1The Chevalier de Ronnay to Abigail Adams, 2 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
Je Suis au désespoire d’avoir oublié de vous remettre Le mémoire que vous avez eu La Complaisance de me preter L’avant derniere fois que j’ai eu L’honneur de vous voir. Je vous en demande mille pardons. Ce mémoire fait honneur à Mr Adams d’autant plus qu’outre qu’il est très bien écrit il a pour base des Sistêmes fondés Sur Sa L’âme politique. Je prie Mademoiselle Adams d’agréer L’assurance de...
I am sorry that I forgot to return to you the memoir which you had the kindness to lend me when I had the honor of seeing you the time before last. Please forgive me. This memoir greatly honors Mr. Adams not only because it is very well written but even more so because it is based on systems founded on his political conscience. Please ask Miss Adams to accept the assurance of my respect. RC (...
3Abigail Adams 2d to Elizabeth Cranch, 2 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
No Eliza I do not believe your real affection has decreased for Amelia, but a consiousness of my even doing wrong sometimes leads me to feel neglected, when, perhaps , I am not. But do not say that you love me better every time you converse with me. I must believe you sincere and this belief will lead me for the first time to dought your judgement. I do not say this to be contradicted. It is...
4Abigail Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 6 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
Your obligeing favour of Sepbr 10th was put into my hands the day before I set out upon a journey which detained me a fortnight abroad, and prevented my Reply to your kind inquiries after my absent Friends. I did as you supposed receive Letters by Capt. Grinnel one of which was dated in july; but I have the mortification to assure you sir that our common Friend did not then entertain any hopes...
5Abigail Adams to John Adams, 8 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of August 17th is just put into my hands with word that Capt. Grinnel is to sail tomorrow, all of a sudden without having been to see me, or warning me of his going. I made a little excursion to Haverhill with our daughter and son Charles which prevented my getting my Letters ready. However I am determined not to close my eyes to Night untill I have written to you, and will send...
6John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 9 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
In receiving the Communication, that the T reaty of Amity and Commerce between the United States of America, and the seven United Provinces, was yesterday signed , You will at the same Time accept my sincere Congratulations upon this Event. It has been a long, tedious and troublesome Negotiation, and fortunately for our Country in very good Hands. Every Negotiation here takes up so much Time,...
7Richard Cranch to John Adams, 10 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have just been inform’d by Uncle Smith that a Vessel will sail for Holland this Day; and as I wish to let you hear from your dearest Connections here by every oportunity, I hope you will excuse this Domestick Epistle. I left your Lady and Children all well this Week, your Mother and Brother and all our other Friends are as well as usual. I have had the happiness of receiving your esteemed...
8Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 10 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
I this day received your Favour of the 17th. Augst. Ultimo. I find that your mind is much distressed with the Accounts you have received of the almost despaired State of our worthy Friend Mr. Cranch. I have given you his Case in a Letter of the 26th. Sept. last, which will remove your Anxiety—that Letter you will probably receive with this as I am in hopes of getting it to Town before Grinnell...
9John Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
I believe I shall set off for Paris next Fryday. Mr. Thaxter and Mr. Storer will go with me. The Treaty of Commerce and the Convention respecting recaptures were Signed on the 8 of this Month, and they go by this and Several other Opportunities. I hope they will give Satisfaction. Mr. Jay writes me that on the 28 of Septr. that the Day before Mr. Oswald received a Commission to treat with the...
10John Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday arrived your kind Letters of the 3 and 5 of september. I am preparing to sett off tomorrow Morning for Paris, so that I am unable to write you more than a Line. Your Proposal of coming to me would make me the happiest of Men, if it were probable that I should live here where I am well settled. But, if the Negotiations for Peace should take a serious Turn, I shall be obliged to live...
11John Adams to Abigail Adams 2d, 16 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
Your obliging letter of 3d September, I have received, and read with all the tenderness of a father deprived of the dearest, and almost the only enjoyment of his life, his family. I never receive a packet from your mamma without a fit of melancholy that I cannot get over for many days. Mine has been a hard lot in life, so hard that nothing would have rendered it supportable, especially for the...
12Charles Storer to Abigail Adams, 17 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
I write you, Madam, agreable to the request of Mr. Adams, having put up for you the sundry articles you gave orders for in a late letter. You will receive by Captain Coffin, a Trunk containing an Invoice of things from Mr. Willink for you, which I assisted him in purchasing yesterday. Wish they may be agreable to you. Besides these articles there are some others, viz, 1. ps: Scarlet Broad...
13John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 17 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
I am thus far advanced on my Journey, and shall continue it from hence tomorrow. I found Mr. Storer writing to You as I came in, and he has consented to inclosing a few lines in his. Your letter of 5th. Septr. to Mr. A. has duly come to hand. You express a strong desire to make a Voyage to your dearest Friend. I am not surprized at that, and think your Patience and Sacrifices are perfect...
14Abigail Adams to John Adams, 25 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
The family are all retired to rest, the Busy scenes of the day are over, a day which I wished to have devoted in a particular manner to my dearest Friend, but company falling in prevented nor could I claim a moment untill this silent watch of the Night. Look—(is there a dearer Name than Friend; think of it for me;) Look to the date of this Letter—and tell me, what are the thoughts which arise...
15Abigail Adams to John Thaxter, 26 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
No, the Fire Brand shall not sail again without a Letter to my Friend. Why what a Hurry. I meant to have written him a long Letter—but here before a Body could think twice she is loaded and ready to sail. I could not write by Capt. Grinnel for reasons which I gave you. This vessel will sail before I can advertize your Friends. I have the pleasure however to assure you that they were well last...
