31John 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...
32John 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...
33John 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?...
34John 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...
35John Adams to John Quincy Adams, June 1784 (Adams Papers)
There is no Accomplishment, more usefull or reputable, or which conduces more to the Happiness of Life, to a Man of Business or of Leisure, than the Art of writing Letters. Symplicity, Ease, Familiarity and Perspicuity, comprehend all the necessary Rules. But these are not acquired without Attention and Study. The Habit you now form will go with you through Life. Spare no Pains then to begin...
36John 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...
37John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 6 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
A young Gentleman of 17, must not talk of low Spirits for Small disappointments. He must reconcile his Mind to them. He will meet with many. My Friend Dr. Warren often told me, I was the most uniformly lucky Man, he ever knew, and indeed I must acknowledge, I have been often fortunate, both before and Since his Compliment. Notwithstanding which my Life has been a Series of dissappointments,...
38John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 21 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter of the 15th. on the 18th. and that of the 18th. this moment, and am happy to find that you Spend So much Time and take so much Pleasure in Chancery and Parliament. Present to Mr. Vaughan and Mr. Whiteford, my Thanks for their Politeness to you. I want to know if the Books are on their Way. You Should tell me Something of them in every Letter untill they are gone off, by...
39John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 1 August 1784 (Adams Papers)
I have the Pleasure of yours of July 30. and advise you to purchase the Coach and prepare every Thing to set off with me to Dover in a Week from this Day. I will not loose a Moment, of the agreable Company, that I can avoid. Indeed I have repented 20 times that I did not go with you. The Pas of Calais and the Pas of Harwich will make me sick, but do me no harm. Purchase Johnsons Lives of the...
40John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 June 1785 (Adams Papers)
I hope, that before this day you are Safely arrived at New York, and that in another Month, I shall receive a Letter from you dated from that City. Before this reaches you I Suppose you will be at Boston or Cambridge, or Braintree or Haverill or Weymouth. Let me hear from you as often as you can. We have taken a House in Grosvenor Square, at the Corner of Duke Street, and hope to get into it...