41From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 27 February 1811 (Adams Papers)
As I read the Essays of The elegant Botanist as when they appeared in the Monthly Anthology, with much pleasure, I am very glad to learn from your kind Letter of the 25th that they are to appear together in a Volume. If our dear Countrymen had loved one another as well as Some of them do England and Scotland and if our Mecenas’s encouraged American Litterature as much as they do Scottish; this...
42From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 29 March 1811 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of the 25th is received. I feel much at my Ease under the Lash: as much as Epictetus when he told his Master torturing his Leg “You will break it,” and as much more So as I have not fear of having the Leg broken. As to your “concern of Mind” I advise you to be very deliberate, and weigh all Things as they will affect yourself, your Family your Friends Your Country and Mankind; and...
43From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 11 June 1811 (Adams Papers)
In your favour of the 9th of this month, you request a Copy of the first page of your Letter to me, “about a month since.” How time flies? Your Month has been three months. You have been so happy that three months have appeared but one. The Copy you desire is as follows. Cambridge March 12 1811 Dear Sir I here Send for your Perusal The Preface to the Botanist. The Publisher has print off a few...
44From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 5 July 1811 (Adams Papers)
The K. of modern Babilon, mentioned in your Letter of the 2d, who was become as a Beast, and whose Kingdom was taken from him, because of the hardness of his heart: is not so beautiful an Animal as the Taureau blanc of Voltaire and it is to be feared will never be restored from his Brutality to his Humanity like him. The Layman I think cannot disguise himself from me, unless he Studies hard to...
45From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 12 July 1811 (Adams Papers)
The Charge of “Change of Politicks” hinted in your Letter of the 8th, deserves no other answer than this, “ The Hyperfederalists are become Jacobins, and The Hyperrepublicans are become Federalists . ” John Adams remains Semper Idem, both Federalist and Republican in every rational and intelligible Sense of both those Words. What shall I say of Mr Dexter? Rara Avis in Terris nigroque Similima...
46From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 15 September 1811 (Adams Papers)
I receive no Letters with So much pleasure as yours and Rushes. The Shortest of them always contains Something new and Solid; Some thing witty and a good deal that his humerous. How many more hot Nutts for the Monkeys you will See, I know not. They will lie, and laugh and joke: but they will not make much Noise, because that might provoke Some of their own Party to peep at the Patriot which...
47From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 3 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
A Visit from you my good Friend, would be a cordial, and if honoured by His Honour would raise my Spirit as high as they are capable of rising: but the demands of his time and attention, from private and public affairs are constantly so urgent, that I wonder not at your disappointments. I am able to give you little or no Satisfaction, in answer to your Inquiries. I know of no Authority given...
48From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 12 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
What is common Law in England has been Subject to disputes enough. In Blackstones Commentaries and Fortescue Alands Preface to his Reports you may find the most intelligible Account. In general, Usage from time immemorial practiced and approved, is the Criterion It is denied by many and doubted by more whether The United States have any common Law There may be some Principles and Rules of Law...
49From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 11 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
In answer to your Letter of the Eighth I can only say that Societies Since as I have never been of any Use to any of our learned Societies Since their Institution, except perhaps in a present of Books to one of them. I should be extremely unhappy to have reason to suspect that I had done them any harm. My Course of Life and perpetual Avocations have been such that I never could turn my...
50From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 11 March 1812 (Adams Papers)
The tumultuous Crowd of Thoughts that rushed into my head as I read your Letter of Yesterday, would appear as gross a Chaos and as wild an Anarchy, if it could be described in Writing; as the Politicks of our Commonwealth appear to you, as described in your Letter. If I hint at Some of them, I shall Study no Tacticks to marshall them in order. 1. In the first place, I absolutely forbid that...