20481From John Adams to Emma Willard, 11 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
Accept my thanks for your obliging letter of the 25 of last month which I received but yesterday—the Book you mention is not yet arrived—I should be much pleased to see Mr Southwicks address, as I am a friend to every effort to improve the knowledge Virtue and happiness of our laborious Youth— I do not complain, Miss Willard, of the ingratitude of any party because I always endeavoured to be...
20482From John Adams to John Jay, 13 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
I received, last night your kind favour of the 7th. Your design of writing to Mr Duane for Copies of our “very Short journals” as he calls them, is judicious, and all that is necessary. I am under no concern about Mr Duane’s Extracts or Copies, because Congress has ordered our Journals to be printed and they are in a course of publication. Although I am ashamed of mine, yet I know that Shame...
20483From John Adams to Richard Rush, 14 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
I have been tenderly affected by the kind expressions of your friendship in your letter of the 9th of february. In the course of forty years I have been called to assist in the formation of a Constitution for this State. This kind of Architecture I find is an Art or Mistery very difficult to learn and Still harder to practice. The Attention of Mankind at large Seems now to be drawn to this...
20484From John Adams to Emma Willard, 16 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
I have received Mr Southwicks address to the Apprentice of Albany and have read it three times over after the first reading I said there is no need of addition, subtraction, correction or alteration; a generation of apprentices educated in Mr Southwicks principles and formed upon his model would redeem a nation on the brink of destruction. After the third reading I found nothing worth...
20485To John Adams from David Hosack, 17 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
you did me the honour some time since after reading my memoir of Dr Hugh Williamson to write me a letter stating some particulars relative to the Hutchinson letters’ which were new to me and which are calculated to unfold some secrets of that affair that before were inexplicable, I mean relating to the agency of Mr Temple and Mr Hartley— I read that part of your letter to the new york...
20486From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 18 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
I have made my Cantabridgians read your Letter to all my family at Breakfast. We all recognized the concordance between the Oration upon Industry and Doctor Barrows Sermons which I have caused to be read in my family over and over. Indeed I do not believe it possible for human Ingenuity to write any Thing upon Industry which may not be found Substantially in his five Sermons in favour of that...
20487From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 19 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
Must We, before We take our departure from this grand and beautiful World, Surrender all our pleasing hopes of the progres of Society? Of improvement of the intellectual and moral condition of the World? Of the reformation of mankind? The Piemontese Revolution Scarcely assumed a form; and the Neapolitan bubble is burst. And what Should hinder the Spanish and Portuguese Constitutions from...
20488From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 21 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
I am glad I forgot to return your Son’s beautiful morsel on Industry with my last Letter; because it furnishes an Apology for writing another. In answering a letter I commonly forget to notice two thirds of it, till my Answer is Sent away. Helvetius and Rousseau preached to the French Nation Liberty , till they made them the most mechanical Slaves; equality till they destroyed all Equity;...
20489To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 21 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
Is it not Strange, that this year—I Should not have received one Single line from those—whom I So highly respect, at Boston? No—not even of Montezillo? It cannot be—that you are indisposed—or any of the family—your promising George would have mentioned it to me—The last notice I obtained of the family was from Fish-kill—and will the 4th of march your’s was of 18 Febr—Could it be possible, that...
20490From John Adams to David Sewall, 22 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
How do you do? as we have been friends for seventy years, and are Candidates for promotion to an other World, where I hope we shall be better acquainted, I think we ought to enquire now and then after each-others health and welfare while we stay here— I am not tormented with the fear of death; nor though suffering under many infirmities and agitated by many afflictions, weary of Life—I have a...
20491From John Adams to David Hosack, 23 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
I have received the letter you did me the honour to write me on the 17th: of this month. I am glad to see that your memoirs of Dr. Williamson are to be published in the transactions of your Historical Society. New York is exhibiting splended specimens of improvement in many things; in Literature & Science in general; in Agriculture, Manufactures, the fine Arts as well as the Mechanic Arts....
20492From John Adams to Mathew Carey, 24 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
On the 22d of the month I received the letter you did me the honour to write me on the 16th.—“The Sett of Papers the object of which is to prove that our present Policy is highly pernicious to the best Interests of the Cultivators of the Soil,” is not yet arrived.” It would not be difficult to prove, that the Policy of this Country is erroneous in Several particulars. We have an uncertain a...
20493From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 25 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your favour of the 22nd and will begin at the end of it you must not utter a word or insinuate a hint against the character of Junius Brutus He had eyes as piercing as lightning, views as vast as the globe and benevolence as expansive as the human race. He had an exalted soul and a heart of celestial fire. He was as ready to sacrifice his own life as that of his sons And...
20494To John Adams from David Sewall, 26 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
In answer to your first query, how do you do? altho’ I may not with propriety reply “ Athletice, prancratise, Valeo , ” Yet thro the smiles of a kind providence, I am free from pain or anxiety of Body or Mind, respecting the things of this life or a future—I have food and raiment convenient, and in a quiet contented frame of Mind perhaps in as much, or more so: than at any former period of my...
20495From John Adams to David Sewall, 30 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
I have received your kind favour of the 26th: Happy Man! profound Philosopher! Pious Christian! I congratulate you with all my heart. I read and hear read a great deal too much Not upon Prophicies immidiately, for I have read and heard so much of them heretofore and have found the Prophets for 1500 indeed for 1800 years so uniformly out in their calculations that I have long since concluded...
20496From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 30 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
In Answer to your kind favour of the 21st. I have had a very feeble Winter and am Still afflicted with paines and Imbecilities which render it very difficult to take the exercise necessary for my health. J. Q.s Report must speak for itself. I am not a Judge of it: but Farrar who is, and who has read it with care Speaks well of it. If a Reviewer can be found in France or England to tear it to...
