20491From John Adams to John Binns, 8 September 1819 (Adams Papers)
I have received your obliging letter of September 2d. but have not received the Declaration of Independence. it has been lost, or at least retarded in the Post Office—whenever it arrives I will indeavour to send you such remarks as may occour to me.— I have no pretensions to any Critical taste, in any such elaborate and elegant Efforts of the fine Arts.— I am Sir, with much Respect for your...
20492From John Adams to Vine Utley, 10 September 1819 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter of the 2d. and having a natural disposition like the Old Frederick of Prussia—“trope incline a saisir les ridicules”—I could not help laughing and that some what immoderately.— Why Sir? the history of my Physical habits according to the best estimate I can make, would fill a Volume in folio as large as the Life of Richard Baxter—who was for what I know a relation of...
20493To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 12 September 1819 (Adams Papers)
From my last letter you may presume the cause of my delaying to answer, the favour, with which I was once more honoured—How gratified that I was in Seeing once more a Letter from my high respected frend—it was nevertheless not unmingled with painful failings—These are past as a morning cloud, and your mind must be now by the long desired arrival of your long desired John Quincy be cheered and...
20494From John Adams to J. H. Tiffany, 15 September 1819 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter of the 24th August—and the return of the fourth Volum of my Defence—called discourses on Davila—in perfect order— you have sum’ed up in half a sheet of paper the Substance and Essence of my four Octavo Volum’s— I thank you Sir for your past Correspondence wish you all possible Success in your investigations / and remain your Sincere friend / and humble Servant A...
20495To John Adams from Alexander Townsend, 18 September 1819 (Adams Papers)
Proposals, you are probably aware, have been issued at Baltimore for printing the Lives of the Signers of our Declaration of Independence. Matthewson, the publisher, has written me respecting the life of Hancock . May I be permitted to ask of you information on this Subject? Of whom can I Seek facts, if not of the Aneas of our Revolution who Saw the whole & was himself So much of it? Very...
20496From John Adams to John Binns, 20 September 1819 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for the Copy of your Declaration, which I have just received and will return by the first Opportunity. I pray you to save yourself the trouble and expence of sending any other Copy to Sir your / humble Servant MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
20497To John Adams from Robert Stevens, Jr., 22 September 1819 (Adams Papers)
Judging that your known goodness will pardon this intrusion—I take the freedom to apologise for not calling to have taken leave, as was my intention.—receiving a letter from my Father stating a sudden indisposition of my Mother, I left every other consideration, and after an absence of 4 years & 1 month, arrived only in time to close the eyes of my tender & revered parent; this was all that...
20498From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 25 September 1819 (Adams Papers)
The information in your last letter, of your return to your garden and your records has given me great pleasure. The records are very interesting, and your translation of them will be an honourable and a durable Monument to your Memory Your friend and my friend Mr Tyng has told you truely that I am “constantly employed” and may add, beyond my Strength of body or mind. Never in my whole life...
20499To John Adams from David Sewall, 5 October 1819 (Adams Papers)
it is some time since I Wrote you, since which you have you have been bereaved of the Lady of your early years. may you have divine consolations, under this and every other afflictive dispensation.—The political dissolution of Maine from Massachusetts seems to be rapidly approaching; And to which I have been uniformly Opposed, upon the principal that one large State, united would have more...
20500From John Adams to David Sewall, 10 October 1819 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 5th. has given me great pleasure off those which St Paul calls, light afflictions, which are but for a moment—a double portion has been allotted to me—but why should I grieve, when grieving must bear.— The seperation of Maine has never been approved by me, any more than by you.—but as the People judge it most convenient for their happiness—I wish them all the Prosperity they...