Adams Family Correspondence, volume 2
It is A Long time since I had the Happiness of hearing from my Braintree Friends. Dos my dear Mrs. Adams think I am Indebted a Letter. If she dos Let her Recollect A Moment and she will find she is mistaken. Or is she so wholly Engrossed with the Ideas of her own Happiness as to think Little of the absent. Why should I Interrupt for a moment if this is the Case, the Vivacity and Cheerfulness of Portia Encircled by her Children in full health (her kind Companion 143sharing this felicity,) to Look in upon her Friend in this hour of solitude, my Husband at Boston, my Eldest son abscent, my other four at an Hospital Ill with the small pox, my Father on a bed of pain Verging fast towards the Closing scene, no sisters at hand nor Even a Friend to step in and shorten the tedious hour. I feel with the poet, 'poor is the Friendless Master of a World.' But before I quit talking of myself I must tell you that the Lovely Image of Hope still spreads her silken Wing, and Resting on her pinion I sooth myself into tranquility and peace amidst this Group of painful Circumstances. A few days will make a very material Change in the feelings of my Heart. It may be filled with the Highest sentiments of Gratitude for the preservation and Recovery of my Children, with their Father siting by my side partaking the Delight. Or! I May—My pen trembles. I have not the Courage to Reverse the scene. I Leave the Theme, When you in unison with my soul shall Have Breathed a sigh that your Friend may be prepared for Every designation of providence.
I was Greatly Disappointed that you and Mr. Adams did not Come to Plimouth. Can Neither the General, the Marine nor the Superiour Court, Draw him from his own fire side. Well, Let him Indulge there a Little Longer and the Court of Conscience will do more than all, for I know he Reverences Her awful Tribunal. How is his Health, how are his spirits. What dos he think of the surrender of Fort Washington. Twenty other things I want to ask. If you were both to write me a Good Long Letter it would not more than satisfy my Curiosity and my Wishes. But if the acknowlegements of Gratful Esteem will make any Returns you may be assured of them with the most Cordial sincerity from Your unfeigned Friend,
PS I hope Mr. Warren will Return on Wensday by whom you will not Fail to send a Certain Copey of A Letter of no Consequence to any body but your Friend.
Mrs. Lothrop has just steped in and desires her Regards to you. Most of her Connexions in town are at the Hospital. Neer a hundred persons are now under Innoculation.
The irresistable Hospitality of Dr. Sprague and his Lady has prevailed upon me, and my worthy Fellow Traveller, to put up at his 144happy Seat.—We had an agreable Ride to this Place, and tomorrow Morning We sett off, for Providence, or some other Rout.1
Present my affection, in the tenderest Manner to my little deserving Daughter and my amiable sons.
It was cruel Parting this Morning. My Heart was most deeply affected, altho, I had the Presence of Mind, to appear composed.
May God almightys Providence protect you, my dear, and all our little ones. My good Genius, my Guardian Angell whispers me, that We shall see happier Days, and that I shall live to enjoy the Felicities of domestic Life, with her whom my Heart esteems above all earthly Blessings.
JA's host was Dr. John Sprague, a well-to-do physician and warm patriot who has been mentioned earlier in these letters; on Sprague's house in Dedham see Sibley-Shipton, Harvard Graduates
, 10:241. Accompanying JA were his servant (John Turner) and one of the two recently elected additional Massachusetts delegates, James Lovell. JA's somewhat imperfect account with Massachusetts for his expenses on this journey is printed from the Adams Papers in his
Diary and Autobiography
, 2:252–253, and his experiences on the way are rather fully described in his letters to AA that follow here. Under the threat of Howe's army in the Jerseys, Congress had adjourned from Philadelphia on 12 Dec. 1776 and reassembled at Baltimore on the 20th (
JCC
, 6:1027–1028). The travelers took a wide arc around the opposing armies, and their precise itinerary is given in a paper docketed by JA “Mr. Lovells Account,” which is receipted by Lovell to JA and is in the Adams Papers under the assigned date 1776–1777 (but should be Jan. 1777). The itinerary and payments for food, lodgings, &c. (for the whole party of men and horses), are given by Lovell as follows:
Dedham 6: Medfield 4: 6 Medway 7: Mendon 1: 1: Duglass 2: Killingly 4: Thompson 9: 4 Pomfrett 4: Kenneday 5: Windham 15: 6 Coventry 6: 8 East Hartford 10: 6 Hartford 1: 6: 6 Farmington 6: Southington 15: 6 Waterbury 5: Woodbury 15: 2 New Milford 7: New Fairfield 14: Beekman's Precinct 6: Fish Kills 16: Hackinsac 11: 3 Pokeepsie 1: 2: River N or th3: 7 New Marlbro' 1: 6 New Windsor 9: Bethlehem 13: 10 Goshen 5: 8 Warwick 7: 4 Hardystown 14: Sussex Court House 10: 6 Log Jail 1: 4 Oxford Township 9: 4 Oxford 8: Greenwich 4: Delaware River 1: 10 East Town 1: 18: 8 Bethlehem 2: 16: 11 Ferry 1: 3 Chester 1: 3 145 Wilmington 8: Newark 14: 6 Notingham 19: 9 Susquehannah 12: 10 Hartford 1: 2: 6 Godsgraces 18: 7 27: 12: 1
JA's two-thirds share is indicated as £18 8s.