23501From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 24 June 1820 (Adams Papers)
I was seriously concerned to hear of your illness and am still considerably uneasy of lest you should by any imprudence have a relapse and I entreat you will be particularly careful of the Night air—You must write me frequently even if it is only to say “I am well ” as I shall be very anxious for some time I presume you are taking the Bark? what Phyissian attended you? was your complaint...
23502From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 3 July 1820 (Adams Papers)
My intention was to write you tomorrow morning it being the anniversary of your birth and to offer you my congratulations not only to wish you joy upon this occasion but rather to rejoice at the improvement you have made during the last year and to express my hopes that your acquirements during the next may be such both in learning and discretion as will merit my most partial approbation—You...
23503From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to George Washington Adams, 6 July 1820 (Adams Papers)
Your Letters were both delivered to me yesterday the one by Dr Waterhouse and one by the Mail. I am very happy to observe that you have at last considered the object of a correspondence with your parents in its proper point of view and from henceforth I have no doubt you will be as attentive as we could possibly wish— You must naturally feel a little anxious concerning your Socrates and I hope...
23504From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 10 July 1820 (Adams Papers)
In looking over my file of Letters received, I find that the latest date I have from you is of 10. November 1819—I am not sure that I have written since then to you—so let this pass for N. 1. of the year 1820—I have lately had at least the satisfaction of hearing from you indirectly, by your Correspondence with your Mother and your brother; but shall be glad to hear from you more immediately....
23505From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 12 July 1820 (Adams Papers)
I am afraid that Charles has been writing some nonsense concerning Harriet Welsh which has caused you to write so disrespectfully concerning her Charl’s got hold of my papers and contrary to my most positive orders read them and then wrote you something or other not much to his credit—I therefore beg I may hear no more on this subject I am certainly very sorry to hear that you were so...
23506From John Adams to Caroline Amelia Smith De Windt, 13 July 1820 (Adams Papers)
Extract. I was not able to accept the condescending invitation of the Government of the State and the various Societies in Boston to celebrate the fourth of July, though my head would have struck the Stars if I could have made so glorious a figure as my Ancient excellent friend Carrol made at Baltimore on that day. But the heat of the season with the pomps and ceremonies, could not have been...
23507To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 13 July 1820 (Adams Papers)
Having observed in the papers that the reason assigned for your declining to accept the invitation on the 4h. was on account of indisposition Mr. Adams and myself are anxious to hear from you and to be assured that it was rather the dread of over fatigue than real indisposition which caused your refusal to attend. It would have been altogether improper to make such an exertion and I rejoice...
23508From John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 17 July 1820 (Adams Papers)
We were a long time without hearing from your brother George or you, at all, and when at last we did hear it was with pain that you had been unwell, though happily mingled with the comfort of learning that your health was restored. My own occupations deprive me of the satisfaction of writing to you so often as I would, but you have other Correspondents here who have more leisure to be...
23509To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 17 July 1820 (Adams Papers)
I have not been so much puzzled to find the Text, I quoted in my last letter, as I have been, to get relief from a constant stricture in my breast with a severe Cough & incipient hemorhage of the lungs, which has forbidden the use of my pen; and thus my first hour of convalescence I dedicate to the gratefull acknowledgemt of your kind letter of the 16th. ultimo.— Nothing my Dear Cousin gives...
23510To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 19 July 1820 (Adams Papers)
Your Subscription for the National Intelligencer is stopped, and the enclosed receipt is in full to this day $29..12.1/2 I wrote to Mr Cruft on the 24th. of last month requesting him to pay you on my account 250 dollars the first of this Month and quarterly afterwards. I wrote also at the same time to you, to give you notice of that arrangement. Not having heard from him or you on the subject,...
