Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, April 28, 1787

London April 28th 1787

My dear sister

I have now to acknowledge your kind favour of April 7th 1 by Captain Folger— I have already written to my
Neices 2 and informed them of the
addition to my family— you will rejoice with me that an event which as a parent so
nearly concernd me, is so happily over, and that the mother and Child are both finely.
indeed I never saw a healthier Lad in my life. he has not even had those complaints
incident to children, which I partly attribute to the care of the nurse who leaves all
to Nature without even tea drink or doses of any kind. she has been a Nurse 21 years,
& never had a child with a soar mouth. She washes little master with cold water from
the day of his Birth, & is exceedingly attentive to Cleanliness. the Nurses here
never think of going to Bed during the whole month, they lay themselves down on a
settee, or sleep in an easy chair, & I do not see But what they are quite as
contented & as Bright as ours, who go to bed & frequently let a pour woman
suffer. tis true they do nothing else, but attend to the Lady and Child. the Cook of the
family makes all the victuals, & the maid carries it up, and they are well pay’d for their trouble, but still they are the best Nurses I
ever saw— how happy would it make me; could my dear sister look in upon us. I have been
very unwell all this Spring. a slow intermitting fever, and Billious complaints have
greatly afflicted me, I am better than I was a month ago, as the fever has lessend, but
still the cause is not wholy removed, and the doctor tells me, it must be a work of time
& care; 3 I had similar complaints the
spring before I left America, only not to so great a degree. I have not escaped one
spring or fall since. the dampness of this climate & the little tendency that there
is to perspiration encreases this disorder greatly, I must try a journey soon—

we have accounts by way of New york to the 8th of march, which inform us that general
Lincoln had met with more resistance from the insurgents, than we had reason to expect
from former accounts, that an engagement had taken place, in which several persons on
both sides fell, but we do not learn who, that Shayes had got off into vermont, where it
was probable he would meet with protection. I hope these accounts are not well
founded. 4 Let not the Patriots of our
Country be discouraged or disheartned altho their affairs are much embarrassed. the
Country is fruitfull in resources, patience perseverence industery and frugality will
accomplish great things. our Countrymen create most of the misfortunes they feel, for
want of a disinterested Spirit; a confidence in each other, & a union of the whole.
it is a great misfortune when one state thawrts the measures of 11 or 12 and thus
injures, the credit & reputation of the whole. 5 the situation of our Country greatly damps the
pleasure I should feel in anticipating my return to it. you may well suppose that
falshoods in abundance are circulated here, an attempt to publish the Truth; or
contradict them, would have no other affect than raising a Nest of wasps & Hornets,
& would employ the whole time of one person. an extract of a Letter publishd from dr
Rush to dr price, giving an account of the establishment of 2 or 3 new societies, drew
upon the latter so much abuse & Scurility as would disgrace any people. the writer
like an envenomed toad spit forth his poison. 6 there are a set of Refugees residing here, the
enormity of whose offences forbids their ever returning again to America, 7 like Satan they look to the Heights from which
they have fallen, with a malice and envy similar to that which the arch Fiend felt when
he beheld the Glory of the new world, and like him they wish to destroy the happiness of
its inhabitants. 8 such is Galloway, &
Smith who is gone prime minister to Lord Dorchester, a few days before he left the Country, he gave it as his solid opinion that, he
did not doubt he should live to see America sue to Britain for protection & to be
received again by it, he might have added; it should not be his fault if they did
not. 9 I hope a watchfull Eye will be
kept over Lord Dorchester & all his movements— This Government are as much disposed
to sow seeds of dissention amongst us as ever, & build wholy upon our splitting to
peices. But I will quit this subject 10 for our own Domestick concerns. you ask my opinion respecting the wives talkd of for our
uncles. Second marriages at their age can be considerd only as affairs of convenience
the heyday of the Blood is tame, and waits upon the judgment, as Hamlet expresses
it. 11 the same ardor & passion so
suitable in Youth would be ridiculous in age, nor is it improper to consult even
Interest as well as convenience. Good dispositions fair Characters and a regard to the
station which was formerly held by the parties, ought to be more maturely considerd than
at an earlyer period of Life. young people more easily accommodate themselves to each
other, too great a disparity in years often makes second marriages not only Ridiculous
but unhappy— I know not the person whom I should like so well or one who would do more
credit to the Relation, or discharge the duties of her station with greater honour to
herself than the Lady you have mentiond for our good uncle S—— 12 She is the only one, which has occured to my
mind, since the discease of our dear Aunt— as to the other Lady of the same Name, I can
only say if I was in her situation I would not exchange it for a residence at Weymouth
tho I have not a personal knowledge of mrs W. 13 from the Character which she sustaind in this
Country, the visisitudes of fortune which she experienced with great equinimity, the
many handsome things I have heard dr Jeffries say of her, who attended her through a
most distressing sickness the perfect Harmony in which she is said to have lived with
her former partner, all serves to hold her up to my view as a Lady highly deserving
& well calculated for any situation in Life affliction is the best school for
wisdom, and knowledge, but whereever my worthy Friends may fix; I most sincerely wish
them happy and I am sure they will not give me a Relation whom I cannot respect.— I am
very glad that Miss Mayhew has so pretty an addition to her fortune, she did not however
stand in need of that recommendation in my Eye to qualify her for a good wife. I have no
doubt she would have shone in that character, and I cannot help thinking that it argues
cowardice in the gentlemen that she still remains single. she has a strength of mind,
and an understanding, which will always ensure her respect, provided the
heriditary talant which she has at Satire; is properly regulated. This I conceive has
been the weapon that has terrified all the gentlemen, conscious perhaps how justly it
may be levelld against them, but no woman of sense will ever make her Husband an object
of Ridicule; for in proportion as she lowers him she lessens herself. neither the
Character of Lady G. or miss How, are to be immitated by the Woman of true delicacy of
sentiment, 14 but miss Mayhews talant
has always been display’d with so much good humour when ever I have been witness to it
that I think I could not have been angry, if I had been the subject of it, yet my dear
sister I have ever observed that it is a most Dangerous thing for a Female to be
distinguishd for any quallification beyond the rest of her sex. Whatever may be her
Deportment, she is sure to draw upon herself the jealousy of the men and the envy of the
women, nor do I see any way to remedy this evil but by increasing the number of
accomplished women, a monopoly of any kind is always envidious

