1From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 30 July 1807 (Adams Papers)
Had I really been disgusted and mortified at my Treatment by Congress which in fact I was not, but was Satisfied as Soon as it was explained to me, the mortification would have been more than compensated by the Commissions I received on the fourth of November, 1779 unquestionably the more confidential Commissions that Congress had ever issued. The Commission to General Washington as Commander...
2From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 24 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
I this day received your Favour of April 8 th , and Sincerely condole with you under the Loss of your amiable son. These Afflictions are the Lot of Humanity and so little of the System of which We are a Part is Submitted to our View, that as We never can discover the Reasons of them, they are left only to our Reflections and Submission. My Situation, would be eligible, to the Heighth of my...
3From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 12 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
I am much obliged to you for your Letter and refer you to General Warren for what respects your son.— You suppose my present situation to be eligible and I confess it.— I have it in my Power here to enjoy the Society of Persons of great Worth, and if I please of high Rank, and if our publick Affairs here went well, I should not desire a better situation. but they do not. A Lady, who was born...
4From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 20 June 1813 (Adams Papers)
your Letter this morning received So kindly inquiring after my Dear Daughter, demands from me, not only my thanks, but an immediate reply. Mrs Smith, through her whole Life has enjoyd good health, untill the painfull opperation She endured the last Summer, after which her nerves were much affected. Soon after her return to the valley She wrote me word, that She had been Severely attacked with...
5From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 8 January 1776 (Adams Papers)
Your Friend insists upon my Writing to you, and altho I am conscious it is my Duty, being deeply in Debt for a number of very agreable Favours in the Epistolary Way, yet I doubt whether a sense of this Duty would have overcome, my Inclination to Indolence and Relaxation, with which my own Fire Side always inspires me, if it had not been Stimulated and quickened by her. I was charmed with three...
6From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 15 August 1807 (Adams Papers)
In order to give you all the Authentic Documents necessary to explain the Remarks I have made upon your History, I have omitted to give you Copies of one or two Commissions which I intended to have transcribed in their Places. One of them is in these Words. The United States of America in Congress assembled To all to whom these Presents Shall come Send Greeting. Whereas these United States,...
7From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 25 November 1775 (Adams Papers)
I had the Pleasure of yours of Novr. 4th several Days ago. You know Madam, that I have no Pleasure or Amusements which has any Charms for me. Balls, Assemblies Concerts Cards, Horses, Dogs, never engaged any Part of my attention or Concern. Nor am I ever happy in large and promiscuous Companies. Business alone, with the intimate unreserved Conversation of a very few Friends, Books, and...
8From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, July 1813 (Adams Papers)
I received your obliging favour, with the Letters inclosed safely and was gratified that the Sentiments which they containd met your cordial approbation & the excited congenial feelings in the Bosoms of your Sons, if I may judge from the marks which distinguish them. I have indeed great cause for pleasure and Satisfaction in the ability integrity and fidelity with which my Son has devoted...
9From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 15 March 1775 (Adams Papers)
I thought myself greatly honoured, by your most polite and agreable Letter of January the thirtieth; and I ought to have answered it, immediately: but a Variety of Cares and Avocations, at this troublesome Time, which I confess are not a justification of my Negligence, as they were the real Cause of it, will with your goodness of Disposition be allowed as an Excuse. In requesting my opinion,...
10From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 9 April 1813 (Adams Papers)
I cannot let my Son pass through Plimouth without stoping to inquire after your Health, and that of Your Family! Nor of asking You who have lived many years, and where observations and experience, must have excited in your mind, Reflections which ought not to terminate with your days— what is your opinion of the great and important events which are taking place in the civilized world? will...
11Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 24 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
The affliction under which you are now labouring has been protracted to a much longer period, than I feard when I first left America. It was then I Buried the Dear and amiable Youth, for whose loss your Maternal Bosom heaves the sad Sigh, and over whose urn, all who knew him must drop a tear of affectionate remembrance. Nor were the admonitions given in vain. The last visit which I made him, I...
12From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 19 August 1807 (Adams Papers)
“Pride of Talents and much Ambition were undoubtedly combined in the Character of the President, who immediately Succeeded General Washington” and these are represented as the most prominent features of his Character. Vol. 3. p. 393. Permit me Madam to ask the favour of you, to point out the Act or Word, which appeared to you to evince this Pride of Talents. I know not that I ever felt any...
13Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 27 August 1775 (Adams Papers)
It was with pleasure I received a line from my Friend to day informing me of her better Health. I was really anxious for her—more so on account of the great mortality which prevails around us. I arrived at my own habitation a fryday and found my family all well—a blessing which I hope will be continued to me. The peaceful tranquility of my own habitation was enhanced to me by a few Days...
14Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 10 May 1785 (Adams Papers)
I cannot let my son return to America without a few lines to you, nor will I doubt their being acceptable altho it is nine months since I left Home during all which time neither Mr. Adams or I have had the honour of receiving a line either from the General or your Ladyship, altho we have repeatedly written to you. Your Son who is resident in Lisbon and mine who has inhabited France have...
15From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 6 May 1785 (Adams Papers)
My Son would go home, very improperly without a Letter to M rs Warren, whose Virtues and Accomplishments his Father has so long admired. The Time is at length come in which the United States of America are to have a Minister at the Court of Great Britain. a time foretold by the Prophets and Seers, and Dreamers of Dreams but never, untill very lately Stedfastly believed by any to be so near at...
16Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 10 December 1778 (Adams Papers)
Nothing but a very bad soar finger has withheld my Hand from writing to my Friend, and telling her that I most sincerely sympathize with her in the late melancholy dispensation of providence towards her, an Event tho not unexpected yet when we are calld to the trial of resigning our dear Friends to the Grave Nature will recoil, and the Beleif of a Glorious immortality can only support the...
17From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 31 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I received, this day with great Pleasure your Favour of the Twelfth and fourteenth Instant —and was the more gratified with it, because it was dated from Watertown, where I wish my excellent Friend very constantly to reside, for the good of the Public and where consequently I wish you to be, because his Happiness will be promoted by it. The Graces and the Muses, will always inhabit with such...
18Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 4 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your obliging favour of Feb’ ry 27th. I have been so little a favorite of fortune, that I never once examined my Numbers by the News papers, or otherways, concluding that those who were equally interested would take proper care for me. as I had formd no expectations, I meet with no dissapointment, and am quite pleased that my adventure should be appropriated to the...
19From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 29 January 1783 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of the 25 of October never reached me till to day, but it has given me great Pleasure as your Letters always do.— I was disappointed however in finding no Line from M r Warren except the Superscription of yours. I assure you, Madam, what I Said about certain Annals was no Sarcasm. I have the Utmost Veneration for them, although I never was honoured with a Sight of any of them. Let...
20From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 26 December 1790 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I had the pleasure of receiving your favour of September the 24 th with an elegant copy of your poems dramatic and miscellaneous; for both which I pray you to accept my best thanks It is but a few days since we received three other copies addressed to me but without a letter or any other indication from whom or whence they came. As we were subscribers for the publication these might...
21Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 27 April 1776 (Adams Papers)
I set myself down to comply with my Friends request, who I think seem’s rather low spiritted. I did write last week, but not meeting with an early conveyance I thought the Letter of But little importance and tos’d it away. I acknowledg my Thanks due to my Friend for the entertainment she so kindly afforded me in the Characters drawn in her Last Letter, and if coveting my Neighbours Goods was...
22From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 1 November 1813 (Adams Papers)
I was so highly gratified with the visit from your Grandaughter that I could not leave her to write, knowing that She had determined to remain with me only two days She brought me your kind and Friendly Letter, which was doubly precious to me; as it gave me the assurance, that you had recoverd from an illness, which made me dread for several posts, to hear from plimouth. With a mind unimpared,...
23Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 14 May 1787 (Adams Papers)
I have lately been reading Mrs Montague’s essays upon the Genious and writings of shakspear, and I am so well pleased with them; that I take the Liberty of presenting them to you. The Lady is still living, a widow, and possessd of an ample fortune, without any children, she has a Nephew who bears the same name and has lately been returnd a member to parliament. I should have wished to have...
24Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 25 January 1775 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you last Sabbeth evening in a good deal of pertubation of Spirits. I fear I did wrong in sending it you; I then promised to acquaint you with the result as soon as I knew it. Mr. Adams returnd a monday night in order to Relieve me from my apprehensions. It does not appear that there was any premediated design to raise a Tumult. An officer very drunk sallied forth, and was seen in that...
25From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 11 July 1813 (Adams Papers)
I received your obliging favour, with the Letters inclosed, and was gratified that the Sentiments which they contain’d met your cordial approbation, and exited congenial feelings in the Bosoms of your Sons—if I may judge from the marks which distinguish them— I have indeed great cause for pleasure and Satisfaction, in the ability, integrity, and fidelity with which my Son has devoted himself...
26From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 10 September 1783 (Adams Papers)
It is but a very few days, Since I received your Letter of the 4. of May, which affored me, as your Letters always do, a delicious Entertainment. Your friendly Congratulations, on the Success of my feeble Efforts, are very agreable to me, and very obliging. You Say that I shall never retire, till weary Nature diminishes my Capacity of acting in dignified difficulty.— Give me leave to say, that...
27Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 3 February 1775 (Adams Papers)
The die is cast. Yesterday brought us such a Speach from the Throne as will stain with everlasting infamy the reign of G e orge the 3 determined to carry into Execution “the acts passd by the late parliment, and to Mantain the authority of the Legislature over all his dominions.” The reply of the house of commons and the house of Lords shew us the most wicked and hostile measures will be...
28From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 26 September 1775 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour, by my Friend Collins, never reached me till this Evening. At Newport, concluding to go by Water, he put it into the Post office, least it Should meet with a Fate as unfortunate as Some others. I call them unfortunate after the manner of Men for, altho they went into Hands which were never thought of by the Writer, and notwithstanding all the unmeaning Noise that has been made...
29Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 12 February 1783 (Adams Papers)
Indeed my dear Madam my omiting writing to you by my son was not oweing to the abrupt manner of your closeing your Friendly Billet which was sufficiently apoligized for by the counsel you employed with all that Eloquence which ever distinguishes him in a female Cause—but to the sudden proposal of Master Charles who no sooner determined to visit Milton than he executed it—and as I had not time...
30From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 9 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
It is not long Since I received your Favour of the 24 of July—and a wandering unsettled Life, have prevented me hitherto from answering it. Be assured Madam that my Friends are not so good Correspondents as you think them. You may almost always take it for granted that I am uninformed, and that every Piece of Information from home will be agreable and Usefull to me. I wish Success to the Act...