Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, March 15, 1787

London March 15th 1787

Dear Tommy

I would not omit writing you, because you seem to think you have been agrieved. I do
not recollect what I wrote you, but I have Some Idea, that it was an enumeration of the
various accidents you had met with, and advising you to more care and attention in
future. 1 I had no occasion to chide you
for want of application to your studies, because your uncles your Aunts & your
Brothers had been witnesses for you, and all of them had Spoken well of you. it has
indeed been a great and an abundant pleasure both to your Father & to me to hear the
repeated & constant testimony of all our Friends with regard to the conduct of all
our Sons, and I flatter myself that what ever else may be our lot & portion in Life,
that of undutifull and vicious children will not be added to it.— Not only youth but
maturer age is too often influenced by bad exampls, and it requires much reason much
experience firmness & resolution to stem the torrent of fashion & to preserve
the integrity which will bear the Scrutiny of our own Hearts. virtue like the stone of
Sysiphus has a continual tendency to roll down Hill & requires to be forced up again
by the never ceasing Efforts of succeeding moralists. if humane nature is thus infirm
& liable to err as daily experience proves let every effort be made to acquire
strength. nature has implanted in the humane mind nice sensibilities of moral rectitude
and a natural love of excellence & given to it powers capable of infinate
improvement and the state of things is so constituded that Labour well bestowed &
properly directed always produces valuable Effects. the resolution you have taken of
persueing such a conduct as shall redound to your own honour & that of your family
is truly commendable. it is an old & just observation, that by aiming at perfection
we may approach it much more nearly than if we sat down inactive through despair—

you will do well to join the military company as soon as you are qualified. every
citizen should learn the use of arms & by being thus qualified he will be less
likely to be calld to the use of them. 2 War cannot be ranked amongsts the liberal arts, and must ever be considerd as a scourge
& a calamity, & should Humiliate the pride of man that he is thus capable of
destroying his fellow creatures— I am glad to find you mending in your hand writing,
during the vacancies you & your Brother Charles would do well to attend to that. it
is of more importance than perhaps you are aware of, more for a Man than a Woman, but I
have always to lament my own inattention in this matter. inclosed you will find a little
matter which you will make a good use of. your sister sends her Love and will write you
soon. I am my dear Son / most affectionately / Yours

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