Adams Family Correspondence, volume 3

James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 11 August 1779 Lovell, James AA

1779-08-11

James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 11 August 1779 Lovell, James Adams, Abigail

James Lovell to Abigail Adams

My amiable Friend 11. Augst. 1779

This Evening I have satisfactory Intelligence of the real Embarkation of your very dear Treasure at ~~Nantes~~ l'Orient the 17th. of June and that he was left well 12 days after, off the western Islands. The Secretary of Arthur Lee arrived at Metompkin, Virginia, Augst. 1st. in a very swift sailing Vessel.1 Mr. Adams told him at parting that he had good News for Congress and sent his Respects. The Secretary is not here but a Connecticutt Captain a Passenger in the same Vessel is my Author. There is a very lazy Vessel in Company with the Baggage of the french Minister who is with Mr. Adams; so that you need not be uneasy meerly on Account of Time. But I must honestly say that there 223is a risque both from Arbuthnot and Collier. God grant he may escape both, and speedily embrace his dear Family.

James Lovell

RC (Adams Papers).

This was Hezekiah Ford, a Virginian of dubious political and moral character who as “Parson Ford” had alternately bored and shocked JA while the latter was waiting at Lorient for passage home. See JA, Diary and Autobiography , 2:364–368, 373, 376–377.

Abigail Adams 2d to Elizabeth Cranch, 20 October 1779 AA2 Cranch, Elizabeth Norton, Elizabeth Cranch

1779-10-20

Abigail Adams 2d to Elizabeth Cranch, 20 October 1779 Adams, Abigail (daughter of JA and AA) Cranch, Elizabeth Norton, Elizabeth Cranch

Abigail Adams 2d to Elizabeth Cranch

October 20 1779

I have began too or three letters to you but have burnt them, all for reasons that you need not be inquisitive to know. If they had been fit for your perusal you should have seen them: I have just returned from Germantown, my favourite Miss Mayhew is there, in as good spirits as usual.

Our friend Amanda1 talks of leaveing Germantown her mamma has sent for her, I had not time to ask her why. She left us so soon, I shall lament the loss of her company. She has a disposition that pleases me much, I love her sincerely and wish that she may be happyly situated in this vain and transitory state until she receives the reward of the good and just in another world.

You have had the pleasure of seeing Monsieur Groisbriand and Miss Broom. If he had given his hand to Miss Broom instead of Miss Scot I should have retained the same opinion of him I had before, I think he did not show a delicate taset2 to prefer the latter to the former, when in her heart she ridiculed him because he was a frenchman.3

I have endeavoured several times to come and see you but all in vain so you must take the will for the deed.

There has an agreable person come into town upon a vissiat. It is my delight to puzzel people. I shant mention his name. He is not handsome but very agreable, writes excessive prety letters &c. &c. &c. &c. &c. &c. &c.

My Love to all friends. That health and happyness may ever be your attendants is the wish of your

Mercella

RC (MHi:Cranch Papers); addressed: “Miss Betsy Cranch Boston”; docketed: “October 20 1779 AA.”

Unidentified.

Thus in MS.

The Chevalier de Goësbriand (as he himself wrote his name) was ensign and second in command of the French frigate La Sensible; he later applied to JA for an American naval command (JA, Diary and Autobiography , 2:395, 397; 224Goësbriand to JA, 27 Feb. 1780, Adams Papers; JQA, Diary, 24 Nov. 1779). The young ladies mentioned in this paragraph have not been further identified.