April 1794 (Adams Papers)
I have rec d your favour of the 22 d I believe it is, and am glad to hear that the People of Boston are disposed to Stand firm on neutral Ground. Much will depend upon their Stability. There are so many Interests constantly contriving to draw Us off, from that Position, that if Boston should fail Us We should be in great danger. I feel for the Sufferers under the Unexampled depredations of the...
55From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 1 April 1815 (Adams Papers)
We live in dayly, hourly hopes of Letters from you at Paris. I wrote you by the Milo Capt Glover, and have written by the New Packett Captain Bronson, who is to carry your Sons under the care of Mr Samuel G. Perkins and his Lady. Two of our belle Esprits, the Greek Professor and Mr Ticknor, go in the Same Ship. The opportunity is favourable for our young Gentlemen, as far as We can judge. The...
56From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 28 October 1817 (Adams Papers)
I have not acknowledged your 5. & 7 Octr. We have had another delightful Family Scene. Madam De Wint her Son your Nice with two of my Great Grand Children and to finish the Picture Mrs Clark all arrived in perfect health. On the 83d 25th Octr. We all drank “All our Friends and Connections of every generation”. “Now lettest thou, thy Servant depart in peace” has been So hackneyed that I will...
57From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 14 February 1811 (Adams Papers)
At the Request of Mr Quincy, I inclose to you, his Speech on the Admission of States into the Union which are Situated beyond the Limits of the 13 original Confederates. You will want none of my Comments upon it. Your Authority is quoted in it, in Support of its Principle. The Prophecies of Quincy’s imagination are not altogether chimerical; tho I hope the fulfillment of them is far, very far...
58John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 January 1793 (Adams Papers)
The Public Papers will inform you that M r Jefferson has resigned and that M r Randolph is appointed Secretary of State. The Attorney General is not yet nominated. M r Lewis M r Lawrence M r Benson M r Gore, M r Potts &c have been mentioned in Conversation. The Motives to M r Jeffersons Resignation are not assigned, and are left open to the Conjectures of a Speculating World. I also am a...
59From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 April 1815 (Adams Papers)
I inclose a Slip with an Essay in it, Signed Richlieu The Editor has poisoned it, with a Silly introduction; but that will not hurt it with you, ‘tho’ it Spoils it here. Who this Connecticut Gentleman is, I cannot conjecture. I did not believe, and cannot yet believe, that there is Brains enough, united with Courage and application enough, in that State to produce Such a paper. Trumbul?...
60John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 16 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
There is an observation, which I wish you to make very early in Life because it may be usefull to you, when you grow up. It is this, that a Taste for Literature and a Turn for Business, united in the same Person, never fails to make a great Man. A Taste for Literature, includes the Love of Science and the fine Arts. A Turn for Business, comprehends Industry and Application as well as a faculty...