 | Letters of Mrs. Adams, |  |
TO MRS. SMITH.
I received yours of February 13th, and was happy
to learn that you and your little ones were well. I
wrote to you by the Chief Justice, and sent your silk
by him. He promised me to visit you, and from
him you will learn how we all are. We have had,
ever since this month began, a succession of bad
weather, and, for this week past, the coldest weather
that I have experienced this winter. The ground is
now covered with snow. This, if it would last,
would let me out of my cage, and enable me to go
to the assembly on the birth-day of the President,
which will be on Tuesday next. On Thursday last
I dined with the President, in company with the
ministers and ladies of the court. He was more
than usually social. I asked him after Humphreys,
few days before. He said that he was well, and at
Lisbon. When I returned home, I told your father
that I conjectured Mr. Humphreys would be nominated
for Lisbon, and the next day the Senate received a
message, with his nomination, as resident minister at
the Court of Portugal; the President having received
official information that a minister was appointed
here, Mr. Friere, as I before informed you. He
asked very affectionately after you and the children,
and at table picked the sugar-plums from a cake,
and requested me to take them for master John.
Some suppose, that, if your husband was here, he
would have the command of the troops which are to
be raised and sent against the Indians. If such an
idea as that is in his mind, I am happy that your
friend is three thousand miles distant. I have no
fancy that a man, who has already hazarded his life
in defence of his country, should risk a tomahawk
and scalping-knife, where, though a conqueror, no
glory is to bo obtained, though much may be lost.
I most sincerely hope he may be successful in his
private enterprise; for the way to command Fortune
is to be as independent of her as possible.
The equanimity of your disposition will lead you
to a patient submission to the allotments of Providence.
The education of your children will occupy
much of your time, and you will always keep in
mind the great importance of first principles, and
the necessity of instilling the precepts of morality
very early into their minds. Youth is so imitative,
of Dr. Watts's "Moral Songs for Children." They
are adapted to their capacities, and they comprehend
all the social and relative duties of life. They
impress the young mind with the ideas of the Supreme
Being, as their creator, benefactor, and preserver.
They teach brotherly love, sisterly affection,
and filial respect and reverence. I do not
know any book so well calculated for the early period
of life; and they may be made as pleasant to them,
by the method of instructing, as a hundred little stories,
which are taught them, containing neither a rule
of life, nor a sentiment worth retaining, such as little
John will now run over, of "Jack aud Jill," and
"Little Jack Horner." As a trial of their memory,
and a practice for their tongues, these may be useful,
but no other way.
I am sometimes led to think that human nature is
a very perverse thing, and much more given to evil
than good. I never had any of my own children so
much under my eye, and so little mixed with other
children or with servants, as this little boy of yours.
Whatever appears is self-taught, and, though a very
good boy and very orderly, he frequently surprises
me with a new air, a new word, or some action, that I
should ascribe to others, if he mixed with them at all.
He is never permitted to go into the kitchen. Every
day, after dinner, he sets his grandpapa to draw
him about in a chair, which is generally done for
half an hour, to the derangement of my carpet and
the amusement of his grandpapa.
Remember me affectionately to all inquiring friends I
hope to see you ere long.
| Letters of Mrs. Adams, | |