61John Adams to Abigail Adams, 18 December 1778 (Adams Papers)
This Moment I had, what shall I say? the Pleasure or the pain of your Letter of 25 of Octr. As a Letter from my dearest Freind it gave me a pleasure that it would be in vain to attempt to describe: but the Complaints in it gave me more pain than I can express—this is the third Letter I have recd. in this complaining style. the former two I have not answer’d.—I had Endeavour’d to answer them.—I...
62James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 12 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have the Mortification of being obliged to tell the amiable Portia that the Council of Pensylvania will not grant a partial Exportation of Flour from their State while the general Embargo lasts: So that I cannot soon have the Pleasure of executing the Commission which that lovely Woman has entrusted to me. The State of Massachusetts Bay will have the Direction of a Quantity out of which the...
63John Adams to Abigail Adams, 3 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
Having just heard of a Small Brig bound directly from Nantes to Boston, I write you, one Line. The day before Yesterday, I had a letter from your Uncle S mith by Way of Amsterdam, 26 February. I should advise you to embrace these Opportunities by Way of Spain and Holland, otherwise I shall very seldom hear from you. There are a full Bushell of Letters from me, and your share is among them, on...
64Elizabeth Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams, 5 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
Your kind Letter by Cousin Tufts was a pleasing and fresh proof of your Goodsense, Piety of Heart, sweetness of Disposition, and greatness of Mind, which renders you the Object not only of my tenderest Love, but of my veneration. It convinced me that you were actuated by those principles of Virtue which every One should endeavour to cultivate in their own Bosoms, if they wish to enjoy Peace...
65John Adams to Abigail Adams, February 1779 (Adams Papers)
You are uneasy that I dont write enough. I understand you. You want me to unravel to you all the Mysteries of the Poli ti cks of Europe, and all the Intrigues of Courts. This would make Madam a Lady of Consequence no doubt and enable her to shine in a Circle of Politicians of Either sex.—But in the first Place I dont understand them—in the next if I did I would give the English Leave to laugh...
66Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 15 March 1779 (Adams Papers)
If anything would awake the sleeping Muses or Call Back the Wandering Deities the Imagery of this Delightful Morn (when the hand of Nature has Decorated Every twig with spangles of peculiar Brilioncy) joined with the Repeated Request of my friend would not fail to do it. The subject you point out Requires Heroics. But Alas, Clio is Deaf, perhaps irrecoverably stunned till the Noise of War...
67Enclosure In: James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 5 June 1779 (Adams Papers)
1 Nankin Jacket 1 Brown Coat 1 Flannel Drawers 1 Shirt 2 Stocks 1 Pr. Thread Stockings 1 Pr. Worstead Stockings 1 Beaver Hatt 1 Straw Hatt 6 Packets of Papers 1 Raisor Case with 2 whole & 1 broken Razor 1 Letter Book, Manuscript 1 Printed Book latin 1 small Pamphlet 1 Shoe Brush As to the Nankin Jacket it happens most accurately to fit me in the Length and Width, and, having two Pair of B——’s...
68John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 21 August 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have the pleasure of informing You, that Mr. Dana this day recieved a letter from Mr. A dams of the 17th. of this Month, who was well with his two Sons at Amsterdam. He thinks the Air of the Low Countries not so salubrious as that of France. They have too many Canals and too much stagnant Water there to make it the most healthy Spot in the World: The Air and Climate of this Country are...
69Jean de Neufville & Son to Abigail Adams, 2 September 1780 (Adams Papers)
May we begg leave to offer our Respects to your Excellency, and to enclose here the list of some particulars His Excellency favourd us with the honour to procure, and which we hope may prove to satisfaction, or if any thing may be wanting, which never will be owing to the least inattention; we most frendly begg to be guided by your Ladyships instructions for the future; and we will pay the...
70Abigail Adams to John Thaxter, 12 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
My spirits are rather low, I do not feel in any great moode for useing my pen, yet I cannot let this opportunity slip without expressing my concern for your Health. The Humour you complain of, is a sad compound I fear, among the ingredients the Salt Rhume is of the most obstinate and inveterate kind as I can assure you by sad experience. I have tried many things with little or no Effect. Where...
