1Abigail Adams to John Adams, 5 January 1794 (Adams Papers)
I did not receive your Letter of dec br 15 till I had closed mine of the 30th two of later date came first to Hand. the reason as I suppose that Bringhurst did not send in his account before I left Philadelphia, was that he never used to make out his account but once a year. I had pay’d him up to Jan’ry 92; Robert by his drunken frolicks exposed us to double a necessary expence and the Chariot...
2Abigail Adams to George Cabot, 8 January 1794 (Adams Papers)
When I had the pleasure of visiting you in the Summer you may recollect Some conversation which too place respecting a young Gentleman whom You was pleasd to say you wishd to see engaged in writing upon a certain subject as You thought many circumstances concured to render him the most suitable person. at that Time he declined. But an opportunity has since offerd to discuss a subject, by which...
3Abigail Adams to John Adams, 12 January 1794 (Adams Papers)
My Neighbour captain Beals went to Town yesterday and was so good as to bring up, and send me my Letters last Evening, whilst I was sitting mourning that I had no hope of getting them, as the travelling was very bad and the Day stormy. I find the Family an agreable acquisition. we live upon friendly & social terms. I agree with mr Izzard, that we are grown too old to live seperate, and I could...
4Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 January 1794 (Adams Papers)
I wish you to direct the inclosed Letter—to your Father I read Barnevelt in Mondays paper. it may be necessary to defend himself, but I look upon his opponent in a contemtable light, and that no honour or reputation is to be obtaind in a contest with him. I therefore wish to see Barnevelt close Your Father is really affraid that columbus may be inflated with vanity and too much emboldened. he...
5Abigail Adams to George Cabot, post 17 January 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your obliging favour of the 17 of Jan’ ry reachd me a few days sine the polite and Friendly manner in which You communicate Your inttentions call for my acknowledgment. our Legislators never having considerd our Sex sufficiently dangerous to enact a salique Law or perhaps entertaining too good an opinions of us to suppose we would encroach upon their establishd perogatives have left us to the...
6Abigail Adams to John Adams, 18 January 1794 (Adams Papers)
I received two day ago yours of Jan’ ry 6 th with the Pamphlet, and last Evening our Son brought me yours of the 9th. When he comes, his first request is, to read all the Letters which I have received since his last visit. I usually grant him this indulgence. the compliment of “Learning force of Reasoning Style” &c barely compensated for the censure which follow’d. he felt it a little hard to...
7Abigail Adams to John Adams, 24 January 1794 (Adams Papers)
We have had four days and Nights of Rain an old fashiond rain. if there had been upon the Ground a Body of snow, the flood of Rain, would have carried away all our Mills and Bridges it has laid our fenses in the meddow below the House flat the water is a foot above the bridge at mr Blacks, and over the Top of his wall which he built last Summer. till this Rain we have not had water to Grind...
8Abigail Adams to John Adams, 25 January 1794 (Adams Papers)
The weather from an unhealthy warmth has changed to an insufferable cold. I had little expectation of getting my Letters to night, but a market Man whom I requested to call upon our son, was faithfull to his promise, and brought me yours of the 12 and 14 th. I also received a letter from an other hand so late as the 17th but not a Word of the important foreign intelligence, which so greatly...
9Abigail Adams to John Adams, 31 January 1794 (Adams Papers)
We have had a severe Snowstorm but attended with such a voilent wind that half the Ground is bare, whilst the other is almost impassible Banks; I hear nothing from Town this week. even the post has not come, but I have good domestick intelligence for you, which is that this day I think our Parent better, and I am much encouraged she says with one of her smiles, tell my son that I am here...
10Abigail Adams to John Adams, 2 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
I last Evening received your kind Letters of Jan’ry 18, 21 & 22 d accompanied with the Negotiation’s I have read the two pamphlets you sent me before. if the American pamphlet is the production of the person to whom report asscribes it, I think very little honour is due to his Head, and none to his Heart. I am sorry he is calld to fill so important an office, as the one to which he is lately...
11Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 3 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
I have not written to you since I received yours of January 5th. I go from home but very little, yet I do not find my time hang heavy upon my hands. You know that I have no aversion to join in the cheerful circle, or mix in the world, when opportunity offers. I think it tends to rub off those austerities which age is apt to contract, and reminds us, as Goldsmith says, “that we once were...
12Abigail Adams to John Adams, 8 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
I was very sorry to learn by your last Letters that you had little hopes of getting home till May. there are so many new Arrangments to make upon our places that I really feel unequal to the Task, but if it must be so, I will do the best I can according to my ability, and if I fail in the execution, you must at least allow for the intention. I would wish you to think what you would have done...
13Abigail 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...
14Abigail Adams to John Adams, 14 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
I received last Evening by my obliging Neighbour captain Beals your kind Letters of Fe bry 4th, and before I reply to them, I would inform you that our venerable Parent has appeard to revive for these two days past. her disorder has proved a Lung fever. the dr advised to a puke two days ago. She was rather averse to it, wishing rather as she expresst herself to dye in quiet. she had labourd...
15Abigail Adams to John Adams, ca. 20 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
The post of the last saturday was the first for a long period, which faild of bringing me a Letter from you. I should have been more anxious but that I received one from you on the wedensday preceeding: you say so many handsome things to me respecting my Letters that you ought to fear making me vain. since however we may appreciate the enconiums of the world, the praises of those whom we Love,...