23511From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 31 July 1820 (Adams Papers)
If the twenty-five Volumes of the projected compilation of English Poetry, which were published at Philadelphia, for which I subscribed, and which I promised to give you, should be sent on to Boston, you shall still have them; but it is not worth while to purchase them there, if the remaining volumes are not to be published—You shall not lose however an equivalent for the donation, and you may...
23512From John Quincy Adams to Josiah, III Quincy, 7 August 1820 (Adams Papers)
I accept with pleasure the proposal in your Letter of 27th ulto. respecting my library now deposited at the Athenæum; which is agreeable to me in every particular. I have only to add a few suggestions. There has never been at the Athenæum a complete Catalogue that of my Books.— When they were removed there in 1809 I gave Mr. Shaw the only Catalogue that I had of them, which was nearly perfect,...
23513To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 7 August 1820 (Adams Papers)
My boasted convales’cense, did not continue but a few hours after Dr. Warren & Dr Gorham left me. To the care of the former I committed the last letter I have been able to pen, from the severity of my relapse wch. has reduced me to an extreme degree of Weakness, & for 11 Nights out of 13 I was unable to lie down & caught what repose the Intervals wou’d allow me to take, bolster’d up in a...
23514From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 8 August 1820 (Adams Papers)
Harriet Welsh writes me that George and you intend to visit Mrs. de Wint during the vacation and that if your father grants you permission you intend to go on to Niagara—I had made a partial engagement to accompany Mr. & Mrs. de Wint to Niagara this fall but I do not feel quite sure that I shall be able to accomplish this purpose as your father tho’ he says I may go always appears to have...
23515From John Adams to Ward Nicholas Boylston, 10 August 1820 (Adams Papers)
I have two kind letters from you to answer—the last—of August 7th.—has filled me with deep sorrow and affliction. I am afraid you are not so careful of your health as you ought to be. I pray you to do every thing in your power to preserve it, for it is very interesting to me and mine—and let me add, without flattery, to the public. The misnomer, an error currente calamo—needed no correction,...
23516From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to George Washington Adams, 10 August 1820 (Adams Papers)
As I am much afraid that I shall not accomplish the plan proposed in my last Letter to John you will have an opportunity to take a part at the last exhibition in preference to the one you mention in October as should your father be able to go on he will probably not stay more than a fort night and that might not suit the time fixed— Your Letters to me leave me so little to answer that I can...
23517From John Quincy Adams to Ward Nicholas Boylston, 14 August 1820 (Adams Papers)
I received with much concern your kind favour of the 8th instt. particularly as it mentions your being in a feeble state of health—I hope it is only a consequence of the great heat of the Season with which we are also suffering here— While I had flattered myself with the hope of being able to visit my father this Season, I had the fixed determination of paying you that visit which with my Wife...
23518From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 18 August 1820 (Adams Papers)
As I have already said every thing on the subject of your last which was necessary I will only make one observation which is that reputation is always proved by actions and the less we say about generally the better we guard it and preserve it— You are now verging on the Vacation. Are you likely to have a brilliant Commencement? who are the graduates of Note?—Who makes an entertainment?—. We...
23519From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 21 August 1820 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 13th: instt. is received and gave me pleasure—It would have been still more acceptable if it had contained your opinion of Prodicus’s Fable of the Choice of Hercules; your account of which is correct as far as it goes—Its first appearance is in the Memorabilia Socratis, of Xenophon, and is I think there represented not as written, but spoken in a dialogue. You will recollect...
23520From Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 21 August 1820 (Adams Papers)
There is in Boston, a Lemmon-tree of a peculiar kind, called the Sweet Lemmon, Sent to your Grandfather, by a gentleman from Malaga—and I expect it will be in the custody of our friend Mr J H Foster, by Tomorrow. Your Grandfather is desirous of presenting this plant to the Botanical garden, in Cambridge, and wishes you to call on Mr: Peck the Professor, with his compliments, tendering the Tree...
