181Abigail Adams to William Smith Shaw, 25 January 1799 (Adams Papers)
I thank you my dear Nephew for your last agreable Letter. you have too sensible and feeling a heart not to participate in the pleasure which the Return of your cousin gives to his Parents and Friends. your account of his reception from his Father was too tender and interesting to my Heart, not to flow to my Eyes; I hope you will derive both instruction and improvement from him. you have a mind...
182Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 30 October 1791 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you upon my journey whilst I was at Brookfield the sunday after I left you and was sorry to find by your Letter, that you had not received it. I wrote to you from N york but have been so engaged in moveing, & so embarressd with company in the midst of it, tho only a complimentary call, that I have had scarcly a moment that I could call my own. it was kind in you [to l]et mr Cranch...
183Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 15 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have not written a line to you for a long time; yet scarcly an hour of the day passes in which you are not present to my mind; I fear my last Letters were captured the ship, captain scott, was taken by the French. you will think me more tardy than I have really been. by the date of this you will see where I am. it was not my intention to have come here untill the Fall of the Year. I expected...
184Abigail Adams to John Adams, 20 September 1776 (Adams Papers)
I sit down this Evening to write you, but I hardly know what to think about your going to N.Y.—The Story has been told so many times, and with circumstances so perticuliar that I with others have given some heed to it tho my not hearing any thing of it from you leaves me at a loss. Yours of Sepbr. 4 came to hand last Night, our Worthy unkle is a constant attendant upon the Post office for me...
185Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Gray Otis, post 15 December 1801 (Adams Papers)
I received with great pleasure your kind Letter of December 15. I regreeted that I had not the pleasure of a visit from you before you left this part of the Country. old Friends and old wine are always valuable, they both tend to exhilirate the Spirits; and to enliven the declining part of Life: tho I am not particuliarly attachd to the latter, the first Stand foremost in my estimation. Some...
186Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 6 July 1787 (Adams Papers)
If I had thought you would so soon have Sent for your dear little Girl, I should have been tempted to have kept her arrival here, from you a secret. I am really loth to part with her, and she last evening upon petit’s arrival, was thrown into all her former distresses, and bursting into Tears, told me it would be as hard to leave me, as it was her Aunt Epps. She has been so often deceived that...
187Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 4 October 1789 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you a Letter last week, but as it did not get to the Post office, I have detaind it with an intention of sending you one of a later date. I believe I have received all your Letters. your last was dated Sep br 8th I have not written to any of my Friends so often as I ought to. you know very well that when a person is fixed to any particular spot, that very few subjects worth...
188Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 6 February 1798 (Adams Papers)
I was very anxious to receive a Letter from you this morning, and Betsy was wishing yet dreading to hear from her sister. that she yet lives, is some hope for to build upon. mr Brisler has just brought your Letter from the office dated 29 th Jan’ ry I believe I have written you every week, but fancy the Ice may have prevented the post from arriving. I wish Polly was where you could often see...
189Abigail Adams to John Adams, 31 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I do not feel easy more than two days together without writing to you. If you abound you must lay some of the fault upon yourself, who have made such sad complaints for Letters, but I really believe I have wrote more than all my Sister Delegates. Their is nothing new transpired since I wrote you last, but the sailing of some transports, and 5 deserters having come into our camp. One of them is...
190Abigail Adams to John Adams, 31 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
With my borrowed Money I have just paid the collector my tax Bill. I have the satisfaction to know that I did not borrow it to pay any expences of my own creating, but having been twice before call’d upon, I could not submit to a third, without discharging it. I have not any Letter from you of a later date than the 17 th nor do I expect to get an other untill the 4 th of April. the weather is...
191Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 25 January 1791 (Adams Papers)
You must not flatter yourself with the expectation of hearing from Colonel Smith until the February packet arrives. It is as soon as you ought to think of it. You see by the papers, that a minister is in nomination from England, and Mrs. C—— writes, will come out soon. Mrs. P——, from whom I received a letter, writes me by the last packet, that Mr. Friere is certainly appointed from Portugal,...
192Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 13 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
I begin my Letter by saying that mr Cranch was so much better on the 7th, the date of mrs Johnsons last Letter, as to conclude to go to the Court the next day— I would not make a long preparation to allarm or distress you, or write you a word upon the subject untill mrs Johnsons 2 d Letter came for I would not have you feel as I did, upon reading the first part of hers of the 4 of july. upon...
193Abigail Adams to John Thaxter, 19 August 1778 (Adams Papers)
I really began to feel very uneasy at your long Silence and feared Sickness or some disaster had befallen you. I have been a journey, and absent about a fortnight as far as Haverhill, and upon my return I expected to have found Letters in Town, for so long a Space has not intervened since your absence, but to my no small dissapointment I could not hear any thing from you, but I will not...
194Abigail Adams to John Adams, 15 June 1795 (Adams Papers)
I have regularly received Your Letters and thank you for them. I have read the pamphlets. the Bone has much good natured Witt, contains many painfull facts, & Shows in a strong light what manner of Spirit actuates the pretended Patriots. the writer has in some places taken, a poetical Licence I have not offerd it where I am. Society and Interest and dissapointed ambition will have their...
195Abigail Adams to John Adams, 28 March 1796 (Adams Papers)
Captain Beal was in Boston on Saturday and he prevaild on the post master to let him take up the Saturday Mail by which means I got those Letters which ought to have come on thursday Letters of the 11 th 12 th 13 15 & 16 th . the greatest comfort which I derived from them, was hearing that you were well. the prospect of sitting till June is not a very agreable one, and the cause less so. What...
