1Abigail Smith to Isaac Smith Jr., 16 March 1763 (Adams Papers)
Tis no small pleasure to me, to hear of the great proficioncy you have made in the French tongue, A Tongue Sweet, and harmonious, a Tongue, useful to Merchants, to Statesmen; to Divines, and especially to Lawyers and Travellers; who by the help of it, may traverse the whole Globe; for in this respect, the French language is pretty much now, what I have heard the Latin formerly was, a universal...
2Elizabeth Smith to Isaac Smith Jr., 13 April 1768 (Adams Papers)
I return you Dr. Smollet, the Modern Travels, and the Funeral Elegy: with thanks for the lent of them. If at any time when you have Books that you think would be eddifying or instructive, I shall look upon it as a peculiar favour, if you will oblige me with the reading of them. I shall think my self under obligation and the lest return I can make is with a grateful heart to acknowledge your...
3Abigail and John Adams to Isaac Smith Jr., 4 January 1770 (Adams Papers)
I Congratulate you upon the fine weather we have had since your absence; if it has been as favourable to you, as it has been here, you will long Ere this reaches you be safely arrived in Carolina. When you left us, you did not tell me, nor did I know till a few days agone, that you designd a visit to our (cruel) Mother Country, shall I say. I highly approve your design. Now is the best Season...
4John Adams to Isaac Smith Jr., 1771 (Adams Papers)
P.S. There is another Gentleman whose History and Character I want to know more of, than I do at present, I mean Dr. Arthur Lee. These Things however in Confidence. If you should stay in London this Winter, and have not been introduced to him and Dr. Franklin, and have a Desire to be acquainted with those Gentlemen or Either of them, I believe I could procure you Letters to them from Gentlemen...
5John Adams to Isaac Smith Jr., 11 April 1771 (Adams Papers)
Three Days since I received your obliging Favour of February 21st. for which I thank you. The Account you give me of the late Negociations, with Spain, the expensive Preparations for War, and the ridiculous Termination of both, is not at all surprizing, to Us in America. We think it, of a Piece with the other Measures of Administration, especially those relative to Us. A Ministry, base enough...
6Abigail Adams to Isaac Smith Jr., 20 April 1771 (Adams Papers)
I write you, not from the Noisy Buisy Town, but from my humble Cottage in Braintree, where I arrived last Saturday and here again am to take up my abode. “Where Contemplation p l umes her rufled Wings And the free Soul look’s down to pitty Kings.” Suffer me to snatch you a few moments from all the Hurry and tumult of London and in immagination place you by me that I may ask you ten thousand...
7Mary Smith Cranch to Isaac Smith Jr., 15 October 1774 (Adams Papers)
It has been with inexpressable pleasure that I have beheld you usher’d into the world with such deserved approbation and it has been no common sattisfaction that I have receiv’d from your being placed in a Station where you may be so extencively useful. My fancy has often transported me into future time and presented you to me as a good Sheepherd feeding his flock in the tenderest manner with...
8Abigail Adams to Isaac Smith Jr., 30 October 1777 (Adams Papers)
A favourable opportunity offering by Mr. Austin of writing to you, I embrace it, in compliance to your pappa’s request as well as my own inclination. The uncertainty of a conveyance to you has prevented many of your Friends from writing to you, and when an opportunity has offerd the fear of a miscarrage has obliged them to say little else than what regards the State of their Health and the...
9From John Adams to Isaac Smith Jr., 4 December 1783 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of Nov r: 19 th did not find me, till yesterday, which I regret, because I should have had an earlier opportunity to thank you for your kind Congratulations. It is indeed to me the highest Satisfaction to see my Country at Peace after so Long and so distressing a War, and much more to see her in a Situation which places her Liberties and Prosperity out of Danger— nothing which can...
10Abigail Adams to Isaac Smith Jr., 30 December 1786 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter to me informing me of the Death of your dear Parent, and my much Loved Aunt, awakened in my Bosom all those tender and Sympathetick emotions, which my own and your loss united. Twice in my Life it hath pleased Heaven that I should taste of a Similar affliction in the loss of a Father and a Mother. Time which has meliorated the poignant anguish; which attends a recent seperation,...
11From John Quincy Adams to Isaac Smith, Jr., 1 December 1815 (Adams Papers)
Your obliging favor of the 2 Sepr. was forwarded to me from Liverpool by Mr. Cary the mournful anticipations of whose friends were unhappily very soon afterwards realized; He died at Royston on the way from Liverpool to London on the 22nd of October; His Lady is now residing with her friends at Islington, and as I learn purposes to return to the U:S: accompanied by her Brother the Ensuing...