31Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I hope this Letter will be more fortunate than yours have been of late. I know you must have written many times since I had the pleasure of receiving a line from you, for this month completes a year since the date of your last Letter. Not a line from you or my dear Charles since you arrived in Holland, where I suppose you still are. I never was more anxious to hear yet not a single vessel...
32John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I am two Letters, I believe in your Debt, but I have been too busily engaged, to be able to write you. I am pleased with the divisions of your time, which you tell your Brother you have lately made, which appears to be a judicious distribution of Study and Exercise, of Labour and Relaxation. But I want to have you, upon some higher Authors than Phaedrus and Nepos. I want to have you upon...
33John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
If there are any extraordinary Productions of Nature or Art, exhibited, at the Fair of Leyden, write me an Account and a description of them, and insert them in your Journal. There were so many Rarities, at the Fair of Amsterdam, that I think these Fairs worth seeing. A Youth may store his Mind with many new Ideas, and with many usefull Reflections by attending to these Things. To open your...
34Elizabeth Cranch to John Quincy Adams, May 1781 (Adams Papers)
How shall I excuse myself for my long neglecting to write to you? Should I offer any other apology, than want of proper abilities, it would be false; and should I offer that , which is the only true one, perhaps it might be thought I wished for a compliment. But I had rather my Cousin should have a less favourable opinion of my understanding; than have cause to doubt my regard for him. That...
35John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 14 December 1781 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of 21 Aug. O.S. the first I have received, reached me only two or three days ago. I am pleased to see, your hand Writing improve, as well as your Judgment ripen, as you travel. But I am above all happy to find that your Behaviour has been such as to gain the Confidence of M r . D ana so far as to employ you in copying. This Employment requires a great degree of Patience and...
36John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 15 December 1781 (Adams Papers)
This day Mr. Sayre arrived, with your Letter of the 12/23 of October. Yours of August I answered, Yesterday. You have not informed me whether the Houses are built of Brick, Stone or Wood. Whether they are seven stories high or only one. How they are glazed, whether they have chimneys as in Spain. What publick Buildings, what Maison de Ville or state house. What Churches? What Palaces? What...
37John Thaxter to John Quincy Adams, 22 December 1781 (Adams Papers)
J’ai bien-recu les Lettres que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’ecrire de Francfort et de Berlin. Votre Lettre de St. Petersbourg sous la date de 8/19 7bre. est aussi parvenue. Je vous suis très obligé pour toutes les trois. J’ai été fort content de vos observations sur le Caractere, les manieres et les coutumes des Peuples de ces pays dans lequels vous avez voyagé: et je vous prie de vouloir...
38John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 February 1782 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I received your Letter of Jany. 1/12, and thank you for your account of the Place where you are. I will send you a Dictionary, as soon as I can, but it will be a long time before you can have it. I am very anxious for your Studies. Write me what Books You can procure there, and what others you want. I am much pleased with your Letter to Mr. Thaxter, but it is a Mortification to me to...
39John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 28 April 1782 (Adams Papers)
Yours of March 20/31 I have received. I am well pleased with your learning German for many Reasons, and principally because I am told that Science and Literature flourish more at present in Germany than any where. A Variety of Languages will do no harm unless you should get an habit of attending more to Words than Things. But, my dear Boy, above all Things, preserve your Innocence, and a pure...
40Abigail Adams 2d to John Quincy Adams, 3 May 1782 (Adams Papers)
I am conscious my dear Brother that I have appeared deficient in my duty and affection by neglecting to write you often. I have very little encouragement to continue a correspondance without any return from you. I do not believe you deficient in writing; it is a disagreable circumstance that we receive so small a part of the letters that are written. Mamma has receiv’d letters from Pappa and...
41John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 May 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have the Pleasure to inform you, that Yesterday I removed into this House, and am now employed in setting it in order. You will see by the Gazettes, that I have been received in Character, that I have laid before the States a Plan of a Treaty, which they have now under Consideration, and I suppose will be soon finished. The Bearer of this, Coll. Vallentin, will deliver it. Perhaps he may be...
42John Thaxter to John Quincy Adams, 14 August 1782 (Adams Papers)
Yours of 22d ulto. arrived a few days agone. I acknowledge myself much in Arrears, tho’ I have by no means forgotten you. For three Months past I have been miserably tormented with the Tertian Ague, and have been a more useless being than common. However I hope the Game is nearly up at present. I had no Idea that your Climate was so bad—but you must remember that this has been an uncommon...
43John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 August 1782 (Adams Papers)
It is with Pleasure that I enclose this amiable Letter from your Sister, which breaths a very commendable affection for You and solicitude for your Welfare. There is nothing more tender than these Correspondences between Families, as there is nothing more sacred than the Relations of Brother and sister, except that of Parent and Child. It is your duty to answer her. I say again, it is a moral...
44Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
How is it my dear son? You who used to be so punctual in your returns to your Friends that I your affectionate Mother have received but one Letter from You since you left Amsterdam. Has the cold Nothern Regions frozen up that Quick and Lively immagination which used to give pleasure to your Friends? Has it chilled your affections, or obliterated the Remembrance of her who gave you Birth? To...
45John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 February 1783 (Adams Papers)
You cannot imagine, the Anxiety I have felt on your Account, nor the Pleasure just received from your Letter of Feb. 1. I had heard nothing of you Since the Beginning of December when you was in Stockholm, and then only by the public Papers. When you arrive at the Hague, you may take your Choice, either to remain there and follow your Studies under the Direction of Mr. Dumas or go to Leyden to...
