you will be so good as to present my Respects to the Genll. and to believe me at all Times your truly affectionate friend,

ABIGAIL ADAMS

ABIGAIL ADAMS TO MERCY WARREN

QUINCY, Janry. 16th, 1803

MY DEAR MADAM, It was with much pleasure I recognized the Hand writing of an old Friend, tho only in the signature of her name. it recall'd to mind those days of pleasureable intercourse, "when thought met thought," and a happy union of sentiment endeard our Friendship, which neither time, or distance has effaced from my Bosom. I have sympathized with you, in sickness and in sorrow, much oftner than my pen has detailed it to you. I too have tasted of the bitter cup of affliction — and one is not, cut off in the Meridian of Life.

I was happy that my son had an opportunity of paying his respects to the ancient Friends of his parents. We should be equally glad to see your sons whenever they pass this way. his visit to plimouth was necessarily short, or he would have spent more time with you. You observe that you have not seen any effect of my pen for a long time; Indeed, my Dear Madam, I have avoided writing for these two years past a single Letter, except to my Sister, and Children. The sacred Deposit of private confidence has been betrayed, and the bonds of Friendly intercourse snapt asunder to serve the most malicious purposes: even a jocular expression, has been made to wear the garb of sober reality: the most innocent expressions have been twisted, mangled and tortured into meanings wholly foreign to the sentiments of the writer. I have been ready to exclaim with the poet, "What sin unknown dipt you in Ink?"

There now lies before me an Aegis of the present year; in which is draged to light the intercepted Letter,' said to have been written to your worthy Husband, in the year 1775, and publishd in an English Magazine. The design of the publisher appears I See Vol. 1, 88, supra. The National Ægis was published at Worcester.

from the introduction of the Letter, to make it believed, that the person alluded to as a pidling Genius, was Genll. Washington, and that the supposed writer, was engaged in a plot to get him removed from the command of the Army, that he possest a sanguinary revengefull temper, and was desirious of punishment without mercy: without adverting to the period when the Letter was written the state of the Country at that time, before the declaration of Independance had sit it free from the shackles and chains which were prepared for it, and when we were hazarding an attempt to form a Government for ourselves, it was natural for the Letter writer to inquire: will your judges be Bold? will they feel firm? will they dare to execute the Laws under their present circumstances? with their Capitol in the possession of a powerfull enemy, and many of their near and dear Friends shut up within it, prisoners to them. The old Actors are gone off the Stage. few remain who remember the perils and dangers to which we were then exposed, and fewer still who are willing to do Justice to those who hazarded their lives and fortunes, for to secure to them the blessings which they now possess, and upon which they riot and scoff. little regard is paid to the prohibition, thou shalt not bear false witness, or to that system of Benevolence which teaches us to Love one an other: and which I trust, we my dear Madam shall never lose sight of, however reviled and despightfully used.

Your Friends tho not exempt from the infirmities of age, are in the enjoyment of many blessings, amongst which is a comfortable portion of Health, and rural felicity. we enjoy the present with gratitude, and look forward to brighter prospects and more durable happiness in a future state of existance, where we hope to meet and rejoice with those whom we have loved, and revered upon Earth.

as to the little pecuniary matter between us, which but for your reminding me of, would never have been recollected by me, I know not where the papers are. I have not seen them or thought of them for many years: I have not any thing upon Book and the amount can be but a triffel, and I beg you not to give yourself any further concern about it, as I have not any demand upon you, but

a continuence of that Friendship and regard, commenced in early Life, and never designedly forfeited, by your Friend,

ABIGAIL ADAMS

Both Mr. Adams and your Friend unite our best wishes for the Health and happiness of Genll. Warren and yourself and Family.

MERCY WARREN TO JOHN ADAMS

ADAMS MSS.