16John Adams to Abigail Adams, 8 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
The King of Great Britain, by a Commission under the great Seal of his Kingdom, has constituted Richard Oswald Esqr. his Commissioner to treat with the Ministers Plenipotentiary of the United States of America, and has given him full Powers which have been mutually exchanged. Thus G.B. has Shifted Suddenly about, and from persecuting Us with unrelenting Bowells, has unconditionally and...
17Charles Storer to Abigail Adams, 8 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have taken the liberty to enclose a line to my Papa, under cover of yours; knowing it will go more expeditiously as well as safely— to your Excellency —than by itself, and presuming upon your goodness to excuse it. Let me request you to forward it to Boston as soon as may be convenient, and to accept my thanks therefor. Permit me to congratulate you on the Event, of which Mr. A. has given...
18Abigail Adams 2d to Elizabeth Cranch, 9 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
A constant succession of company, is all I have to offer in vindication of my appearant inattention, to my Eliza. Not a moment have I been able to devote, to writing since your absense till these few days past. I have sometime lamented, but solely upon self interested motives, that it has not been in my power to write you. My fancy paints your situation, as agreed. Mrs. Warren, as ever,...
19John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 10 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
We arrived here the 26th. last Month after a tedious Journey in a crazy Carriage, with the additional Circumstances and Douceurs of constant Rains and bad Roads. Nothing however compared to Spain. At Valenciennes, the first City of France in coming from Holland, we stopped half a day. The greatest Curiosity we saw there was in a Church, where we found the Virgin Mary encirling the City with a...
20Abigail Adams to John Adams, 13 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have lived to see the close of the third year of our seperation. This is a Melancholy Anniversary to me; and many tender Scenes arise in my Mind upon the recollecttion. I feel unable to sustain even the Idea, that it will be half that period e’er we meet again. Life is too short to have the dearest of its enjoyments curtaild. The Social feelings grow Callous by disuse and lose that pliancy...
21Abigail 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...
22John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 14 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
I forwarded a Letter to You, Madam, yesterday by Capt. Barney, Commander of the Packet Washington, and this I expect will go by the Cicero, Capt. Hill. Have the Vessels done passing between Boston and Europe? I have received no Letters a long time from home, and I begin to grow a little impatient, especially since I have heard of my Father’s Misfortune. I have a half Story about the Matter,...
23John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 19 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
In my melancholy, unhappy Moments, (for such I sometimes have), I recur to my old Letters for Consolation, and to none with more pleasure than the sentimental ones of Portia. Letters give Wings to the Imagination; and by their Aid I can transport myself in an instant to H ingha m, or B rai n tr ee and there enjoy the Company of my Friends. In reading over again your’s of the 18th. July last, I...
24John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 27 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
You will believe me, when I inform You, that I am grievously disappointed in only having to acknowledge the reciept of just two Lines and an half from You by Capt. Grinnell. I am sorry that the Shortness of your Notice has deprived me of so much Happiness. The Card however will keep alive my Expectations ’till the promised Letters arrive. But lest Miss Nabby should think I set no Value upon...
25John Adams to Abigail Adams, 4 December 1782 (Adams Papers)
Your Proposal of coming to Europe, has long and tenderly affected me. The Dangers and Inconveniences are such and an European Life would be so disagreable to you that I have suffered a great deal of Anxiety in reflecting upon it. And upon the whole, I think it will be most for the Happiness of my Family, and most for the Honour of our Country that I should come home . I have therefore this Day...
26John Adams to Abigail Adams 2d, 4 December 1782 (Adams Papers)
Your Solicitude for your Papa is charming: But he is afraid to trust you to the uncertain Elements, and what is infinitely more mischievous, the follies and depravities of the old world, which is quite as bad as that before the Flood. He has therefore determined to come to you, in America, next Summer, if not next Spring. Duty and Affections where due. RC or Dupl , in Charles Storer’s hand (...
27John Adams to Richard Cranch, 15 December 1782 (Adams Papers)
Since my Arrival here 26 October, untill the 30 of November, We had a constant Scuffle Morning noon and night about Cod and Haddock on the Grand Bank Deer skins on the Ohio and Pine Trees at Penobscat, and what were worse than all the Refugees. The Denouement of the Plott has had in it as much of the sublime and Pathetic as any Part of the Piece. It was comical too as you shall one day know in...
28John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 15 December 1782 (Adams Papers)
I intended to have wrote largely by this Opportunity, but have been confined ever since last Sunday night to my Bed and Chamber, with a most violent Cold, a kind of Punishment for Pride and Curiosity. I was last Sunday at Versailles, the day was extremely cold and foggy, much was to be seen, and but little time for the purpose. I drove about without Hat and with thin Shoes all day long, gave...
29Abigail Adams 2d to Elizabeth Cranch, 19 December 1782 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday, my Dear Eliza, I came here to pass a few days with our friend. I found her much indisposed. She is better to day, and has flattered me by saying, my company has been of service, to her. I wish I could feel conscious that this is not the result of her complasance. You are now seated in Boston—agreeably—I hope. You aught to be happy, for to deprive your friends of so great a degree of...
30Abigail Adams 2d to Elizabeth Cranch, 22 December 1782 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday my Dear Eliza I returned from G ermantown and this morning, it being our usual post day, I received your letter and take the earlyest opportunity to acknowledge and answer it. Your late excursion to Boston has given you spirits. I was not conscious that my letter breathed more of friendship, or of Love, than usual, the most reasonable construction I can put upon, this curious rant of...