20497To John Adams from Benjamin Waterhouse, 4 June 1821 (Adams Papers)
Your letter justifying & glorifying the character of Junius Brutus is the most masterly apology for that prodigy of patriotism & integrity I ever read. I have read it so often that I have it by heart. I wish all my crude political notions had met with such corrections.— My letters to you of late, have been the productions of an easy &, as you suggested, a happy mind; but this one is not of...
20498From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 6 June 1821 (Adams Papers)
I have enclosed to the President a letter from Dr Waterhouse. I wish you would ask to see it. Between you and me I suspect that our friend Eustace has been of no service to Waterhouse. Ancient Jealousies of him among professional men in Boston may have left some traces. But as this is mere conjecture I lay no stress upon it. Whether any thing can be done for him consistent with the public...
20499From John Adams to James Monroe, 6 June 1821 (Adams Papers)
Of the multitude of applications to me for Letters of Introduction and recommendation to the President and Heads of departments, in favour of candidates for Office, I have for a long time Sternly, and Sometimes almost cinically refused them all. But the enclosed letter from Dr Waterhouse has so tenderly affected me that I cannot resist my feelings and Inclination to transmit it to you. I...
20500To John Adams from Thomas Mussey, 9 June 1821 (Adams Papers)
Through the politeness of your Nephew Mr Shaw, I have the pleasure to present you with an implement in domestic economy, which perhaps in some of its parts parts may be considered novel, especially in the case with which it is separated, and consequently kept clean; a circumstance not common to those which I have heretofore seen; although, professedly designed to effect the same purposes. As...
20501To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 10 June 1821 (Adams Papers)
Indeed you are very kind towards me: I can not reciprocate these proofs of your frendship as by assuring you of my most cordial thankfulness—that may be called, filling the measure—till it runs over—I know, I should receive some tiding from Montzillo—but a Letter—in your own handwriting, I could not expect indeed. Although I do not publish your Letter—this to me—deservedly might be placed next...
20502To John Adams from John Jay, 11 June 1821 (Adams Papers)
Since my last to you of the 7th. Ult. I have recieved your’s of the 30th. of April, and 13th. of May. As in the latter (which came to hand on the 19 May) you approved of an application to Mr. Duane for copies of what he calls our Journals, I did apply to him accordingly, by a Letter of which the following is a copy—vizt. “Bedford—Westchester County—N. York—22d. May 1821—” “Sir On the 24th. of...
20503From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 June 1821 (Adams Papers)
Our dear Shaw, who ransacks his Atheneum and the litterary World to afford me Amusements and Instruction, two evenings and one day in a Week, brought me on Saturday your Welcome letter of the 22d of May. The true cause of the infrequency of letters between You and me is a conscientious principle on my part. I know that you would answer every Scratch of a pen from me; but I k n ow the...
20504From John Adams to Thomas Mussey, 12 June 1821 (Adams Papers)
I have received from my merutorious firend and Nephew Mr Shaw, your polite letter of the ninth of this month; together with an ingenious and valuable implement in domestic economy. This invention appears to me an improvement in our culinary œconomy which perhaps wants reformation and amelioration as much in proportion as any other interest. I thank you, sir, both for your letter and /...
20505To John Adams from Benjamin Waterhouse, 13 June 1821 (Adams Papers)
I cannot sufficiently thank you for the fresh instance of your friendship in writting to Prest. Monroe in my behalf. If it may not effect the expressed object, it cannot but have a good operation. My worthy friend Dr John Jebb adopted the favourite motto of the immortal Milton viz—“ No effort is lost .” General Miller Govr. of Arkansaw, called upon me last week, direct from Washington, and...
20506To John Adams from David Sewall, 18 June 1821 (Adams Papers)
your Letter of the 30th. Ulto. has been recieved, and once and again perused with pleasure and satisfaction; as is every of your Communications.—To humanize, or Civilize, I doubt not, is doing something essential to ameliorate the Condition of Mankind, as Well as, to Christanize, And attempts at the former ought to precede the latter—But the uncommon exertions of the latter; at the present Day...
20507From John Adams to John Jay, 19 June 1821 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your kind favour of the 11th. which I have this moment received, and Soon determined that an acknowledgement of it should not be So long delayed. You have done, with dignity and propriety all that can be done. A publication of your letters to Mr Duane and his Answers would place him in a ridiculous light. But Duane Cobbet and Calender are Such excentric Characters that it Seems...
20508To John Adams from Benjamin Waterhouse, 26 June 1821 (Adams Papers)
Hearing that your rheumatism was no better, I hasten to say that instead of the Volatile Tincture of Guaicum , I would advise you to apply the flesh–brush, or that coarse cloth which the Russians call Krash to the limb that is affected and to the region of the hip & loins, begining at the leg & so rubbing upwards. This should be done by some prudent man, who will be carefull not to rub off the...
20509To John Adams from Benjamin Waterhouse, 2 July 1821 (Adams Papers)
I hate the idea of teazing men in high office with letters of individual import, when they are necessarily occupied with generals; but when speaking of my labours in vaccination, and of the point of view in which it was considered by President Jefferson & Madison, it did not occur to me to send you a summary of that business which was extracted from my Treatise on Exterminating the “Smallpox”...
20510To John Adams from Thomas Dawes, 5 July 1821 (Adams Papers)
I hope and trust that I shall not offend you by any thing in this communication. What is every body’s business is nobody’s: and therefore I meddle with a subject above my talents, lest it should be touched by hands inferior to my own. Notwithstanding the disparity of years between you and me, it is very probable that you may survive me, as your constitution is better than mine: yet, according...