Abigail Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, March 13, 1800

Philadelphia March 13 1800

Dear Madam

I received Your Letter with those inclosed from Berlin. I
thank You for the entertainment which they have afforded me. those for
Berlin arrived at a very fortunate time. I gave them with Some, which I had
written, to the Prussian Consul who is returning immediatly to Berlin and
who promissed to deliver them himself— 1

I have delayed sooner replying to your Letter, that I
Might have it in my power to request You to consider this House as your Home
when you visit this city. I have a Bed at your service. Mrs smith who has
been with me untill last week, has now gone to the Jersies, and tho we give a Rent of two thousand
seven Hundred Dollors a year for this House, we have but one spair Chamber
in it, which we can offer to a Friend. the Rent is a very great imposition,
but advantage was taken, of their being no other House in the city to let,
So well calculated to accomodate the President, and the owner of the House
very obligingly doubled the Rent upon us, when we came into it, refusing at
the same time to make those repairs which, he ought to have considerd
indispensable— 2 necessity
knows no Law, and we have been obliged to submit.

The Roads are just at present so very bad that I should
rather advise your waiting untill April when they will probably be more
setled. I do not see any prospect of Congress rising untill June. Mrs smith
experienced so Much inconvenience in going to the Jersies, that if I could
have form’d an Idea of the travelling I should not have consented to her
leaving me.

I congratulate You upon the safety of mrs Helm, and upon
becomeing a Grandmamma. 3 I
hope she is recovering from a situation which made me shuder when I read it—
will not one of the young Ladies accompany you. Philadelphia is very Gay,
tho I consider myself as very fortunate, in not being under any necisity of
joining in the Parties, except in my own House. I am too old and infirm to
go into public, and tho I have a high relish for society; one may be much in
company; without what I term society—

Present me kindly to Your Family.

I am with sentiments of Regard / and Esteem Your
&c

A Adams 4