61From Orchard Cook to John Quincy Adams, 1 January 1809 (Adams Papers)
Mr. & Mrs. Cook ask leave to present to Mr. & Mrs. Adams the Compts. of the Season— Your Letters do much good, are treated with very great respect indeed —I think you have now more influence than when here—not mere opinions in which you deal very sparingly but the excellent Arguments & reasons you give for every conclusion— As I flatter myself with the Hope of more of your Favours embracing an...
I write you a line from the Stage–Office: having just this moment arrived, and intending in half an hour to start in the Mail–Stage for Philadelphia—The weather is so fine, and the roads are so good, that I am afraid of losing the advantages they offer, and recollect the admonition to take time by the forelock—I hope to be in Philadelphia, to–morrow morning before day light; and shall pass the...
On leaving Boston I had formed the Resolution of travelling only in the day-time, but at the close of the second day, arriving at Hartford, I found I should be four days more in getting to New York, unless I proceeded that same Evening, about forty miles to New-Haven—The roads were excellent for sleighing; I was alone in the Stage, and there was a moon bright almost as the morning—I therefore...
The day after I wrote you from Baltimore, that is to say on Thursday, I came to this place; though in the Night at Baltimore I was taken so ill, that I was afraid I should be obliged to postpone for a day or two the completion of my journey—I am however now as well as usual. The expedition with which I travell’d has given me two days more here than I expected when I left you—But they have been...
I thank you for your letter, and Kitty for her watch paper— I had like to have had no watch-case to put it in—For at Baltimore I lost my watch for several hours, I need not tell you how—for thereby hangs a tail.—Suffice it to say that having occasion for my seal, on closing my letter to you from that place, I found my watch was missing—I immediately recollected where I had last left it; but it...
I have received but one letter from you since I left Boston, and that was written only two days after my departure—So long an interval during which I have not heard a word from you, and neither your mother, nor any other of the families here have received a line, begins to make me uneasy; and the state of our Charles when I came away, and of Kitty’s health when you wrote tends to increase that...
I have not received a line from you since I wrote you on Monday—Your mother however has had a letter from Catherine, mentioning that you had on the day she wrote, given Charles an Emetic for his cough—I endeavour to controul my anxiety as much as possible. I now write you a line merely to tell you that your sister Hellen’s youngest child is better—They have now great hopes of its recovery—And...
It is sometimes said that suspense is worse than the certainty of evil—But it is a hard relief from suspense to be informed of evils worse than were apprehended. From the length of time which had pass’d without bringing me a letter from you, I felt great anxiety; but it was principally for the dear child, whom I had left so unwell—Your letter when it came, announced to me not only the child...
Your letter of the 16th: brought me consolation and hope in the information that you were all getting well—My anxiety on account of my mother has been extreme; having heard through Mr: Cranch & Mr: Quincy, that she had been very dangerously ill—I learn also that George is at Mr. Cranch’s I am still waiting for my Cause to be called in Court—It was called again the day before yesterday; but Mr:...
We have at length got through the argument on the Cause for which I came here. It was finished yesterday after having taken up nearly four days—The opinion of the Court will probably be given in the course of the week, and my intention is to leave this place, to-morrow week, which will be the 13th:—I depend therefore upon the pleasure of seeing you again at latest in three weeks from this day....
I wrote you on Sunday, and the same Evening I received yours of 26. Feby:—Yesterday yours of the 1st: instt: came to hand—I rejoice to learn that the children are at length perfectly well; and Kitty continues to be admired. I shall be very well satisfied to part with Mr: Gurney as a Tenant, and if he can give me any good security for the payment of his rent, I shall very willingly take it. I...
Last night I received your kind favour of the 4th: instt: with the information the most delightful to my feelings, that my mother is recovering still, that the children are well, and that I may hope to find you so, upon my return.—May God Almighty grant that this hope may be realized. This is the last Letter which I purpose to write you from this place—Yesterday the Supreme Court delivered...
73From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 August 1809 (Adams Papers)
I would not come to Town to day because I knew I should only add to yours, and my own agony, my Heart is with you, my prayers and blessing attend you, the dear Children you have left, will be dearer to me for the absence of their parents, and my care whilst, Providence continues to me my faculties, and my Life. If your Father and I Should be removed, they cannot fail of finding Friends and...
I congratulate you upon your safe arrival in the cold Regions of the North: to which I hope your constitution will get enured: you must borrow the ermin from the inhabitants of the forests, and wrap yourself in the furs which Nature has amply provided in those cold climates. How does my dear Boy Charles? I have learnt by way of young Mr Grey, that he was quite an amusement to them upon the...
I this day received a Letter from my son dated october 21 from constradt—we had heard three weeks before of your arrival there by a vessel which came in to Salem, I rejoice that you are once more released from old ocean, and that you were so near the place of your destination. your voyage has been long and tedious. I hope you will experience Friendship and hospitality altho in so frozen a...
your Letter from St petersburgh of october 28th I received the last week, four Months after the date; it was quite as soon as I expected to hear considering the season of the year. I rejoiced to learn that you were safe from the dangers of the Sea, and had reached the City of your residence in health, after the fatigues, and dangers of so long a voyage. difficulties you will no doubt encounter...
