Quincy December 6th 1794
My Dearest Friend
Your kind favours of the 19th
[John to Abigail, 19 November 1794]
, 23
[John to Abigail, 23 November 1794]
and 26 of Novbr.
[John to Abigail, 26 November 1794]
came safe to Hand, together with the pamphlet, The writer appears to have ransakd pandimonium, and collected into a small compass the iniquity and abuses of several generations, "Sitting down all in malice and naught extermating." If the representations of our democratic Societies both of men and measures, for these two years past, were to be collected into one pamphlet, and could obtain belief, some future Jefferson, might cry out, that it containd an astonishing concentration of abuses." In a Government like that of Great Britain, we know that many abuses exist, both in the Governors and governed, but still in no Country, America excepted, has there ever existed so great a share of personal Liberty and Security of property.
You ask what I think of France. I ruminate upon them as I lye a wake many hours before light. My present thought is, that their victorious Army will give them a Government in Time, in spight of all their conventions, but of what nature it will be, it is hard to say. Men warlike and immured to Arms and conquest, are not very apt to become the most quiet submissive Subjects. Are we, as reported, to have a new Minister from thence? I presume Munroe is to their taste. It will be well if he does not take a larger latitude than his credentials
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will warrant.
I am anxious for our Dear Sons. These prospects are not very pleasent, even tho the french should not get possession of Holland. This Whirligig of a World, tis difficult to keep steady in it.
It gives me pain to find you so lonesome in the midst of so many amusements. I know you do not take pleasure in them, but you would feel more cheerfull if you went more into Society. Your the knitting work and Needle are a great relief in these long winter Evenings which you, poor Gentleman cannot use. Like Mr. Solus in the play, you want a wife to hover about you, to bind up your temples, to mix your Books and to pour out your Coffe," but dont you know, that you will prize her the more for feeling the want of her for a time?
"How blessings Brighten as they take their flight."
The business of the Farm goes on. The plowing is all finishd and the manure all out, the Yard full of sea weed, and a little wood.
The News of the day is that Mrs. Hancock is going to take Captain Scot into her Employ, in plain Words that she is going to marry him. An able bodied enough sea Captain, "Frailty thy Name is woman. We cannot call it Love; for at her age the hey-day in the Blood is tame, its humble And waits upon the Judgment, and what Judgment would step so low."
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Alas Dorethy I never thought
the very wise, but I thought
the proud and ambitious.
Do you say I am censorious. It may be so, but I cannot but wonder.
Adieu. Pray write in good Spirits. You know I never could bear to hear you groan and at this Distance it gives me the Vapours.
I am most affectionately yours,
A Adams
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[Endorsement -- see page image]
