321Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 4 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received yours of the 21 July upon my return from a Ride. your Father said he had a Letter for me worth a thousand pounds I found it had been read; I complaind, but was told it was put in unseald, on purpose that it might be read. I had not any objection to its being seen, yet you know one chuses in such cases to be judge for themselves; I delight very much in your Letters. you have a...
322Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have sent you the Cloth the coat & Boots. the Glass I have not yet been able to find. inclosed is an other article the amount of what I engaged to you. The Horse I had engaged to keep for a Gentleman till Monday next, so that I could not without forfeiting my word let him go till twesday provided I should not sell him to him. I am sorry, for if I should not part with him then: I should not...
323Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 30 May 1790 (Adams Papers)
your kind Letter of various dates came safe to Hand. I was allarmed at not hearing from you, & feard that you were all sick. the disorder termd the Influenza has prevaild with much voilence, & in many places been very mortal, particularly upon long Island. not a Creature has escaped in our Family except its Head, and I compounded to have a double share myself rather than he should have it at...
324Abigail Adams to John Adams, 12 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 26 th of Jan’ ry I received last evening. You talk of not rising till june. why I know not what I shall possibly do, every Farm to Man—and with hands perhaps that I am unacquainted with. a scene of Buisness quite distant from me, when my Garden & potato Yard are full enough for me to attend to. why I shall have to travell from one Farm to the other, and not bring much to pass...
325Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 28 November 1797 (Adams Papers)
I received your kind Letter of Nov’ br. 19 th by this days post. I had previously received two others both of which I had replied to, but I do not know how to pass a week without hearing from you. at the same time I received your Letter, I also had one from mrs smith informing me that She had received Letters from the col of 2 d of Nov’ br and that he had written her word that he Should be...
326Abigail Adams to John Adams, 4 January 1795 (Adams Papers)
I received by our Thursday Post, yours of Decbr 18 & 23 together with the Bennets Strictures. you may be sure Bennet is a favorite writer with me for two reasons. the first is; that he is ingenious enough, to acknowledg & point out the more than Egyptian Bondage, to which the Female Sex, have been subjugated, from the earliest ages; and in the Second place; that he has added his Mite, to the...
327Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 20 June 1803 (Adams Papers)
William Shaw I presume has given You the reason why you have not received a Letter in reply to Your last. I have been in danger of loosing my Life, by a fall Backwards down a steep flight of Stairs: I was much bruised, and inwardly hurt, for many days quite helpless; that I rose without broken Bones is a wonder considering the force of the fall. by immediate bleading, and applications of...
328Abigail Adams to John Bowring, [before 30 March 1788] (Adams Papers)
your obliging favour of Feb ry 27 was brought me in the absence of mr Adams, who is gone to Holland upon publick buisness, and who upon his return will be so much hurried & occupied that I fear he will not be able to attend at all to the demands of private Frindship accept from me sir as his Representitive our mutual acknowledgments for the obliging civilities we received at Exeter & every...
329Abigail Adams to John Adams, 19 October 1783 (Adams Papers)
My last Letter to you was written in Sepbr. I closed it, because I knew not how to think upon any other subject than the solemn one I had just past through; since that date I have received a Number of Letters from you, written in April, May, june and 2 in july. To hear from you is a satisfaction, but the whole tenor of your Letters rather added to my melancholy, than mitigated it. The state of...
330Abigail Adams to John Adams, 14 February 1796 (Adams Papers)
I received by the last mail the Letters of two, so that I fare as you do, and the Stormy Weather last post Day prevented my getting Letters to Boston tho I had one ready. I cannot think the loss very great, for I have very little either interesting, or amuseing to entertain You with. yet you are pleasd to express so much pleasure at receiving them, Such as they are, that I ought not, and do...
331Abigail Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, 19 January 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have the Satisfaction of inclosing to You a Letter from our dear Daughter at Berlin, received Yesterday by my son Thomas, and the additional pleasure of assureing You of her confirmed State of Health. I have not any Letter myself, but mr T B Adams has one from his Brother of october 17th, which contains this agreable information, as well, as that of his own recovery. our pleasure upon this...
332Abigail Adams to John Adams, 22 January 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have not received a Line from You of a later date than the 3 d Instant the last week is the only one which has past since you left me, without Letters I hope it is not oweing to any other cause than the difficulty of passing the North River. we have had this Day Something very like a snow storm. it has Bankd some tho not very deep. it is two Months tomorrow since you went away, and we have...
333Abigail Adams to Elizabeth Ellery Dana, 27 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of June 19 th I duly received indisposition has prevented my replying to you before. the President regreets the feeble and infirm state of Health which prevents his old and tried Friend from the acceptance of an Embassy he was personally so well qualified for. it was with great apprehensions from that circumstance only, that he made the nomination and the critical state of the...
334Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
Your Brother Thomas has performed the painfull office of announcing to You the Death of Your Brother Charles, with what a weight of Sorrow is my bosom opprest. when I reflect, that he was cutt down in the bloom of Life, in the midst of his days, he is numberd with the Dead; it becomes me in Silence to mourn; Mourn over him living, I have for a long time, and now he is gone.— the tender...
335Abigail Adams to John Thaxter, 18 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
Aya—Eliza —and is it thus you honour the bare resemblance, thus place round your Neck the Ideal Image, the unanimated form of one, whom if he were present would not be thus distinguished. Virgin Modesty and conscious honour would then forbid this publick mark of affection unless it were sanctified by choise.—But why Sir has the painter been so deficient—it is barely a likeness of you—he has...
336Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 3 January 1785 (Adams Papers)
In a Letter which Mr. Tyler wrote me not long since he informd me that Mr. Alleyne was about parting with his House and Farm and that he would sell it reasonably, but did not Say for what Sum. If Mr. Alleyne is really in earnest, and means to part with it, Mr. Adams requests You to see it, and to estimate what you think, to be the real Worth of it, to inspect the House; and buildings &c and if...
337Abigail Adams to John Adams, 21 February 1796 (Adams Papers)
I believe I must devote this page to the History of Farming. our people have carried up the Hill all the manure which they suppose will be necessary and which can be spaired from the corn ground. they have carried up Burrels quantity which will be necessary for the Land which is to be broke up upon pens Hill, and they are now getting Down the stones for the Wall on Quincys Medow. No crossing...
338Abigail Adams to Hannah Carter Smith, 30 January 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have sent by Gen’ ll Lincoln the Little trunk You was so kind as to send my Gown in. I have put Several small articles in it, which are directed. you will please to send them as addrest— You will find a handerchief in one paper of which I request your acceptance I had it done up by a woman who clear Starches for me, as I think much depends upon the doing up fine Muslins— I hope it will get...
339Abigail Adams to William Cranch, 5 July 1797 (Adams Papers)
I received your favour of June 26 th , and rejoice with you in the Birth of an other son, and in the safety and Health of Mrs Cranch, to whom be so kind as to present my Regards. I have shewn your Letter to the President, and he desires me to tell you, that he would not have you on any account, be the least detered from persueing any line of buisness which shall appear eligible to you, or to...
340Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 3 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
The Roads and Weather prevent my leaving this place this day as I had designd; mrs cushing and otis advise me to take lodgings at mr Staell’s in 3 d street, Your former lodgings— I shall want a chamber with two Beds and one Bed for a Man servant; I always chuse to have my Maid and susan sleep in the Room with me. She has got the hooping cough. I hope the worst part of it is over. when I get to...
341Monday Mor’g 28 June. (Adams Papers)
A very dissagreeable Night. Wind at the southard near the Banks of Newfoundland. The morning damp. A most voilent Headack. Sick every one of us. Our Ship goes at about nine and 8 knots an hour. No going upon deck. Their is so much confinement on Board a Ship and such a Sameness that one knows not what to do. I have been reading since I came on Board Buchan Domestick Medicine. He appears a...
342Abigail Adams to John Adams, 28 December 1798 (Adams Papers)
on twesday Evening I received the Mercury, and read in it, the arrival of Capt Jenkins in the America, on sunday. you may well suppose I felt greatly rejoiced expecting from Thomas’s Letter, that he was undoubtedly a passenger. no mention was however made of him in the paper: I expected for two days to hear of him, then I conjectured that not knowing of my being here, was the reason of my not...
343Abigail Adams to John Adams, 6 December 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favours of the 19 th 23 & 26 of Nov’ br came safe to Hand, together with the pamphlet. the writer appears to have ransakd Pandimonium, & collected into a small compass the iniquity and abuses of Several generations, “sitting down all in Malice & Naught extermating.” If the representations of our Democratic Societies both of Men and measures, for these two years past, were to be...
344Abigail Adams to Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody, 30 December 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have not written to you for a long time it was my intention to have written by miss Palmer, but she went away a week earlier than she proposed when I saw her. she could however tell you that I was in better Health than when you left me. I have recoverd my Rest, and with it my strength and spirits have returnd in a great measure. I sent Richard Dexter to Philadelphia tho I have not yet had...
345Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 6 November 1787 (Adams Papers)
Last week Captains Folger & Callihan arrived by whom we received all your Letters & Bills. the Bills were imediatly accepted, & will be paid when due. I feel under great obligations to you my dear sir, for all your kind care, & attention to our affairs. I am glad to find the buisness closed with mr Borland, and at a price which I think must be reasonable judging by what was formerly given for...
346Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 October 1785 (Adams Papers)
I began a Letter to you yesterday which I designd to have finishd last evening, but as we had a great deal of company, many of them Ladies who staid the evening, I could not command my time, and Captain Callihan wrote us a card last evening that he should go by nine this morning, so that I have only time to write you a few lines, to tell you about a fortnight after the arrival of Mr. Church,...
347Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 21 February 1791 (Adams Papers)
I received yours of February 13th, and was happy to learn that you and your little ones were well. I wrote to you by the Chief Justice, and sent your silk by him. He promised me to visit you, and from him you will learn how we all are. We have had, ever since this month began, a succession of bad weather, and, for this week past, the coldest weather that I have experienced this winter. The...
348Abigail Adams to John Adams, 10 January 1783 (Adams Papers)
The young Gentleman who is the Bearer of this has acted for about 7 months in the capacity of preceptor to our children; I have mentiond him to you in former Letters, he is the son of the Revd Mr. Robbins of Plimouth, a Modest worthy Youth; under whose care our children improved greatly, which makes us very loth to part with him; but an opportunity presenting greatly to his advantage we could...
349Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 4 April 1798 (Adams Papers)
To know that one Cannot freely say that Black, is Black; even tho it be “darkness visible,” or that white is white, tho the new fallen snow is not purer, is fettering ones faculties, as well as restraining ones pen. Yet in such perilious Times as the present, freely to discuss motives which lead to measures, or to Characterize the Actors “who fret and Strut their hour upon the stage” would not...
350Abigail Adams to Elizabeth Smith Shaw, 2 May 1787 (Adams Papers)
mr Blodget is going passenger in Captain Callihan and has offerd to take a Letter to you, who are his great favorite. he will be able to tell you that he has seen my little Grandson who was, not the first, but the 2d of April Born. we had him brought down on purpose that mr Blodget might report to you, that he is a fine Boy. His Mamma is as well as persons usually are she dinned below the day...
351Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 18 August 1804 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of July 22d was by Some mistake in the post office at Boston Sent back as far as Newyork, so that it did not reach me untill the Eleventh of this Month. Candour requires of me a reply. Your statement respecting Callender, (who was the Wretch referd to) and Your motives for liberating him, wear a different aspect as explaind by You, from the impression which they had made, not only...
352Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 29 January 1787 (Adams Papers)
I received by Col Franks Your obliging favour and am very sorry to find your wrist Still continues lame. I have known very Salutary effects produced by the use of British oil upon a spraind joint. I have Sent a Servant to See if I can procure some. You may rest assured that if it does no good: it will not do any injury. With regard to the Tumults in my Native state which you inquire about, I...
353Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
Two vessels are notified, one for England, the other for Hamburgh. I will write by both, but the pleasure and freedom of communication, is much damp’d by the restraints of Station, and the apprehension of Capture. It is now several Months since I took my pen to address you. I believe my last date was in December. I have since written largly to Thomas, but fear my Letter is still waiting a...
354Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 15 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
When I wrote you by Captain Dashood, I was obliged for want of time to break of before I had noticed certain parts of your Letter, some of which gave me anxiety, particularly that which related to a certain Gentleman, of whose present affairs, or future intentions we know nothing of. I had written to you upon this Subject but not having time to transcribe more than half my Letter, that part...
355Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 10 October 1790 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you last Sunday, and on Wednesday received your kind Letter. we have begun to pack up our furniture, and expect to get it on Board by the 20th perhaps we may make it later, but I hope not as the weather will every day become more & more uncomfortable. the Idea of going so much further from you is painfull to me, and would be more so if I did not hope to Spend the next summer with...
356Abigail Adams to Thomas Welsh, 22 July 1786 (Adams Papers)
I have to thank you for your very inteligent Letter of May 4, and am glad to find one writer who is not in the dismalls. Shades answer very well as a contrast to the light parts of a picture, but when it is all darkness one is apt to suppose that the painture is no artist, that he must be deficient in blending his coulours or too neglegent to procure proper material for them. That our Country...
357Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 21 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
The Gentleman who is so kind as to convey this to you is from Carolina, his Name is Smith. He is a distant relation of mine, tho I have not the pleasure of much acquaintance with him. He has resided in England some time, and bears a Good Character here. Give me leave sir to introduce him to your notice. Mr. Short left us last twesday for the Hague, I did myself the honour of writing to you by...
358Abigail Adams to John Adams, 23 August 1780 (Adams Papers)
I could not omit so favourable an opportunity as the present of writing you a line by Mr. Warren who is upon his travells, and tis not unlikely may take France in his way. I know the welfare of your family so essential to your happiness, that I would improve every means of assureing you of it, and of communicating to you the pleasure I have had in receiving every Letter you have written since...
359Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 25 April 1784 (Adams Papers)
I have been much dissapointed in not receiving any Letters from your Father or you by the late arrivals from England. Capt. Lyde, and a Brig have come in very short passages, but not a single Letter. This is very painfull as well as unfortunate for me just at this period. I thought it not prudent to take passage for Europe untill I heard from your Pappa. If I had received letters I should have...
360Abigail Adams to Lucy Cranch, 5 January 1785 (Adams Papers)
I Hope you have before now received my letter, which was ordered on board with Captain Lyde, but put on board another vessel, because it was said she would sail first. By that you will see that I did not wait to receive a letter from you first. I thank you for yours of November 6th, which reached me last evening; and here I am, seated by your cousin J.Q.A.’s fireside, where, by his invitation,...
361Abigail Adams to Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody, 7 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
This Letter will be deliverd to you by your son whom you will find improved in his Health, greatly I think— the weather has been so very bad—and the Roads almost impassiable Since his return, so that it has not been practicable to make you an earlier visit. I have been very anxious for your dear little Girl, whom I have frequently heard an unfavourable account of, but miss Palmers last Letter...
362Abigail Adams to John Shaw, 18 January 1785 (Adams Papers)
I find Sir, what I never doubted; that you are a Gentleman of your word: I thank you for the agreeable proof which you have given me of it, and that I may not be wanting in punctuality I have taken my pen to discharge the debt which I acknowledge is due to you. Amongst the publick Edifices which are worthy of notice in this Country are several Churches. I went a few days Since to see three of...
363Abigail Adams to John Thaxter, 23 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
The sight of your old Friend Mr. Storer will give you sensible pleasure, he means to be the Bearer of this to you. I wish him safe. I need not add any thing in recommendation to you, who know him so well further than to say his character is not less fair or amiable, than it was when you quitted your native Land. He will I hope continue as free abroad from the fashionable vices of other...
364Abigail Adams to Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody, 25 September 1797 (Adams Papers)
I last Evening received your Letter of the 19 & 20 th Instant. I am most sincerely grieved for the melancholy situation of our Nephew, and the more so as it is not in my power to render him any personal assistance. Since my return from Haverhill I have thought it necessary to return the civilities received, which has obliged me to entertain weekly several sets of company and that with a Family...
365Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 25 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
Captain Callihan arrived yesterday at Portsmouth and to day your letter came safe to hand. A thousand thanks my dear sister for all your intelligence. No you have not been too particular, every thing however trivial on that Side the water interests me. Here—nothing. I go into the midst of thousands who I know not, and behold all the Boasted Beauty of London with a cold indifference. I...
366Abigail Adams to John Adams, 30 June 1783 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you a Letter a fortnight ago to send per this opportunity, but meeting with the Consul in Boston, he informd me, that the America would sail in a few days. I gave it to him and hope it has reachd you as he promised a particular attention to it. Mr. Smith will be the Bearer of this; I need not ask your particular attention to him. He is most worthy and Good, Benevolent and kind,...
367Abigail Smith to John Adams, 9 May 1764 (Adams Papers)
Welcome, Welcome thrice welcome is Lysander to Braintree, but ten times more so would he be at Weymouth, whither you are afraid to come.—Once it was not so. May not I come and see you, at least look thro a window at you? Should you not be glad to see your Diana? I flatter myself you would. Your Brother brought your Letter, tho he did not let me see him, deliverd it the Doctor from whom...
368Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 1 February 1799 (Adams Papers)
It is with pleasure insepressible, I inform you of the safe arrival of your Brother Thomas at N york after a passage of 46 days. My Mind was relieved from a load of anxiety by this agreable intelligence from his own Hand. the danger from comeing upon our Coast in the Winter Season, and the severe and frequent snow storms we have experienced this winter kept me in a constant allarm for his...
369Abigail Adams to William Smith, 19 November 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have been from Quincy more than five weeks, and have received only one Letter from any Friend Since I left them; I find however that you have not been unmindfull of us. the fish arrived safe and we regaled ourself with it, Mr & Mrs otis joining in the commemoration of the good things of New England— Poultry we have here, both cheeper and in better order than our markets produce it, but tho...
370Abigail Adams to John Adams, 23 December 1796 (Adams Papers)
I received by the last post Your favours dated 7 h 8 th & 12 of the present Month together with Pains Letter & the counter part Jasper I tremble when I look forward to the scene opening before Me. My own reflections and Meditations are similar to yours, except that I do contemplate a return to the Bar. Retirement at Peace Feild I think would be a much more Eligible situation than to be fastned...