14631John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams 2d, 17 May 1785 (Adams Papers)
Our winds are now contrary, and as they changed with the moon they may be three weeks as they are; which would by no means be mon compte . I am not sorry however that they have come round, because, I shall not lose my Letters from Paris, which I should have regretted extremely, if I had been obliged to leave them. When I went to see Mr. Barclay yesterday, he told me to have my baggage carried...
14632From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 16 July 1821 (Adams Papers)
I received this morning your Letter from Wilmington, delighted to learn that you had got well on thus far—I send this to catch you at New-York—We are all as comfortably well as we can be without you—Antoine seems pretty well recovered. I got a Letter from W. S. Smith off Cape Henry, dated the 8th. Catherine had had a spice of Sea Sickness and got over it—W. D. Robinson by missing time had...
14633Tuesday 18th. (Adams Papers)
Felt better to day. We all dined at home to day. We expect to set out for Bayonne on Thursday. Nothing remarkable to day.
14634John Quincy Adams to William Cranch, 27 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
I should have answered your last favour, ere this [but in?] [conse]quence of the information you gave me, I went to Haverhill [last?] Thursday and returned but the day before yesterday. Regularly the Sunday is my scribbling day, but as there are several opportunities for sending at present, I [can]not suffer the week to pass over without noticing you, and must there fore [steal?] an hour or...
1463526th. (Adams Papers)
At home as usual all the evening. Read a little in Gibbon; wrote in the same slavish way as I have done now for more than three years. But I feel dull, and low spirited. I have neither, that insatiable ambition, nor that ardor for pursuing the means to gratify it, which not long ago, was an argument which my vanity offered my mind, to prove, that if life should be given me, it would not be, to...
1463611th. (Adams Papers)
A fresh breeze, and good wind, at about 11 o’clock, we spy’d a sail, and at ¾ after 12 we spoke to her. Found her to be an English Schooner from New York, bound to Jamaica. She left New York five days ago, and they suppose her at 69d. 40m. Longitude meridian of London which is two degrees, thirty minutes, west from Paris. Our Captain supposes us, at 72d. 55m. from Paris: which makes 45...
14637From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 21 November 1814 (Adams Papers)
Mr: Nichols who gave the promissary note of which I now enclose the duplicate saild in the Chauncy from Ostend for Newyork on the first of this month—By the same Vessel I wrote you a Letter of which the within is a copy, and conformably to which I wish you to obtain payment and so dispose of the money. I retain the triplicate in my own hand, of the note, and request you to give me notice as...
1463816th. (Adams Papers)
The most violent snow storm, that has appeared in the course of the winter, it began in the night, and continued, all this day. In the evening it cleared up. Townsend was not out. Amory and I dined with Mr. Parsons. Captain Hodge likewise was of the company. I wrote a Letter in the afternoon; or rather part of a Letter to W. Cranch. From the office, we went, and pass’d an hour with Mrs....
1463913. (Adams Papers)
Went to Milton. Put up books.
14640To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 2 January 1814 (Adams Papers)
The last Letters I have had the pleasure of receiving from you are those of 1. and 2. July, and excepting them and others of the same period, from my Mother and Brother, I have nothing from America dated later than June—The Communications are now nearly annihilated, and but for the return of the Gentlemen who came out here on the extraordinary Mission, and that of their companions I should be...
14641From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 14 July 1826 (Adams Papers)
We arrived on Wednesday Evening at Boston, and yesterday Morning came out here. The weather until last Evening was the very extremity of the Season, but has now turned cool—All here are well—George came out with us from Boston—You have doubtless received the Letters from Mr Quincy and from George, written after my fathers decease, and have seen the copy of my father’s will—I propose to accept...
14642From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 29 July 1821 (Adams Papers)
Your two Letters of Journal from New-York were duly received and afforded me much amusement—The illness of the Coachman came so mal àpropos, that I believe you determined upon the best thing that could be done, including to go in a Packet to Providence—I hope you have long before this safely arrived at Quincy, and that the health of all has been recruited by the Journey. Among the Strangers...
14643Tuesday 25th. (Adams Papers)
Set away at about 9 o clock. At about half after 9 began to Snow. Snow’d 2 hours. Went 45 miles to day.
1464430th. (Adams Papers)
I went up to the office, in the morning, and sat a couple of hours; but I felt restless and dissipated: I could not study, and therefore walk’d down in town and saunter’d about. Dined with G. Bradbury and Charles at Mr. Hooper’s. He is very sanguine in his hopes for the adoption of the Constitution. Pass’d the evening at Mr. Bradbury’s. Dr. Smith and all his family were there. We had some...
14645From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 30 November 1811 (Adams Papers)
Although since I last wrote to my brother, on the 6th: instt: we have neither received a line from America, nor had an opportunity of transmitting a letter to any place from which it could be dispatched to you; yet remembering my engagement never to suffer a month to pass without writing at least once to you, and once to him, and perceiving that as it applies to you, I am within one day of a...