46John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 27 April 1783 (Adams Papers)
Last Night I received your Favour from the Hague of the 22 and I congratulate you, on your Safe Arrival. You have had a long Journey, from Petersbourg, and I hope it has not been a disagreable, nor an unprofitable one. You Should write to Mr. Dana and to me, an Account of th e Monies you have taken up and expended upon the Road. Keep the Letter from Mr. Dana to me, till We meet. Mr. Hartley is...
47Abigail Adams 2d to John Quincy Adams, 10 May 1783 (Adams Papers)
Where, or in what part of the world to address you, my dear brother, I do not at present know; but I can no longer restrain my pen. It is a long, very long time, since we have had any accounts from you; not a line has your sister received since you left her, now more than three years. Is it right, my brother? Have you not written her once? I will hope you have not been unmindful. Have you not...
48John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 May 1783 (Adams Papers)
No Letters from you by the two last Posts. Let me hear from you as Soon and as often as you can. This is the only Substitute for the Pleasure of Seeing you, which I fear I cannot enjoy for Some time, as the Conferences for the definitive Treaty languish more than I could wish. When I desired you to send me an Account of your Expences, I did not mean a particular Account, but only the Amount,...
49John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 14 May 1783 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Hardouin has just now called upon me, and delivered me your Letter of the 6 Instant. I find that, although, your hand Writing is distinct and legible, yet it has not engaged So much of your Attention as to be remarkably neat. I Should advise you to be very carefull of it: never to write in a hurry, and never to let a Slovenly Word or Letter go from you. If one begins at your Age, it is...
50John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 19 May 1783 (Adams Papers)
I am glad to learn, by your Favour of the 12th, that you have begun to translate Suetonius. This is a very proper book to teach you to love your Country and her Laws. Do you translate it into French or English? You Should always have a Book of Amusement, to read, along with your Severe Studies and laborious Exercises. I should not advise you to take these Books always from the shelf of Plays...
51John Thaxter to John Quincy Adams, 28 May 1783 (Adams Papers)
I have had the pleasure of recieving your favor of the 20th. instant. With regard to the Miniature of Genl. Washington, which Mr. D ana requested You to enquire about, I have only to say, that Mr. D. has been fully informed of the Reasons of the Delay in not sending it. Mr. Dumas can give You the whole History of the Affair, as he was so kind as to undertake the Expedition of it to...
52John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 May 1783 (Adams Papers)
It gives me great Pleasure to find, that your Situation is agreable to you. An abler Instructor than Mr. Dumas is not to be found. Is not an 100 Verses at a Time too long a Lesson? Are you familiar enough with the Latin to comprehend So many Verses at once? You have Ainsworths Dictionary I presume. Let no Word escape you, without being understood. Drydens is a good translation, but it is not...
53John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 June 1783 (Adams Papers)
The Bearer of this Letter, Eliphalet Fitch Esqr., a Gentleman of large Fortune and high in office in Jamaica, is a Grandson of Dr. Boylston and consequently your Relation. You will wait upon him and his Lady, and do yourself the honor to shew them all the Attention and Respect in your Power, while they stay at the Hague. LbC in John Thaxter’s hand ( Adams Papers ). Eliphalet Fitch was receiver...
54John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 July 1783 (Adams Papers)
I can tell you nothing with Certainty when the Peace will be finished. I hope it will not be long. You may purchase a Suetonius, provided you intend to make a good Use of it. I long to See you, but can as yet form no Judgment when I shall have that Pleasure. We have no News from Congress, a Neglect which is to the last degree astonishing and inexplicable. Do you find any Society at the Hague?...
55Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 November 1783 (Adams Papers)
This evening as I was Setting, with only your sister by my side, who was scribling at the table to some of her correspondents, my Neighbour Feild enterd, with “I have a letter for you Madam”; my immagination was wandering to Paris, ruminating upon the long, long absence of my dear son, and his parent; that I was rather inattentive to what he said, untill he repeated; I have Letters for you...
56Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 December 1783 (Adams Papers)
Your Letters by Mr. Thaxter I received; and was not a little pleased with them; if you do not write with the precision of a Robertson, nor the Elegance of a Voltaire, it is evident you have profited by the perusal of them. The account of your northern journey and your observation upon the Russian Goverment; would do credit to an older pen. The early age at which you went abroad; gave you not...
57Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 15 March 1784 (Adams Papers)
As I did not write you by the last conveyance I will not omit the present. I supposed your sister had got a Letter for You, but I found afterwards that she did not send it, because she could not please herself. This Week I received your trunk which Mr. Dana brought with him. You cannot conceive the pleasure I took in looking it over. The Books it is true were in a language that I understand...
58Abigail 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...
59John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 28 May 1784 (Adams Papers)
At Amsterdam I received your Letter of the 18 and to day that of the 20th. Write me, when you Ship the Books for Rotterdam, and by what Captain what Vessell and to whom addressed. Your principal Attention Should be to Parliament, and the Bar at present. Your Stay will be short and you will not probably have another Opportunity of being much in London, for upon your Return I shall keep you very...
60John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 6 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
Last night I received yours of the 1. with the Letter from your Mother to you, by which it appears so uncertain when She will arrive or embark, that if you can persuade Mr. Smith to come over here with the Ladies when they arrive, I would not have you wait for them. Make a Visit to Mr. Whitefoord, and ask the favour of him in my name to procure you a Place in the Gallery of the House of...