Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, June 22, 1798

Quincy June 22 d 1798

My dear Sister

I have had the House full of company for a week & have not
been able to Steal a moments to write to you or to my dear children at
Washington.—

I have receiv’d yours of the 8th & 13th of June together with
one from my Son to you & one for Doctor Tufts which I deliver’d immediately into
his hands as he was present when I receiv’d it. He is at your House two or three times
a week & always finds enough business to be attended to. the Building is in a
manner compleated. the rooms & Floors are all painted of the chambers & as
soon as they are dry enough to move the Books that will be done & the old Library
painted also— the old Barn looks worse than ever Standing front of every thing— Tis
the general custome to place the worst building in the back ground of the
Picture—however as the edifices were not erected by the President tis right to take
care of Himself & domesticks first. I should not wish to have it Said that my
Horses & Cattle were better lodg’d than myself— your Garden never look’d So
well—but the winter kill’d & much injur’d your Strawberrys & all your balm
roots & mine, & indeed every bodys. a little of Yours went to seed last year
& Scatter’d So that you have a few Young Roots but we have not one Sprigg &
you know what a fine Bed I used to have— we have had a little dry weather lately which
made it necessary to mow down all your fine clover—but to day we have had a very fine
rain— We have had Pease from our Garden. the Rose Bugs are not half So thick as they
were last Season but there are enough to hurt the fruit not a little.

I think I told you that Nabby Hunt was with Mrs Porter I Shall
see that your linnin is put out I gave three dollars for Mrs Porters Bonnet She is
very much pleas’d with it—& is very careful of your things will not wrong you of any thing, nor will
let any one else if she can prevent it—

Mrs Blacks Baby has been very unwell with its Teeth has had a
very bad Sore Mouth & gums but tis better— Turner the Stocking weaver is
dead—& no one mourns— he had been Sick five months & confin’d to his bed by a
dessorder he took in a very dissorderly manner— 1

You must have been prepair’d to hear the death of Mr Nath.
Appleton: he yesterday made for—himself I trust a happy change—but my Sister his
Spirit, Soar’d not alone: He who was about to publish the lives of others, has had his
own days number’d—& the future publisher of the work will fill the blank page
design’d for another, with the Birth, Life & death of Doctor Belnap: who was
Seizz’d the night before last with an apoplexey & expir’d yesterday morning Surely
we may cry out help Lord! for the faithful fail from among the children of Men

Like Doctor Clark he was an able Supporter of the christian
Religion & a Firm & Steady Friend to his Country & its Goverment: Doctor
clarks death broke his Heart, & affected his spirits more than was generally
known— he expected to follow him Soon & in the Same manner he did: the bad
behavior of his sons & the crazy indisposition of his wife & Daughter broke
his constitution 2 Mr Appleton was not a
man of So publick a character but he was a worthy good character & much respected
I mourn with the Families their departed Friends the loss is very heavey indeed to
them. Mrs Appletons State of health made every attention of her Husband necessary to
her, & his Sons the Doctors children wanted his paternal care. he was very kind
& truly a Father to mrs Appleton & her children— 3 that woman Shines brightest in afflictions
hour.—

The quotations from your Sons & Daughters Letters gave me
great pleasure She appears to be just Such a woman as you would have wish’d for your
Son Such characters will meet respect & attention wherever they go— I do not know
what absence from his Family may do for Tom. welsh but I think him just the reverse of
your Son whose place he is to supply. 4 I may be mistaken but I think he wants manners feeling & information—but yet he
has not half the oddities of will m Shaw. will m has the best heart in the world but will never be broke of
his peculiarities & they will injure him in the Beaumond, at least & I am Sure
they would as a publick speakers there is need of very Shining talents to
conterballance or they will subject him to ridecule—

mr Cranch is better, but he has had a very ill turn it was so
violent tho short that it reduc’d him surprizingly I believe it was a billious
complant. it was frightful to see him faint So often. he is still very pale & his
Bowels are not right yet tho his appetite is good I think he did but just escape a
Billious Fever a dessorder very prevalent in this neighbourhood— I am affraid you will
stay too long for your healths in that city. your matters here will be ready come as
soon as you will Now Doc r. Tufts has just told me he is
going to the House—

will m Shaw has been with me a week he
goes to atkinson tomorrow I have told him to return as soon as he can I Shall want his
help to get the Library in order I mean to have it handsomely adorn’d if you will let
me know certainly the day you mean to arive I shall wish you to come into town earley
enough in the afternoon to take a View of the Rooms before night. If we should all be
in health & Spirits I mean to assemble Some of your Friends & Neighbours to
welcome & take Coffee with you, but in this revolutionary State I promise myself
nothing beyond the present moment

I am really Sorry tis not in my power to prove to mr & mrs
Johnson by our attention to their Son the grateful Sense we have of their Friendship
& kindness to our children— will you tell her so—& that I hope they will
always conduct in a manner which will be honorary to themselves & pleasing to
those who as she kindly express it have taken them by the Hand—

I cannot believe mr G can be so blinded to his own as well as his
Countrys interest as to Stay an hour longer among the wolves of France than he can
help after he receives his recall or that he will Stay to receive propositions which
must disgrace his country to have offer’d it against the advise of his coleagues— I am
distrest for the President however but he ought not to have infalibility demanded of
him. he is remarkable for develluping characters I hope he will not find himself
deceav’d now. I think I dont like stuborn characters. tis but seldom that man is
always wise—& many who are convincd have not greatness of mind enough to
acknowledge an error

adieu—my dear sister affec y. y r.

M C

I know you will give me leave to take a Bottle of Medara from
your cellar for mr Cranch the Doctor Says he wants it & I cannot get Such. I shall
therefore thankfully accept it 5