31Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, January 1777 (Adams Papers)
Tis so long since I took a pen up to write a line that I fear you have thought me unmindfull of you; I should not have neglected writing to you immediately upon the receipt of your obliging favour especially as you was then under great anxiety. My Eyes ever since the small pox have been great Sufferers. Writing puts them to great pain.—I now congratulate my Friend upon the Recovery of her...
32Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 24 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have been hoping every day since I received your obliging favour to get time to thank you for it, but many avocations some from company some from family affairs have prevented. I have not wrote only to my counterpart since; from whom I have received two Letters since you left me. The last was 7 of july, and wrote in better spirits than any I have received since his absence, and gave me...
33Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 8 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
No, my dear Madam, not affronted I hope; you did not say so with a good grace, the only time I ever knew you miss it in my life. Yet by recalling your son so soon, I believe you a little out of the Way. I thought you would have spaird him longer, and given me a little time to have wrote you a Letter. Now I shall only scribble you a line, not worth your worrying your Eyes to read. You have...
34Abigail Adams 2d to Mercy Otis Warren, 5 September 1784 (Adams Papers)
I should have availed myself, Madam, of your permission to write you, ere this, had an opportunity presented. I now have the pleasure to present myself to you from Auteuil, a few miles from Paris, where we are, and expect to reside some time. Mr. Charles is ere this, I hope, quite recovered from his indisposition, and that health smiles again through your habitation. I had the pleasure of...
35From 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...
36From 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...
37From 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...
38From 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,...
39From 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...
40From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 21 February 1814 (Adams Papers)
I have been for near two months confined to my chamber, and much of that time unable to write or read or my pen would not have been So long dorment. when I had but partially recoverd, my best Friend was taken Sick with a Similar complaint of the Lungs and fever, which has so affected his Eyes that, as yet he can only write a few lines at a time, and those with pain th my dear Madam join our...
41From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 5 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
I most sincerely sympathize with you, and the bereved distrest Family at Washington. in the dispensation of heaven which has broken assunder the last paternal ligament; and left you the only Surviveing pillar, of the once numerous Edifice. To us, who in the course of nature expect, and hope to joint the Spirits of the just; are consolations, which to the bereved widow; and Children, are more...
42From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, September 1813 (Adams Papers)
your kind and sympathetic Letter demands my thanks and receives my gratitude—my own loss is not to be estimated by words and can only be alleiviated by the consoling beleif that my dear Child is partakeing of that Life and immortality brought to Light by him who endured the cross and is gone before to prepare a place for those who Love him, & keep his commandments. her patience Submission and...
43From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 8 August 1813 (Adams Papers)
I cannot let my Son visit Plimouth without bearing a few lines to my old Friend who has always taken a kind interest in the welfare of my dear Daughter Smith, who reached here a fortnight Since with her Sister Son and daughter, but So helpless in her Limbs as not to be able to walk across the Room, obliged to be carried in a chair from the Chamber to the Carriage—If this was all the melancholy...
44From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 9 August 1812 (Adams Papers)
After I returnd from your hospitable Mansion where the scenes of former days were pleasin g ly renewd I had the Subjects of contraversy between two ancient Friends and upon a review—I must Candedly Say that I judged both in the wrong, and am certain if personal intercourse from unavoidable circumstances had not been obstructed, neither party would so have judged, or so have written— I was can...
45From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 14 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your kind inquiries after my Daughter Smith. She is, and has been as well, the Physicians Say, as any one could expect, after Such an Operation, as She has endured—to me it was agonizing—She Sustaind it with firmness, and fortitude The wound has been intirely healed for this month, but the mussels from the Arm, which communicate with the part affected, were necessarily laid So...
46From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 9 March 1807 (Adams Papers)
To your kind and friendly Letter I fully designd an immediate replie, but a Severe attack of a rheumatick complaint in my Head has confined me to my Chamber for Several weeks and renderd me unable to hold a pen. tho recovering from it, my head Still feels crakd: Shatterd I am Sure it is—you will therefore pardon any inaccuracy I may commit. my Health which you so kindly inquire after, has been...
47From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 30 December 1812 (Adams Papers)
I will not Suffer the year to close upon me without noticeing your repeated favours and thanking you for them—so long as we inhabit this Earth and possess any of our faculties we must do feel for our fee posterity for our Friends and our Country—personally We have arived so near the close of the drama that we shall feel but few of those evils which await others, (we have past through one...
48From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 5 September 1813 (Adams Papers)
Your kind and Sympathetic Letter demands my thanks, and receives my gratitude. My own loss is not to be estimated by words—and can only be alleviated by the consoling beleif that my Dear Daughter is partakeing of that Life and immortality brought to light by him, who endured the cross; and is gone before to prepare a place; for those who Love him and keep his commandments. Her patience...
49From Abigail Smith Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 31 December 1809 (Adams Papers)
Standing as we do upon the confines of the other world, you at the age of four-score, and I at three score and near a half, no other sentiment ought to posses our Bosoms but those of benevolence and good will towards each other. A Friendship upon my part was instilled into my mind by one who knew you earlier in life and who estimated your virtues, and talents as they justly deserved— And from...
50From 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...
51From 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...
52From 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...
53From 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...
54From 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,...
55From 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...
56From 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,...
57From 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...
58From 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...
59From 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...
60From 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...