John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Adams, May 31, 1804

Quincy 31. May 1804.

My dear, ever dear Louisa.

This morning I received your kind favour of the 20 th — And am delighted to hear that you and the children are so
well— M rs: Hellen’s indisposition, I hope will prove only to
be “the pleasing punishment that women bear”— 1 I wish we could have here a little of that
superfluity of rain which fell just before you wrote me; as it would bring forward my garden stuff as we call it.— You have no idea, how in
planting and sowing, and pruning trees, and grafting them &c &c &c—I am
seriously performing my apprencticeship as a farmer— Several of my peach-stones which I
planted last September have come up; and I pay so much attention to the poor Plants from
hour to hour, that the only danger is of my killing them all with kindness— Day before yesterday I went into Boston, to attend a meeting of the Academy
of Sciences— 2 I met in the Street M r: H. G. Otis, whom I had not seen before, since my return— He
asked me to dine with him, and told me I should meet a few of my friends— I accepted
accordingly— But found it was a very splendid dinner—And large Company, of Ladies &
Gentlemen—General Knox and his Lady—M r: and M rs: Gore, and the Miss Payne’s, and the like— Among the rest
the celebrated M rs: Derby, of whom you have heard so much— I
think I have seen her in her better days— Before she had been admired in France and
England.— She has brought home too much naked simplicity, to suit my taste— 3 A very little cloathing you know, upon a Lady,
will answer all my purposes; not being at-all fond of Betty Blackberry’s innumerable over-thats — 4 But then for that very little I am scrupulous in exacting it— I am still of opinion that
a Lady when she goes to bed at Night, should have something to do, besides opening the
Sheets— Apropos—The Citizen Jerome has abandoned his intention of visiting Boston, and
the report we have is that he has orders to return to France— But whether with or
without his Venus de Medicis I have not heard. 5

Yesterday was the day of our General Election— But having been to
Boston the day before, and nothing of interest to attract me there again, I did not go—
M r: Otis was chosen Speaker of the House of
Representatives again— M r: Morton had however more votes
than last year— The federal Majority in our Legislature will not be very different from
that of the last year— 6

Judge Cushing and his Lady dined here yesterday— They were going to
Boston where a Circuit Court sits this and the next week—

We had also yesterday a whole school of young Ladies here at tea—
M rs: Cranch’s, from Milton—Susan is still here, and grows
sedate.

I cannot express how ardently I long to see you and my dear boys— Pour Monsieur George, papa s’attend a le trouver parlant
Français a merveille— Autrement comment pourrons nous nous entendre— Savéz vous
Monsieur George, ce que c’est que des fraises, et commencez vous à en manger? A peine
sont elles en fleur ici, mais en attendant Papa s’occupe a faire venir tout plein de
pêchiers, et de poiriers, pour en regaler George, un de ces jours— A Condition qu’il
sera bien bon garçon et qu’il aimera sa Maman de tout son Coeur — 7

I enclose a fifty dollar bill— I hope the things M rs: Whitcomb got for you have arrived safe ere this.—

Ever faithfully yours.

John Q. Adams.