16Abigail Adams to William Cranch, 23 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
I received your kind Letter last evening. I should be glad of two shares if you would part with them. I inclose 30 dollors for the first payment, but at the same time will content myself with one rather than be any disadvantage to you yet wish you not to sell to any other person any share you may part with, should you determine to not to keep them. I would however advise you to keep as many as...
17Abigail Adams to John Adams, 26 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
Not receiveing any Letters on saturday evening I was so impatient that I sent James to Town on sunday afternoon, and he brought me home your kind favours of the 8 th 9 th & 10 th of this Month; I do not omit writing to you once a week, and sometimes twice The late King of Prussia Said that every age must commit its own follies, and that the experience of others was but of little benifit to...
18Abigail Adams to John Adams, 28 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
I yesterday received your favours of the 17 th of this Month. I was attending at the sick Bed of our dear Parent, from whence for six weeks I have been very seldom absent unless a Nights; my Health would not permit me to be with her then. she you will find by a letter received before this Date, had anticipated your wishes, and sent you her blessing. upon me she hourly bestows them, and I never...
19Abigail Adams to John Adams, 8 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
Half an hour ago your kind Letters of Feb ry 23 & 25 were brought to me. I was at my station the Bed of our Parent when they were deliverd, who again renewd Her blessing with the Testimony of your having been always a kind and dutifull son. my duty towards her as your parent, and as an excellent woman whom I love respect and Revere shall in all points be fulfilld, but the scene is sometimes...
20Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 8 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
I received your kind letter of February 12th, as well as one, by Mr. Storer, of February 2d. I have been every day since thinking that I would write to you, but a superior duty has occupied all my time for six weeks past. I have been only two days (when I was too sick to attend) absent from the sick bed of your grandmother. Your desire, that her last days might be rendered as comfortable as it...
21Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 10 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
Although the scenes in which I have been engaged for six weeks past, have been very different from those which you describe, I have been amused and entertained by your account. Though I cannot say that I am charmed with your hero’s personal accomplishments, as you describe them, yet you find I think our ladies ought to be cautious of foreigners. I am almost led to suspect a spy in every...
22Abigail Adams to John Adams, 14 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
This Letter will not bear you so melancholy tidings, as from the close of my last, I apprehended. our Parent still lives; the ulcer which in my last, I informd you had broken upon her Lungs, and brought on the Symptoms of a speedy dissolution; she had Strength sufficient to Grapple with; all day on Sunday, we expected every moment would be her last, but she fell in to a quieter Sleep; and was...
23Abigail Adams to John Adams, 17 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
I received your two kind favours last Evening of march 2 d & 8 th . the seasons I belive have been very near alike both here and with you. we have had several days of warm & muggy weather, the Ground thawing the slug & miller very industerous, and as the Scripture assures us that tis Lawfull to do good upon the Sabbeth, my people are employd in Annoying these destructive Enemies, who make not...
24Abigail Adams to John Adams, 22 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
Yours of March 11 th reachd me yesterday I have the satisfaction to anounce you our Parents Life, her complaints graduly decrese. her Health appears to be languidly returning, and last night for the first, she passd without a Watcher. Nine weeks she has been confind, but as her disorder of Body gives way, her faculties which all along during her Sickness seemd brightned, appear to be impaird,...
25Abigail Adams to John Adams, 26 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
our two Tenants are come, and I have occupation enough. I have set them to clear the manure out of the Barn and to digg the Garden put all the wall up and look to the fences. when that is done, I shall send them to clear up the Bushes in Curtis’s pasture. I hope you will not be detaind longer than the Month of April. you will be weary of hearing of my wants, and of supplying them, but I find...
26Abigail Adams to John Adams, 28 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
I last Evening received Yours of March the 15 and 17th together with the Money you remitted. it was very fortunate in its arrival, for in half an hour after, I had two fine cows offerd me which I immediatly purchasd tho I gave 40 dollors for them. The sheep Lambd so early, and my cows came in so early that we have expended more english Hay than I could wish, and they Rob’d my Horses to feed...
27Abigail Adams to John Adams, 11 April 1794 (Adams Papers)
You I presume are so much occupied and fatigued with the duties of your station that you can get but little leisure to write, for of late I have received only a few lines at a Time from you; I hope we may not be driven into a War but the present & past conduct of Great Brittain has been such that want of power and ability, are our greatest Security to ourselves and not the Humane Principal of...
28Abigail Adams to John Adams, 18 April 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of April 5 th an 7 th reachd me last Evening, and they fill me with more apprehensions of a War than any thing I have before hear’d. the body of the people are decidedly against War, and if a War is madly or foolishly precipitated upon us, without the union of the people, we shall neither find Men or Money to prosecute it, and the Government will be Cursed and abused for all the...
29Abigail Adams to John Adams, 19 April 1794 (Adams Papers)
A memorable day in our Annals, which is all I shall say of politicks here. the season is very variable from hot to cold & cold to Hot, and much too dry; it has not raind since my poor furniture had such a share of it. the Trees just begin to Bud, and the ground to put on some little verdure. Faxon moved off two days ago and shaw removed in. we are getting things arranged as well as we can. I...
30Abigail Adams to John Adams, 25 April 1794 (Adams Papers)
I last Evening received your of the 15 th and our son the Remittance, which he went directly to pay but mr smith Says the Sum is this currency, whereas mr Brisler expressly wrote me that it was Philadelphia currency and after nameing the sum in pounds, was so particular as to calculate the sum in Dollers. Captain Eames has saild for Philadelphia so that mr smith must wait unless he will credit...