John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, September 22, 1788

Haverhill Sept r: 22 d: 1788.

Dear Madam.

M r: Lincoln, the bearer, is a young preacher, who belongs to
Hingham; he is going home, and I cannot suffer the opportunity to pass unimproved;
though I have little to say: except that I have been unwell: my nerves have been
disordered, and the words of Henry have [. . .] obtruded themselves upon my mind, at the
midnight hour.

Oh gentle sleep

Nature’s soft Nurse, how have I frighted thee

That thou no more wilt weigh mine eye-lids down

And steep my senses in forgetfulness. 1

I came here last Saturday, and have such excellent care taken of me, that I hope to be
perfectly recovered in two or three days.

M r Thaxter wishes very much to see the pamphlet containing
the correspondence between M r Jay & Littlepage. 2 I promised him two months ago to procure
one of them; and am ashamed of my negligence in forgetting it. Will you be so kind as to
send it here by the first conveyance you can find?

I hope to write more fully in a few days; meantime, I remain your dutiful Son.

J. Q. Adams.