John Adams to Abigail Adams, January 28, 1799

Phil a. Jan. 28. 99

My dearest Friend

In my solitude in Markett street, I find nothing so sociable as
your Letters— those of 18 & 20 th. are this moment
recd d.— 1 Your health & Spirits are a great Improvement of mine.

I have avoided the Epithets perfidious and unprincipled as much as
I could, but neither they nor any that could be borrowed from the Hebrew & the Greek
would be too strong, for the House of Mass to Use.—

My Religion you know is not, exactly conformable to that of the
greatest Part of the Christian World. It excludes superstition. But with all the
superstition that attends it, I think the Christian the best that is or has been. I
would join with those who wish ecclesiastical Tyranny abolished, and the frauds of the
Priesthood detected: But in this Country We have little of this. If my feeble Testimony
has done any good, I rejoice & have my reward.

The V. P was a poor Correspondent and the P. is a worse, but I
cannot help it.

The salt Marsh you may buy but it is too dear. The Ceedar swamp too
is vastly too dear. My Gout for Land is much abated.— They hold it at such a Price that
it tastes too Silverish.—

I will be no part of Taxes of any kind, nor of Blacksmith’s
Bills,—I will have a Rent clear of all deductions. It may be let for 3 years. But I must
have the salt Marsh at the farms and Quincys Meadow & Belchers Place.— The Rent must
be the less.

I am glad the 20 foot Posts are to be sent for.— I have made
Turrell Tufts a Consul at surinam.

Thomas, to my sorrow, but for your Joy will sett out this Week for
Quincy. He will stop [at] N. York sometime. He dont relish the Idea of settling at
Quincy.

J. A 2