Adams Family Correspondence, volume 3

Benjamin Rush to Abigail Adams

Abigail Adams to John Thaxter

Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 19 August 1778 AA Lovell, James

1778-08-19

Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 19 August 1778 Adams, Abigail Lovell, James
Abigail Adams to James Lovell
My dear Sir Braintree, 19 August 1778 1

This Moment your favour of August the 62 is come to hand. My Heart reproaches me that I have not before this time told you that according to the Scotch Song “I had banishd all my Grief for I was sure the News was true and I was sure he's well.”—Indeed Sir I have been so much absorbed in my own happiness and so selfish that I have scarcly thought of communicating it.

But a debt of gratitude is due to you who not with standing the weight of publick cares which must engrose all your hours, have frequently devoted those which Nature requires for repose, to the Benevolent purpose of giving ease and dissapating the fears and anxieties of your greatly obliged Friend. No additional proof was wanting to convince me that the Native Sensibility, tenderness and Benevolence of Mr. Lovell could suffer no alteration or dimunation, by any buisness or employment in which he could be engaged—that it is an innate principal and displays itself in every action of his life and of this he may be assured if it will give him any satisfaction that the happy talent he possesses in the Manifestation of those virtues will ever attach the fair Sex to him and in a perticuliar manner.

Portia

Dft (Adams Papers); docketed by CFA: “To James Lovell.”

1.

Since AA is here acknowledging a letter from Lovell dated 6 Aug., and since Lovell acknowledged on 1 Sept. (see under that date below) a letter from her dated 19 Aug. (RC not found), the present draft can be assigned the latter date with some confidence.

2.

Not found.