71John Adams to Abigail Adams, 23 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
The Children made me a Visit to day, and went with me to dine with my old Friends the two Abbys, whom you have often heard me mention, Chalut and Arnoux, who desire me to mention them to you in my Letters as devoted Friends of America, and particular Friends to me and to you, notwithstanding the difference of Religion. The Children are still in good Health, and Spirits and well pleased with...
72Abigail Adams to John Adams, 18 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
At length my anxiety is relieved and the happy happy tidings of your arrival and safety in France has reachd my Ears and blessd my Eyes. By an English paper taken in a prize and carried into Salem, under the Paris News there is mention made of my Dearest Friends arrival at the abode of the venerable Dr. Frankling.—What have I not suffered for this month past? The Fear of your being finally...
73John Adams to Abigail Adams, 27 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
The House of Joseph Guardoqui and Sons of Bilbao, have sent you some necessaries to the Amount of about 200 Dollars, by Captain Babson of N ewbury Port, belonging to Mr. Tracy, and I have ordered them to send duplicates and Triplicates, by other good Opportunities. I have also written to Mr. Moylan of L’orient to send all the Things of which you gave me Minutes, for yourself, Mr. W ibird , M....
74Abigail Adams to John Adams, 10 December 1779 (Adams Papers)
I will not omit any opportunity of writing tho ever so great an uncertainty whether it will ever reach your Hand. My Unkle Smith has a vessel bound to Calis, he advises me to write, and I most willingly comply tho my Faith in the conveyance is but poor—indeed I have lost my Faith with my Spirits. My Friends assure me from their observations that you must have had a good passage. God grant it I...
75Abigail Adams to John Adams, 13 December 1778 (Adams Papers)
By the alliance (a fine frigate Built in Newbury port commanded by Capt. Laundry a Native of France ) I hope this will reach you and by her you will have a good opportunity of conveying any thing you please to me. I have wrote so often and met with so little encouragement by a return that if I really believed one half you wrote, reachd my Hands I should through my pen aside as an impertinent...
76Abigail Adams to John Adams, 27 December 1778 (Adams Papers)
How lonely are my days? How solitary are my Nights? Secluded from all Society but my two Little Boys, and my domesticks, by the Mountains of snow which surround me I could almost fancy myself in Greenland. We have had four of the coldest Days I ever knew, and they were followed by the severest snow storm I ever remember, the wind blowing like a Hurricane for 15 or 20 hours renderd it imposible...
77James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 13 June 1780 (Adams Papers)
I will not omit to acknowledge by this Post the Receipt of your Letter of the 24th. Ulto. because I can in some measure afford you Satisfaction in Regard to what Mr. A dams mentioned to both of us. On the 31st. of May Doctr. F ranklin was directed to pay the Draughts of Mr. A and Mr. D ana to the Amount of their respective Salaries. I will on Friday send you an authentic Resolve which you can...
78John Adams to Abigail Adams, 23 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
A very idle, vain Conversation, at a Dinner, has produced you this Letter from a venerable old Lady, in this Neighbourhood, the Wife of Monsr. Grand the Banker. As the Subject was introduced, and according to the turn that the Conversation really took, there was not so much Vanity and Ostentation on my Part, as you will suspect from her Account of it. But as I speak french very imperfectly and...
79John Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Austin has at last arrived—he dined with me, Yesterday and today. He has been taken, and been to London and from thence to Amsterdam. All his Letters to me from Congress, the Council and my friends, he cast into the Sea.—What a Loss!—Oh how I regret it! But he brought from Amsterdam, yours of 26 Feb.—but how was I mortified, to find that you had not received my Letters from Ferrol and...
80Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
Writing is not A la mode de Paris, I fancy or sure I should have heard from my son; or have you wrote and have I been so unfortunate as to lose all the Letters which have been written to me for this five months. I have sufferd great anxiety in not hearing from your pappa, or you. I hope you have not been so unlucky in those Letters sent to you. I want to know your situation, what proficiency...
