John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Adams, October 7, 1804

Quincy 7. October 1804.

Once more is the correspondence on the part of my best friend,
brought up from all arrears; as I received since my last your two letters, of the 16 th: and 23 d: ult o: both together— I hope we shall on neither side be in
arrears again, as I still hold the purpose of leaving this place; at latest a fortnight
from to-morrow— It will give me great pleasure to meet you at Baltimore; but I cannot
precisely say when I shall arrive at that place, as it depends upon the length of time I
may be detained at New-York

Your letters and paper for M rs: Whitcomb were immediately delivered—that is within two days after I received them— 1 She afterwards told me that there was no
lace of the kind for which you had written to be purchased— But I was in Boston again
last Thursday, when she told me there was now such lace to be got, arrived since her
former inquiries, and she proposed to send you a pattern to ascertain whether it would
suit you— As this however might prevent your receiving it for the whole winter, I told
her it would be best to presume upon your approbation, and get it at once— Accordingly I
hope to bring it with me.

You are joking, when you insist upon an influence over me as
powerful as that of J. Dennie— But the comparison struck me the more oddly, because not
ten days ago, I received a letter from Dennie, the only one I ever had from him; in
which he urges me to the same thing which is the subject of your request, and calls for
my contributions to his Journal, which have long been intermitted— I have put him off
with an excuse amply sufficient; but I cannot do the same with you— 2 The true excuse, would be the last you would
admit

I was yesterday at M r: Quincy’s and
dined with him— M r: Gardner the clergyman, and M r: Nicholls, an Englishman, whom I believe you have never
seen, were there— 3 Miss Morton did not
make her appearance— They intend soon returning into Boston; though M rs: Quincy says she would prefer a longer stay in the
Country.

They are here busy with the subject of electioneering— The 5 th: of next month is the day fixed for choosing Electors of
President and Vice-President, and also Members of the House of Representatives for the
next Congress— I think it probable Quincy will again be set up against D r: Eustis, and if so, will in all probability be carried— The news papers will shew you that my brother is
held up as the candidate for this County; but that is to little purpose— 4 The politics of this part of the Country, are so
totally adverse to all federalism, that there is no prospect, nor even chance of success
for the present election— I think however that in the State of Massachusetts at large,
the federalists are gaining ground, as by the late elections in New Hampshire and
Connecticut it is certain they are in those States.— On the other hand, in the Southern
States they are apparently dwindling away to nothing at-all— M r: Lowndes and M r: Huger both decline re-election—
Purviance has done the same, and from all that part of the Country, at the next
Congress, not a single voice of murmur will be heard against the prevailing order of
things. 5

My poor Mother is again very ill— Confined great part of the time
to her bed. She is this day somewhat better than yesterday, but I am in great concern
for her.

I inclose you some profiles in return for those you sent me in the
Summer. I suppose you will know them; and perhaps be disappointed not to find among them
one, which would have interested you , more than all—I mean
my own— The reason is that M r: Peale, who took them with the
physionotrace, came out here last Thursday for that purpose, and just on that day, it
happened that I was in Boston, and my brother was attending the Supreme Court of the
State at Dedham.— So that he and I lost the chance of having the outline of our empty
skulls exhibited for the amusement of our friends.— While Peale was here he took among
the rest a profile from Houdon’s Bust of General Washington; and it is the most accurate
and resembling profile of the Original that I have ever seen— But he left only one of
them; so that I cannot send it to you. 6

I am very happy to hear of M r: Merry’s
recovery, which I hope will soon be complete— We have been in expectation of seeing M r: Moore in this Quarter, but his excursions have hitherto
been to the British Provinces, and the last we heard of him was in the Port-Folio, as at
Niagara— Many of his Poems have been continually published in that paper— All pleasing,
and some really beautiful— There is in particular a Tale of Wonder, call’d “the Ring”—in
one of the last Numbers, which would make a great figure in Lewis’s collection. 7

Enclosed is a $50 bill.