John Adams to Abigail Adams, 13 December 1798
John Adams to Abigail Adams
Phyladelphia Dec. 13. 1798
My Dearest Friend
Your Letters of Nov. 29 Dec. 2. and 3 affect me very tenderly. The low Spirits, Effects of long and exhausting sickness are apparent: but these are Evils of a serious nature. I pray you to banish as much as possible all gloomy Thoughts and be very cautious to avoid every thing which may endanger a return of your old Disorders.
To reconcile you to your fate I have a great mind to give you a detail of mine. A Peck of Troubles in a large Bundle of Papers, often in a hand Writing almost illegible, comes every day from the office of office of offfice of &c &c &c. Thousands of sea Letters Medeterranean Passes and Commissions & Patents to sign— No Company— No society— idle unmeaning Ceremony— Family Vices, Follies, Extravagance, shiftlessness, and Health, sinking for what I knew under my Troubles & fatigues.
You and I, seem to have arrived prematurely at the Age when there is no pleasure.—
All this is not the Resignation of Socrates.1
I cannot encourage the Idea of your coming on to Phyladelphia. The horrid Roads and cold damp Weather would put an End to you.
I hope our dear Thomas will arrive and chear you up.— I am with / unalterable affection
J. A2
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “Mrs A”; endorsed: “J A december / 13th / 1798.”
1. JA was referring to Socrates’ state of mind following his conviction and sentence to death in 399 B.C. for impiety and corrupting Athens’ youth, which is covered in detail in Encyclopedia; or, A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Miscellaneous Literature, 18 vols., Phila., [1790]–1798, 17:590–594, No. 33676, a copy of which is in JA’s library at MB ().
2. JA also wrote to AA on 10 Dec. repeating his concern for her health and conveying his worries about the Senate’s response to a second nomination of WSS (Adams Papers).