Adams Family Correspondence, volume 3

Abigail Adams to James Lovell

James Lovell to Abigail Adams

Abigail Adams to John Thaxter, 12 June 1778 AA Thaxter, John Abigail Adams to John Thaxter, 12 June 1778 Adams, Abigail Thaxter, John
Abigail Adams to John Thaxter
Dear Sir June 12 1778

My spirits are rather low, I do not feel in any great moode for useing my pen, yet I cannot let this opportunity slip without expressing my concern for your Health. The Humour you complain of, is a sad compound I fear, among the ingredients the Salt Rhume is of the most obstinate and inveterate kind as I can assure you by sad experience. I have tried many things with little or no Effect. Where it once takes possession it will not be removed, and in you and me it claims a Hereditary right. But if it continues to harass you, I would advise you to return and go into a Regular course of phthick physic and diet.

You would be surprized I suppose if I should tell you that my Father was inoculated for the small pox and is this day Breaking out; he has it in this Town at Col. Quincys. I believe I mentiond to you in a former Letter that the whole Farms were under Inoculation for the small pox. Mr. Wibird has just recoverd from it.

Would it surprize you still more if I should carry you to a Barn at the Worlds End,1 and shew your Father just Breaking out with the same Disease; yet so it is. I would not write you an account of it till I had been myself to your Fathers and heard from your own Family how he was. He is comfortable and like to do well, your sisters are 43all well, 2 of them have had it full, your sister Hannah2 has not venturd. Your Father was inoculated 11 days ago and mine 10.

No News yet of the Boston, and tomorrow compleats 4 months since I committed my Happiness to the winds and waves. O when will it again be wafted Back to your Friend

Portia

RC (MB); addressed: “To Mr. John Thaxter York Town”; endorsed: “Mrs. Adams June. 1778.”

1.

The tip of a peninsula in Hingham Bay.

2.

Hannah Thaxter (1751–1807). See Adams Genealogy.