196Abigail Adams to Elizabeth Cranch, 8 May 1785 (Adams Papers)
Yes my dear Neice, it was a Ceremony that one must study Some time to find out either utility or pleasure in it. I own tho I made one in the procession I could not help feeling foolish as I was parading first up one side of a very wide road, for a mile and half and then turning, and following down a vast number of Carriages upon the other as slow as if you was attending a funeral. By this...
197Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 15 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I know not how it is, but I always feel more spirits when I take my pen to write to you, than to any one else; I received a friendly Letter from dr Rush. the Good Gentleman endeavours to do away all the suspis he so innocently raised, and in doing it, your Father observed that it was ten to one. if he did not go to prateing to the Bishop or his daughters, and excite some Idea that he had been...
198Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 18 April 1790 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favour of the 5 th Instant came safe to Hand. I know our interest at Braintree can be of very little Service to us, seperated as we are from it, and lying so much in Buildings. I do not know what benefit was last year derived from the great Garden but unless Bass could carry manure upon it, it would soon become good for very little. if any method could be devised by which the Rent...
199Abigail Adams to John Adams, 2 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
I last Evening received your kind Letters of Jan’ry 18, 21 & 22 d accompanied with the Negotiation’s I have read the two pamphlets you sent me before. if the American pamphlet is the production of the person to whom report asscribes it, I think very little honour is due to his Head, and none to his Heart. I am sorry he is calld to fill so important an office, as the one to which he is lately...
200Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 25 December 1792 (Adams Papers)
Prince will bring this to you; the inclosed Letters I wish you to direct, the thin Paper, to your Father The other to Thomas; Prince is to return on thursday morg̃ by him send the papers and any Letters which you may have; if the weather should prove pleasent, I shall send a Horse for you on saturday. I have seen the dr since I wrote to you, and talkd with him about the meddow. he thinks that...
201Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 10 May 1798 (Adams Papers)
Rumour at a distance magnifies, and seldom reports truth. I have not written you a word upon a subject which I know would have made you at least very uneasy. about three weeks ago, a Letter was sent, or rather brought here of a sunday Evening by two young women of the City, one of whom said passing the House a few day before She took up a paper in a small alley which runs between our house &...
202Abigail Adams to John Adams, 8 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
I was very sorry to learn by your last Letters that you had little hopes of getting home till May. there are so many new Arrangments to make upon our places that I really feel unequal to the Task, but if it must be so, I will do the best I can according to my ability, and if I fail in the execution, you must at least allow for the intention. I would wish you to think what you would have done...
203Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 November 1797 (Adams Papers)
I am under obligations to you my dear son, for keeping up so regularly, and so constantly your correspondence with me; notwithstanding your various publick employments and private engagements, and I consider myself as very fortunate in receiving your Letters, tho frequently of an old date, owing to the circuitous route they have to make. By mr Fisher of this city I received a few Days Since...
204Abigail Adams to Lewis D. Ward, [before 17 March 1788] (Adams Papers)
Mr Adams being absent upon publick Buisness in Holland when your Letter came to Hand I take the Liberty of replying to it, as I know he will be so much hurried for time when he returns as to be unable to attend to private matters, but I can answer for him, and am sure that he harbours no resentment against mrs Ward but wishes both of you success in Life & will rejoice to find that you are in...
205To Thomas Jefferson from Abigail Adams, with Enclosure, 6 June 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Adams has already written you that we arrived in London upon the 27 of May . We journey’d slowly and sometimes silently. I think I have somewhere met with the observation that nobody ever leaves paris but with a degree of tristeness. I own I was loth to leave my garden because I did not expect to find its place supplied. I was still more loth on account of the increasing pleasure, and...
206Abigail Adams to John Adams, 30 December 1773 (Adams Papers)
Alass! How many snow banks devide thee and me and my warmest wishes to see thee will not melt one of them. I have not heard one Word from thee, or our Little ones since I left home. I did not take any cold comeing down, and find my self in better Health than I was. I wish to hear the same account from you. The Time I proposed to tarry has Elapsed. I shall soon be home sick. The Roads at...
207Abigail Adams to John Adams, 28 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
Last Evening General Lincoln call’d here introducing to me a Gentleman by the Name of Col. Laurence the Son as I suppose, of your much esteemed Friend, the late president of congress who informed me that he expected to sail for France in a few days, and would take dispatches from me. Altho I closed Letters to you by way of Holland a few days ago, I would not omit so good an opportunity as the...
208Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
The packet being detaind I write you a few Lines further to inform you that mr Marshal accepts his appointment, but Judge Dana declines on account of his Health The President accordingly has Nominated mr Gerry. the senate have not yet agreed to it. the N Englanders do not like this Nomination. You are so well acquainted with mr Gerry, and With his sentiments Principles conduct and services,...
209Abigail Adams to John Thaxter, 5 February 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have not had the pleasure of a line from you since your arrival in Holland. I fear I have lost Letters by a missing vessel call’d the Fame, if so I regret the loss of much pleasure and entertainment, which your pen always affords me. I flatter myself you will continue to pay a particular regard to my amusement, by a recital of whatever you meet with worthy of communication. Rousseau some...
210Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 21 March 1786 (Adams Papers)
I have just returnd from a visit to Moor Place Moor feilds, Where I have been to take leave of my much esteemed Friends, mr and Mrs Rogers, who set out on wedensday for France, and from thence are to sail in the April Packet for Newyork. Mr Rogers thinks it most for his benifit, and those connected with him, to quit England, and endeavour to adjust his affairs himself in America. She...