Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, April 22, 1787

Braintree April 22d 1787

My Dear Sister

Captain Cushing arriv’d last Monday after a tedious Passage It was so long since I
receiv’d any Letters from you that I began to be very impatient. Cousin JQA had one in the winter but I have only heard of it. 1 he forgot that I should want to see it & so
did not bring it with him this vacancy your sons are now all of them with me. cousin JQA return’d last evening from an excurtion. I perswaided him to make
with a number of his class to Sandwich. Mr Burr one of the Tutors was ordain’d there
last wednesday. The President & his Lady Mr Hilliard & Lady were also in his
train 2 They have had fine weather only
a little too cold. your son looks better for his journey. His staying at cambridge
during the winter vacancy was of no service to his Health whatever it may have been to
his mind. He look’d so pale & wan when he came home this spring that I was not a
little alarm’d about him. He has lost so much Flesh within these nine months that I have
been oblig’d to take in his wastcoats a full quarter of a yard. His complants are wholly
oweing to want of air & exercise & too great an attention to his studys. His
Food does not digest well— I am continually urging upon him the necessaty of more exercise. He always promisses fair—but a favorite Author will soon make him
forget it all. I have got Doctor Tufts to talk very plainly to him & tell him what
his fate will be unless he pursues a different method. The Doc r. says he does not need any medicine—air & exercise with a proper attention
to his Diet is all he has to depend upon to restore him. His time at college will be
soon up. He must then for a little while devote himself to riding about & visiting
his Friends There is so little to be done at present in a Lawyers office that mr Cranch
designs Billy shall study at home for a year at least under the direction of some
Gentleman in Boston 3 he will attend the
office the last weeks before the courts & can attend all the courts. we must take
that method which will be least expencive if we can make it any way as advantagous. If
we should pursue this plan we shall be greatly oblig’d if mr Adams will permit him the
use of his Law Library He will take great care of the Books & I hope make a good use
of them He is at present both steady and studious.

I am glad that so many of my Letters have reach’d you. those by Scott & Folger have
done so too I hope before this time if they have you will know that your Trunk came safe
& that you have my warmest gratitude for the things sent to me & the children.
The Blue cloth is now making for your sons. The Buff will not be made till next winter
as it will not be wanted & they grow so fast that it would be folly to make it till
it will. as to cousin Tom I can keep nothing to fit him a month I believe he will be as
tall as Billy. He is a fine shap’d youth & has more of your countenance than I ever
expected he would have—but not so much as my dear cousin JQA . In his Face I
can see every amiable Feature of my sister, but tis not in his Face alone that his mama
is to be trac’d The perfections of both Parents are most happily blended in him. He has
quallities which command the highest esteem & the tenderest affection of his Freinds
& you may believe me when I tell you that he has found a way to acquire the
affections of his class, & The admiration & approbation of his Teachers,
although he possesses advantages at least if not abilities, superior to [most] of them
& notwithstanding his most hearty contempt of —— that dignity which is acqur’d by
Pomposity & self importance— your advice & his sisters has had its weight I dare
say he has had the same from his Friends here. His Talant for satire was all that we had
to give us any fears about him. The parts he has had given him in the publick exibitions
is a proof of the character he sustains & do him Honour