Abigail Adams to Ruth Dalton

I received your kind Letter of June 28 and thank you for your kind Sympathy, the case of so [. . .] a Lady as the The Good old Lady was satisfied with Life, and her wish was to go before I left her. It pleased Heaven to order \it/ so, and I cannot say but I left home with a mind less anxious than if She had been living, as She had no daughter to whose care She could be left and her Grand daughter was lately married whom She had brought up, & who had always been particularly attentive to her, but I was [. . . .] through a more trying Scene at the same. one being a Shock of corn fully ripe, the other and a promissing flower not fully blown. I lost a Neice a sister of Louissas two days after the death of my Mother who lived with my sister cranch and who \had/ been about 5 Months in a decline, so that in less than one week I was twice calld to visit the House appointed for all the Living, and to most strikingly exemply to me that all sublinary enjoyments are fleeting.

I have been in this city about thre months; I miss many of my old Friends and acquaintance and none more than my dear mrs dalton. I have no particular attachments to one City more than an other & should certainly relinquish this without any regret for that of Washington when ever if I Should be calld to it. we live in critical Times, I hope the vessel will be conducted in safety through the Rocks and quicksands and protected from al warring Elements, I can most devoutly join you in saying, “Give us peace in our day o Lord” tho the Enemies of our Government raise a Cry which I know they do not themselves believe, and asscribe to the President a disposition for War, no Man can be more averse to it or have more powerfull reasons for peace than he has; but he will not sacrifice the Honour Faith and independance of the Country to any Nation, if it cannot be maintaind but at Such an expence—

The weather has become so very Hot here and the continued application to buisness, both be since the President first came into office, and a constant attendance in Senate four Month before, require some relaxation, and we both pine for the Sea Air.

we leave here tomorrow, and make an excursion for a few weeks to the Eastward. an other Season I hope we Shall visit your quarter of the world to which both the President and myself are sincere well wishers,

my best Respects to mr dalton and a kind remembrance to mr & mrs deblois and the young Ladies from your old and constant friend