146466th. (Adams Papers)
We met in the evening at Putnam’s chamber. I did not pass my time so agreeably as I usually do these evenings. Townsend and Amory were there, and instead of devoting our hours to free and unrestrained conversation, we lost them in playing on the violin, and flute. Between 9 and 10 we retired.
14647To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 3 November 1804 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you a few lines from New-York, enclosing a copy of Commodore Morris’s Defence, for Mr: Shaw—The day after which I left that City and came on multum jactatus mare et terris—to Philadelphia in the Land Stage, and thence to Baltimore by the way of Newcastle and Frenchtown; chiefly by water—a mode of conveyance to me much more agreeable than that of a Stage Coach over the chaotic roads on...
146483. (Adams Papers)
Cicero de Senectute. Getting well. Cicero’s Cato Major de Senectute , or Essay on Old Age.
14649From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 30 January 1813 (Adams Papers)
Another month is drawing to a close, since I last wrote you, and I remain without a line from you or form any of my friends in America—The last Letters from you that I have received are dated in April of the last year. But as opportunities for writing to you, still occur, and at least as frequently as they did during the Winter Season before the War; and as the Americans who are returning home...
14650To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 27 June 1795 (Adams Papers)
I received two or three days since your favours of March 26. April 21. and 26. all together, and I know not how to express the pleasure they gave me. The first and dearest of all my wishes is personally to give satisfaction and obtain the approbation of my parents, and in a public capacity to justify the confidence placed in me by the appointment I now hold. This wish is in both parts so...
1465120th. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Parsons went yesterday to Boston, to attend the supreme Judicial Court. This evening I past with Thompson, at Mrs. Emery’s. Miss Smith and Miss Putnam were there. We play’d cards about an hour; after which Miss Emery play’d us a number of tunes very agreeably upon the harpsichord. I had another match with Miss Putnam at complimenting, and succeeded tolerably well.
14652From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 9 September 1814 (Adams Papers)
Mr Smith and his family have arrived at Amsterdam; I have received a Letter from him dated on the 5th: instt: and have written to him, requesting him to come with them, immediately here. They got into the Texel on the very day that the John Adams sailed, and by the account which he writes me, were entering at one passage, while she was going out at the other—He did not however go on shore at...
14653Wednesday 26th. (Adams Papers)
Prepared everything for the journey. In the afternoon pappa went to Dr. Franklin’s for a Passport. At this time American ministers were empowered to issue passports to Americans traveling in the country to which they were accredited ( Adams Family Correspondence Adams Family Correspondence , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1963- . , 4:xv ).
14654John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 3 February 1781 (Adams Papers)
I yesterday received your’s of the 31st of Jany. in whic you desir’d me to write you a few lines now and then to inform you of my progress in Literature. I have just finish’d Copying a Treatise upon Greek by Mr. Hemsterhuis which our master has been so good as to lend me. It is very rare and there are but very few exemples of it here, and I believe that you would be very much pleas’d with it....
1465510th. (Adams Papers)
Pass’d the evening and supped with Thompson at Dr. Sawyer’s. Mr. Russell was there: he came from Portsmouth this morning and returns to Boston with Mrs. Hay, to’morrow. We play’d Quadrill. Mr. Farnham took an hand; and is skilled, in all the trifling conversation of a card-table. Every one, it is said possesses his peculiar excellence. Mr. Farnham’s talent lies in the science of politeness. He...
1465627. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Parsons went to Boston. Wrote. Mr. Cabot &c.
14657Sunday [9th.] (Adams Papers)
Dined at Dr. Jebbs. John Jebb , doctor of medicine, encyclopedic scholar, and a thoroughgoing supporter of America from the outset of the quarrel between England and her colonies. JA described him as a man “for whom I have the highest Esteem; as one of the best Citizens of the little Commonwealth of the just upon Earth” (Caroline Robbins, The Eighteenth-Century Commonwealthman ..., Cambridge,...
14658John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 20 February 1796 (Adams Papers)
By the present opportunity, I send you a few pamphets which may give you some entertainment in the perusal, and newspapers from which you will collect the current intelligence. For my own part I have been here so long in idleness that I have almost entirely doff’d the world aside and bad it pass.— You will observe in the papers a pretended preliminary convention for a pacification between...
1465918. (Adams Papers)
Training. Unwell out of spirits. Foster.
146606th. (Adams Papers)
Very cold this morning, Freeman went for Ipswich. Mr. Andrews called upon us in the afternoon. I got through Montesquieu’s spirit Laws; and I much admire the author’s penetration, in discovering the origin, and causes of diverse Laws in diverse Countries, and in the same Country, at different periods. His ideas of the principles, upon which the different forms of government are founded, appear...