I have never received a Line from mr Hay since she left England, which I have wonderd
at considering the intimacy which subsisted between us when here. I thought her reasons
good for chusing to go to America. it was natural for her to wish to be with her
relations during the long voyages of captain Hay, rather than to reside at Board abroad.
I know she endeavourd to influence him to go with her, but he was in good buisness here,
& saild with more safety in a British Ship, than he could in an American vessel
subject to the capture of Algerines as he thought at that time. he was about taking a
voyage when she left him, in which he expected to be absent 15 months I think I should
have done as she did, if I had been in her place I know Captain Hay met with a
dissapointment, by his owners loosing his Reason, by which means captain Hay was detaind
here a long time—nor do I know how long he has saild when circumstances are known, it
greatly alters appearences 15

Mrs Elworthy I saw at her House not long ago. She was well then. they live in the city
& have but very small appartments not calculated to see company. they are people of
Buisness honest industerous & obliging but their whole House is very little larger
than your office. 16 mr John Cranch and I
have the honour to correspond sometimes, he frequently sends us game from the Country, I
inclose a letter from him which I received a few days ago to cousin Betsy. I fear I must
acknowledg myself a delinquint with respect to my dear Brother Cranch I received his
excellent Letters, and one of them was answerd, but it
was at a time when no vessel was going for a long time and I did not think it worth a
postage from Newyork so it grew old & out of date— 17 mr Adams is frequently chargeable with omissions
to his correspondents, but he has more to plead in his excuse than I have, as his time
is occupied in investigating more important Subjects—but when a vessel is near sailing
you can hardly form an Idea what a call there is upon my pen and yet I leave some of my
much esteemed Friends without a Line. I hope the vessels by which I have written are all
safely arrived, and the articles I sent by them. Captain Callihan is so kind as to take
a peice of Linnen for Tommys use it is not fine but a good fabrick. Remember me to all
our Friends I shall write to several of them if I am able, if not they must attribute it
to indisposition, as I am seldom able to set up a whole day at a time; & I ride out
when the weather permits

Col Smith set of this week to portugal. it is the first seperation even of a day since
he was married. Mrs Smith thought it a Sad affliction. She has not been innured like her
mamma, and I hope she never may to such long dangerous & painfull seperations. she
however behaved well when it came really to the trial, and the little Boy is a great
amusement to her. I send the Caps for my worthy parent to whom present my duty &
that of her great grandson.

I fear a little that my Eldest son will be so much of a Book worm & Scholar that he
will grow too neglegent of those attentions which are due to the World, & which tho
they may appear little, & trifling, much of our happiness is found by experience to
depend upon them. his cousins must gaurd him against this error— it was a maxim of
Epictetus’s that it was incumbent on every one to offer libations and sacrifices
conformable to the customs of his Country, with purity, and not in a slovenly manner,
nor negligently, 18 that is, the muses
& graces should join Hands—

adieu my dear sister and believe me with the tenderest sentiments of affection /
your

A Adams

Remember me affectionately to all my Friends & Neighbours

Esther is well & so is Brisler who is one of the best of of Servants; Indeed I
know not how I should keep house in this Country without him, on both my Americans I
can depend. I never knew them deceive me, but the very best English servants which I
have had, & I have been very fortunate, think deception & fibing no harm.