Adams Family Correspondence, volume 3

John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 24 May 1778 JQA AA

1778-05-24

John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 24 May 1778 Adams, John Quincy Adams, Abigail

John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams

Hond Mamma Paris May ye 24 1778

I now having an opportunity which to my Satisfaction I have much oftener than I expected when I first came here, in which I improve every time I can in writing to you who has always been so kind a Mamma to me.

I last night went to the theatre, after we had got there we found there was no places empty upon which we came home again.

29 I must now conclude in being your dutiful son. John Quincy Adams

RC (Adams Papers); addressed in JA's hand: “Mrs. John Adams Braintree near Boston Massachusetts-Bay.” Text is given here in literal style.

John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 25 May 1778 JQA AA

1778-05-25

John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 25 May 1778 Adams, John Quincy Adams, Abigail

John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams

Ma chere Maman Paris Mai Le 25 1778

Celle ci etant la premiere fois que je ecrire en François ne sera surment pas trop bien Faites mais j'espere que vous le recevére avec le meme plaisir que si elle etoit mieux, si vous considerée le peu de tems que jai eté icí vous ne blamerez pas moi pour ne pas avoir apprit plus de françois.

Je suis Ma chere Maman votre obeissant fils jean Quincy Adams

RC (Adams Papers); addressed in JA's hand: “Mrs. Adams Braintree near Boston.” Text is given here in literal style.

John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 29 May 1778 JQA Adams, Thomas Boylston

1778-05-29

John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 29 May 1778 Adams, John Quincy Adams, Thomas Boylston

John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams

Paris May the 29 17781

I having wrote to my Mamma Sister and Brother Charles2 it is my duty to write to you also for if I do not write to you how can I expect that you will write to me for which reason I write to you as often as I can as you must also to me. Providence my dear Brother has seperated us so that we cannot expect to see one another very soon but there is yet one consolation Left us which is that we are not deprived of the Liberty of writing to one another which we must do as often as we can. I am &c.

LbC (Adams Papers); at foot of text: “To My Brother Tommy.” Text is given here in literal style.

This is the first entry in a folio letterbook purchased by JA of “Cabaret, Marchand Papetier Ordinaire des Bureaux du Roy” (see note 1 on JA to AA, 3 June, below), and given to JQA, who entered copies of his letters in it, somewhat spasmodically, through 20 Feb. 1779. In Nov. 1779, being about to return to Europe on his second mission, JA took over the book, and hence it has been placed in the Adams Papers among his letterbooks as Lb/JA/8 (Microfilms, Reel No. 96). For JQA's diverting remarks on his earliest efforts to keep a letterbook under his father's tutelage, see JQA to AA, 27 Sept., below.

No letters from JQA to either his sister AA2 or his brother CA prior to this date have been found.