Jonathan Mason to John Adams, September 4, 1819

Boston Sepr 4. 1819.

My dear Sir.

Your friendly letter, was handed to me yesterday evening by my Son, upon my return to Town from a small excursion in the Country—The proofs of friendship & good will towards me, from my youth to the present moment, so uniformly repeated by yourself, & by those, who have exchanged this World for a better, whom I can never cease to remember, but with sincere love & veneration, have as uniformly commanded my grateful acknowledgements, and yet, permit me to say, I feel an additional pride & pleasure, in this last expression of your confidence, at this period of life, because in it, I read a confirmation of them all—

In the commencement of life, I passed twelve months under your roof, & in sincerity & truth, I can say, I there realised, the first substantial pleasures of my existance. I found no common, but the kindest of Mothers, and in your daughter, a protegee & an affectionate friend—I literally entered & left your dwelling, without even the passage of a summer’s cloud—I have always cherished impressions there received, & have hoped, that in some small degree, I discharged my duty—I have therefore, Sir, claimed a kindred to you, if not by blood, yet by strong & powerful feelings, & considerd myself as belonging to you. I will not repeat this subject a second time but you will forgive me for this digression, for the pleasure it affords me; to unburthen my own heart—

I most chearfully accept your proposition, with any & every condition you shall think proper to annex, with assurances, they shall be punctually complied with, & your wishes fulfilld to the extent of my powers—

I will detain your papers a few days & hand them to you in person, at the Commencment of the ensuing week—With great respect & the best feelings I can boast of, I am Sir, Your Obedt Servt

Jonathan Mason