When I closed my Letter; last week to my son by captain Smith, I fully intended to have written to you, but my health has been very miserable for the last three Months, so that for many weeks I have not been able to touch a pen, a universal debility and weakness daily reminds me of my decay. it is then that the distance, and seperation from my dear Children most Sensibly wounds me, yet it...
I am ready to join in the exclamation of Eloissa when she said “Heaven first taught Letters, for some wretches aid” For how very wretched should I be, but for the intercourse which Letters afford, to soften the pains of absence, and mitigate the pangs of seperation from near and dear Friend’s? how large a portion of these joys and sorrows have fallen to my lot, through Life, are known only to...
79From le Commandeur de Maisonneuve to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 23 December 1810 (Adams Papers)
Le Commandeur de Maisonneuve a l’honneur d’annoncer à Madame Adams qu’Elle est invitée ainsi que Mademoiselle Johnson sa soeur, au bal qui aura lieu, Demain Lundi 12. chéz Sa Majesté L’Impératrice Mère, à sept heures et demi du soir. MHi : Adams Papers.
It is a long time since I addresed a Letter to You, and a much longer since I received a Letter from you. altho there are so many natural impediments, and artificial obstruction in the way of a free communication, I will not wholy relinquish the hope I have: that some of the many Letters I have written may find there way to you. vessels arrive from the North, but do not bring any tydings of...
The season was so far advanced, and several vessels had arrived from the North without Letters, that I had given up the Idea of hearing again from you, untill Spring—your Letter was therefore doubly acceptable to me. I wrote to you a few days previous to the receipt of your Letter of 23d of october, and Sent it on, to Newyork to go by our Special Minister to Denmark— Altho I regret that you...
I feel asham’d My Dear Neice when I think how few Letters I have written to you since you left us. I should be inexcusable indeed if I had not known your other Friends had not kept you inform’d of the welfair of your dear Boys under our care. I have receiv’d three Letters from you, for which I sincerely thank you, the last august 27th considering the difficulties attending the conveyence of...
Le Comte de Romanzoff, Chancelier de l’Empire, prie Madame d’Adams de lui faire l’honneur de venir souper chez lui, le Vendredi 10 Fevrier à 10 heures. R. S. L. P. MHi : Adams Papers.
I hope the afflicting intelligence which you must receive from your Friends at Washington, will not be too suddenly burst upon you, but that your best Friend may have been intrusted with it, that he may prepare your mind for the heavey tydings. I know that mrs Hellen was a dear and favorite sister to you all, and well deserving of your attachment. The circumstances which deprived you of her,...
your Letter of Novbr 16th was an unexpected pleasure, for after yours of october the 13th, I had given up the Idea of receiving a line from you untill june, or july. you may easily imagine that your Letter was not only an unexpected, but a welcome guest, and the more so as it came drest in smiles of more content, than some of your Letters. I do not however wonder at your dislike of a climate...
When I wrote last to you, I was at a loss What to say to you, to console, and reconcile you to your situation. the thought struck me to say, that some light might spring up, where we did not foresee it, and extricate you from your difficulties. Such a light appears to me to have arrisen in the midst of surrounding darkness, by the appointment of mr Adams an associate judge of the Supreem...
87From Madame Colombi to John Quincy Adams, 1 April 1811 (Adams Papers)
Sont invitées de la part de Mme Colombi et de celle de Mr. François Colombi à assister aux cérémonies funèbres d’Antoine Colombi, leur Époux et frère, qui auront lieu Lundi 20 Mars, dans l’Église Catholique, à 10 heures du matin. MQA .
Scarcly a week has past, for these two Months in which I have not written either to my Son, or to you, but our Letters are not only committed to the Chance, of winds and waves, which may Scatter them like the leaves of the Sibyls, but they have many other hazards to run, through the Dens of Cyclopes, and the fangs of the Harpies. I write this to Send you by the Ship Hugh Johnston, Captain...
I Sit down to write to my dear daughter, almost without a hope, or wish that She Should receive it at St. Petersburgh. for as Letters are usually, more than three Months reaching the place of their destination—I hope you will have Embarked for America, before that period. it admits however of a possibility, that you may not, and in that case, a Letter will be welcome which communicates to you,...
90From Alexander Hill Everett to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 6 July 1811 to 18 July 1811 (Adams Papers)
I reached this place, Madam, after a ride of 22 hours. I cannot refuse myself the satisfaction of sending you a few lines; not only because I suppose, it will be the first letter you ever received from here and perhaps the last you ever will, but because I think it the most effectual remedy against being forgotten at the first post. It cannot be supposed that I have in an absence of 22 hours...