名人家书:约翰亚当斯致妻(1)

　　prince town new jersey aug.28 th，1774

　　my dr.：

　　i received your kind letter，at new york，and it is not easy for you to imagine the pleasure it has given me.i have not found a single opportunity towrite since 1 left boston，excepting by the postand i don't choose to write by that conveyance，forfear of foul play.but as we are now within fortytwo miles of philadelphia，i hope there to findsome private hand by which i can convey this.

　　the particulars of our journey，i mustreserve，to be communicated after my return.itwould take a volume to describe the whole.it hasbeen upon the whole an agreeable jaunt.we havehad opportunities to see the world，and to formacquaintances with the most eminent and famousmen in the several colonies we have passed through.we have been treated with unboundedcivility，complaisance，and respect.

　　we yesterday visited nassau hall college，and were politely treated by the scholars，tutors，professors and president，whom we are，this dayto hear preach.tomorrow we reach the theatre ofaction.god almighty grant us wisdom and virtuesufficient for the high trust that is devolved uponus.the spirit of the people wherever we have beenseems to be very favourable.they universallyconsider our cause as their own，and express thefirmest resolution，to abide the determination ofthe congress.

　　i am anxious for our perplexed，distressedprovince——hope they will be directed into theright path.let me intreat you，my dear，to makeyourself as easy and quiet as possible.resignationto the will of heaven is our only resource in suchdangerous times.prudence and caution should beour guides，i have the strongest hopes，that weshall yet see a clearer sky，and better times.

　　remember my tender love to my little nabby.tell her she must write me a letter andenclose it in the next you send.i am charmed withyour amusement with our little johnny.tell him iam glad to hear he is so good a boy as to read to hismamma，for her entertainment，and to keep himself out of the company of rude children.tellhim i hope to hear a good account of his accidenceand nomenclature，when i return.kiss my littlecharley and tommy for me.tell them i shall beat home by november but how much sooner iknow not.

　　remember me to all enquiring friends——particularly to uncle quincy，your pappa andfamily，and dr.tufts and family.mr.thaxter，i hope，is a good companion，in your solitude.tellhim，if he devotes his soul and body to his books，i hope，notwithstanding the darkness of thesedays，he will not find them unprofitable sacrificesin future.

　　i have received three very obliging letters，from tudor，trumble，and hill.they havecheered us，in our wanderings，and done us muchservice.

　　my compliments to mr.wibirt and coll，quincy，when you see them.

　　your account of the rain refreshed me.i hopeour husbandry is prudently and industriouslymanaged.frugality must be our support.ourexpenses，in this journey，will be very great——our only reward will be the consolatory reflectionthat we toil，spend our time，and tempt dangersfor the public good——happy indeed，if we do anygood！

　　the education of our children is never out ofmy mind.train them to virtue，habituate them toindustry，activity，and spirit.make them considerevery vice，as shameful and unmanly：fire themwith ambition to be useful——make them disdainto be destitute of any useful，or ornamentalknowledge or accomplishment.fix their ambitionupon great and solid objects，and their contemptupon little，frivolous，and useless ones.it istime，my dear，for you to begin to teach themfrench.every decency，grace，and honesty shouldbe inculcated upon them.

　　i have kept a few minutes by way of journal，which shall be your entertainment when i comehome，but we have had so many persons and sovarious characters to converse with，and so manyobjects to view，that i have not been able to be soparticular as i could wish——i am，with thetenderest affection and concern，your wandering.

　　john adams