23521From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Baker Johnson, 26 August 1820 (Adams Papers)
I am engaged in preparing by order of both Houses of Congress a Report upon the subject of Weights and Measures, embracing a Statement of the Regulations of the several States of this Union concerning them—I wrote a circular Letter to the Governors of the several States requesting information, and from the Governor of Louisiana, received a Copy of the Law of the State, adopting the Weights and...
23522To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 26 August 1820 (Adams Papers)
Your affectionate Letter of the 10th. Instant, was rec’d while under a second, but more painfull relapse than the first; which reduced my Strength, flesh, & spirits so low as left me but faint hopes of recovery—I am however so far convalescent again as to walk from one Room to another & if no interveneing relapse takes place hope to be able to take the air in a few days. after a confinement to...
23523From John Adams to Ward Nicholas Boylston, 2 September 1820 (Adams Papers)
I have been as Civil to Mr Lane who brought me your letter of August 26th. as I could, he dined with me, and I was much pleased with him—I am sincerely grieved at your long confinement and continued indisposition, what can I do to restore your health—If you come to the Convention as I hope you will—That I think will cure you—for wrangling and Contention exhilirates the Spirits, and Animates...
23524From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to George Washington Adams, 3 September 1820 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter has remained unanswered some time in consequence of the illness of Mary which has been pretty severe tho’ short she is now convalscent and I hope will soon be well— I propose to leave Town for Frederick on Thursday next where I shall probably remain ten days after which I shall go to Baltimore to the Wedding of Susan Buchanan who is to be married on the 21st. we shall only stay one...
23525From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 September 1820 (Adams Papers)
Our George has gained the first prize—and bares his honour meekly—He is a dutiful Son, for he is deeply engaged in Platonick Greek, In obedience to your advice and requisition—and what surprises me more is, that he is becoming an early riser—He was up this Morning before I was—And his Mind appears to be awakned by an Ambition to become an eminent and useful Man—John is at present devoted to...
23526From John Adams to Susanna Boylston Adams Clark Treadway, 9 September 1820 (Adams Papers)
The circle in which I move you know is very Contracted—and when I go round regularly like a hores in a mill I do pritty well—but if I indulge in the smallest eccentricity I am sure to suffer for it—I did however venture upon one which proved an exception—I went to Boston and dined with the Venerable Dr Vanderkemp at Mr Benjamin Guilds, in Company with a social Circle of Wise, Pious and...
23527From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 12 September 1820 (Adams Papers)
I have to reply to at least three Letters to you, the reason of which I will tell you hereafter, if it please God—At present I only write to give you full power to do with my Penn’s Hill farm and both the Houses as you think best.—The same with that at Mount Wollaston—except that you must not strip the latter of any good wood—And beware of running me too much in debt for repairs. I was much...
23528To John Adams from Ward Nicholas Boylston, 12 September 1820 (Adams Papers)
Your kind Letters are more likely to renew a worn down constitution than the recipe you give, for making my way to it by wrangling & Disputation in a Convential diet (if I should ever get there) tho I shall expect to see a good many coxcombs in politicks & constitution makers as will produce to my feelings what you describe When the yeas, & nays wch. were tried in this Town, several of the...
23529From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 14 September 1820 (Adams Papers)
We find ourselves so very comfortable here and Mr. & Mrs. Graham are so urgent for us to stay until Sunday Night we shall not be at home until Tuesday Evening—As I know you would be very anxious to see us at the time first appointed and might be uneasy I send you a few lines to quiet any unnecessary apprehensions— The Country is beautiful and our reception has been as kind as you can possibly...
23530From John Adams to Ward Nicholas Boylston, 15 September 1820 (Adams Papers)
O that I had the talent at description of a Homer a Milton or a Walter Scott I would give you a picture of a hill that I have visited with more pleasure than I should mount Ida or Monticello. Mr David Hyslop has been importuning me for seven years to dine with him in Brookline: I have always declined till last Tuesday when taking my grandson George Washington Adams for my guide and aid de camp...