PLYMOUTH, August 28th, 1803

SIR,- The painful tidings I have this afternoon transiently heard relative to the health of my long beloved friend, Mrs. Adams, induce me to trouble you with a line to enquire what is her present situation, of which you will be so kind as to inform me by the return of the post. I pray that she may not be in so hazardous a state as is reported, but that her useful life may be protracted. You will mention me to her with my best affection affection which has not diminished with time, and with esteem and friendship reciprocated through the Varieties of life, which I hope will be continued in a more perfect state, whichever of us first changes her existence. With much respect, I am, Sir, your Obedt. Hble. Servt.1 MERCY WARREN

JOHN ADAMS TO MERCY WARREN

QUINCY, August 30th, 1803

DEAR MADAM,-I received, with much Pleasure, late, the last Evening your kind Letter of the 28th of the month, and should have answered it sooner, if it had come earlier to my hand

We have been in great affliction in this Family for more than three months, on Account of the dangerous illness of your Friend my Companion, on whose preservation all my hopes of Comfort in this World, seem to be suspended. An Unfortunate Fall, first threw her into a fever, a return of that obstinate Intermittent,

1 The body of the letter is by another hand.

which has distressed her at times for so many Years, and brought again that chronic Diarrhea, which a few years ago threatened her Life for a long time. This was followed by a Carbuncle, which is still in Operation. She has suffered, through the whole extream pains, and has been reduced so low, that it has often seemed impossible to support her Strength in a degree sufficient to sustain her.

She desires me to present you her best Thanks for your kind Enquiries and friendly Sentiment, and Authorises me to say that she thinks herself better this morning than she has been for many days past, having rested more quietly than she has done for a long time.

Although her own opinion has been that she should not survive this Disorder, she has been in a very happy State of Mind, calmly resigned to her Destiny and the Will of the Supream Ruler.

The Day is far spent with Us all. It can not be long before We must exchange this Theatre for some other. I hope it will be one, in which there are no Politicks. With great Esteem and regard to you and Mr. Warren, I am, Madam your Friend and humble Servant, JOHN ADAMS

THOMAS JEFFERSON TO MERCY WARREN

Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to Mrs. Warren and returns her the paper she had been pleased to inclose to him with his own subscription and that of the heads of departments except General Dearborne, who had signed another paper.1 he learns with great satisfaction that Mrs. Warren's attention has been so long turned to the events which have been passing. the last thirty years will furnish a more instructive lesson to mankind than any equal period known in history. he has no doubt the work she has prepared will be equally useful to our country and honourable to herself. he prays her to offer his respects to General Warren and to accept herself his salutations and assurances of high consideration.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 1805.

I A subscription paper for her History.

MRS. JUDITH SARGENT MURRAY TO MERCY WARREN

BOSTON, FRANKLIN PLACE, June 1st, 1805

RESPECTED MADAM, It was with pride, and pleasure, that I received your Prospectus - pride, that my name was still found written in the volume of your memory, and pleasure, that you had at length determined to endow the world with a production it has long wished to see issue from the press, upon which anticipation delights to dwell, and which is considered as a fund in reserve, containing historical facts, biographical information, moral truths, and elevated sentiments, cloathed in habiliments, whose substantial texture are evincive of strong, and abundant resources, inwove with all the brilliant, and variegated powers of fancy, and receiving their beautiful finishing, and last gloss, from the fashioning hand of elegance and taste. May your volumes obtain the celebrity they will no doubt merit, and may the publication look with a benign aspect upon the evening of your useful, and dignified career.

I have been induced to delay returning the subscription paper, by a hope of augmenting my list of suffrages, but I have been disappointed. I persuade myself, it is not necessary to observe, that I have not been negligent in exhibiting your proposals but, in almost every instance, apologies have been the only result of my solicitations. The Life of Washington,1 it is said, forestals, if not wholly precludes, the utility of this history; and, very many urge the political principles attributed to the otherwise admired writer, as a reason for withholding their signatures. Genius revolts from an idea so contracted; but Genius is not possessed by the multitude, and Mrs. Warren must be apprized, that, in this Commercial Country, a taste for Literature has not yet obtained the ascendency.

I have the honour to reciprocate those sentiments of amity, which constitute the conclusion of your letter, and I am, with affectionate admiration, etc., etc., Madam, your most obedient J. SARGENT MURRAY

1 By John Marshall. See Beveridge, Life of John Marshall, 111. 223.