81John Adams to Abigail Adams, 15 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
I inclose for your Amusement, a Publication, made here within a few days. Somebody has inserted in the Amsterdam Gazette, that this Gentleman lodges with me. This is done with a political design, but whether it was intended to do honour to me, or him or both, I dont know.—It is not true.—However there is a good Understanding between him and me, and therefore I did not trouble myself to enquire...
82John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 11 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
I Now Sit Down to inform You That I have Safely arrived at Paris which we Did on Wednesday evening when We went to 3 hotels Before we could Procure a Lodging which we Did for 2 days the next Morning we Went To a place Calld Passy where we found Dr franklin his Son and some other Gentlemen where we stayd about an hour when Mr. Deanes son and another Gentleman and I Went about the City which we...
83James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 9 March 1779 (Adams Papers)
It is hardly necessary that I should tell the amiable Portia of my having within 4 days received a letter from her worthy Husband, as the date is no later than Sepr. 26, and Capt. Bradford mentions having received others, doubtless later and inclosing some for you. We have this Morning also received one from him (Mr. A.) dated Sepr. 7th. At the Time I received the first mentioned Congress had...
84Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 8 April 1779 (Adams Papers)
So I must Give up my Little Companion, my Young Friend. Your Claim is prior, your Title Cannot be Contested, but Remember she is not all your own : how apt are we to think we hold all our Blessings by a tenure of right, and Grow fretful when they are Resumed by the first proprietor. But I took not up my pen to Moralize. Nor will I hold it Long: and were I to Judge by the very sparing Returns...
85Abigail Adams to John Adams, 3 September 1780 (Adams Papers)
By a Vessel of my unkles bound to Bilboa I write you a few lines, and commit them to the care of our Friends Gardoqui to whom I have written for a few small Articles, and desired them to draw upon you for pay, but the demand will not amount to more than 20 dollors I think. Tho I have been so unfortunate as to have my Trunk left in France, and the Alliance arrive safe here without it, to the no...
86Abigail Adams to John Quincy and Charles Adams, 26 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
I am happy to hear of your safe arrival tho not at the port, I wished to hear you were. You will however have a more extensive opportunity of seeing that part of the world, if you travel by land to France. I wrote you largely by Mr. Austin which I hope you have received. A very soar hand prevents my writing many things which I have in my mind, and which will be committed to paper as soon as I...
87William Tudor to Abigail Adams, 26 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
I inclose £23:3:10—Twenty Pounds, seventeen Shillings being the Amount of the Account against Mr. Hancock—and two Pounds six Shillings & ten Pence the Difference in favour of Mr. Adams on Settlement With Mrs. Turell. Turells Account as You will see by the Account and Receipt herewith sent being £6 10s. 6d. His Note with Interest was £8 17s. 4d. Be pleased to credit Mr. Hancock in the Books for...
88John Adams to Abigail Adams, 28 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have sent you, one yard of fine Cambrick, at 14 Livres an Ell, two of a coarser sort at 6 Livres an Ell. Eight India Handkerchiefs at 6 Livres each and three of another stamp at 6 Livres a Piece. These seem monstrous dear, but I could not get them cheaper. If the Marquis should make you a Visit You will treat him with all Distinction that is due to his Merit and Character, as well as his...
89Abigail Adams to Mary Middleton Lovell, 12 December 1779 (Adams Papers)
The enclosed Letter I send to your care. The triffel which accompanies it I ask your acceptance of. I only wish that my ability was equal to the desire I have of serving you. But merrit like yours and that with which you are connected must look for its reward beyond this transitory scene where more permanant Blessings await it, than the gratitude of mortals can bestow. I sympathize with you in...
90Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 13 December 1779 (Adams Papers)
Enclosed I return according to your direction a duplicate Number of the journals. Number 29 is missing. I do not fully understand you when you say that I must not keep any of the pages 78. Do you mean that I must return them to you or forward them to Mr. Adams. I have no journals left but part of 75 and 76. All that Mr. Adams could find or procure of a later date he took with him; I read the...