letters of mrs adams the wife of john adams

Great Learning and superior abilities, should you ever possess them, will be of little value and small Estimation, unless Virtue, Honour, Truth and integrety are added to them. Improve your understanding for 2 acquiring usefull knowledge and virtue, such as will render you an ornament to society, an Honour to your Country, and a Blessing to your parents. You are in possession of a natural good understanding and of spirits unbroken by adversity, and untamed with care. The most amiable and most usefull disposition in a young mind is diffidence of itself, and this should lead you to seek advise and instruction from him who is your natural Guardian, and will always counsel and direct you in the best manner both for your present and future happiness. They are talents put into your Hands of which an account will be required of you hereafter, and being possessd of one, two, or four, see to it that you double your numbers. You have arrived at years capable of improving under the advantages you will be like to have if you do but properly attend to them. It is a very dificult task my dear son for a tender parent to bring their mind to part with a child of your years into a distant Land, nor could I have acquiesced in such a seperation under any other care than that of the most Excellent parent and Guardian who accompanied you.

Altho I have not perticuliarly wrote to you since yet you may be assured you have constantly been upon my Heart and mind. Tis almost four Months since you left your Native land and Embarked upon the Mighty waters in quest of a Foreign Country.

Letters of mrs adams the wife of john adams