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

我親愛的：

在紐約收到了你親切的來(lái)信，你想象不出它給我?guī)?lái)的快樂。自離開波士頓我還沒有找到哪怕一次給你寫信的機(jī)會(huì)，雖然信可以通過(guò)郵寄，但我沒有選擇那種傳遞方式給你寫信，因害怕惡作劇。不過(guò)，由于我倆同距費(fèi)城不超過(guò)42英里，我希望在那兒找個(gè)人私下為我們傳遞這封信。

我們旅程的細(xì)節(jié)必須擱到我回來(lái)后再告訴你，因?yàn)檎麄€(gè)旅行經(jīng)歷可以寫成一本書。總的來(lái)說(shuō)，那是一次令人愉快的游覽。我們有機(jī)會(huì)看世界，并有機(jī)會(huì)在我們路經(jīng)的幾個(gè)殖民地結(jié)識(shí)那些最杰出的知名人士。那里的人盛情款待了我們，并對(duì)我們表示出極大的尊重。

昨天我們參觀了納索荷學(xué)院，受到了學(xué)者們、導(dǎo)師們、教授們和校長(zhǎng)的禮遇，今天我們要去聽他們演講。明天我們要到行動(dòng)禮堂。愿萬(wàn)能的上帝賜給我們智慧和美德，這足以使上帝高度信任我們。我們所到之處的人民精神面貌可嘉。他們普遍地認(rèn)為我們的事業(yè)就是他們的事業(yè)，并表示出堅(jiān)定的遵守國(guó)會(huì)決定的決心。

我為還在困惑和痛苦之中的人而憂慮——希望他們會(huì)被指引到正確的道路上去。親愛的，我懇求你，盡可能使自己安逸和平靜。在這個(gè)危險(xiǎn)的年代里，順從上帝的意志是我們唯一的精神支柱。我們的指導(dǎo)方針應(yīng)該是謹(jǐn)慎小心。我最強(qiáng)烈的愿望就是：將來(lái)能看到一個(gè)更加晴朗的天空和更美好的時(shí)代。

請(qǐng)向我們的小南比轉(zhuǎn)達(dá)我親切的愛。告訴她一定給我寫封信，并附在你下次給我寫的信中。我為你和我們的小約翰厄逗樂而感到無(wú)比欣慰。告訴他我很高興聽說(shuō)他是一個(gè)乖孩子，讀書給他媽媽聽以逗她開心，也不與那些粗俗的孩子為伍。告訴他我希望在回家時(shí)能看到他對(duì)詞類和詞尾變化掌握得很好。替我親吻我的小查里和湯米。告訴他們我十一月份以前可以回家，但具體多早能回我還不知道。

請(qǐng)向所有問起我的朋友們問好——特別向昆西叔、你父親及家人、塔富士博士及家人問好。我希望在你孤獨(dú)時(shí)撒克斯特先生是一個(gè)好伴侶。告訴他，如果他將他的身心投入他的書中，盡管這些日子很陰暗，我希望，他會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)他的書在未來(lái)不是毫無(wú)價(jià)值的虧本銷售。

我分別從圖多爾、特朗勃和希爾那收到了三封鼓舞人心的信。在我們的長(zhǎng)途旅行中，他們激勵(lì)了我們，并給了我們很多幫助。

你見到威爾伯特先生、卡爾·克萊西先生和科爾·坎西時(shí)，請(qǐng)轉(zhuǎn)達(dá)我對(duì)他們的祝賀。

你一提到雨，我頓覺精神振奮。我希望我們的農(nóng)業(yè)要謹(jǐn)慎管理和苦心經(jīng)營(yíng)。勤儉是我們的立足之本。這次旅行的開支會(huì)很大——我們唯一的回報(bào)將是令人安慰的反思：我們?yōu)楣姷睦嫘羷诠ぷ?、甘冒危險(xiǎn)，并耗去了我們的時(shí)光，——如果我們做了有益的事，那的確令人感到幸福。

孩子們的教育問題總是縈繞于我的腦海中。培養(yǎng)他們良好的道德，使他們養(yǎng)成勤勉，充滿活力和富有進(jìn)取精神的習(xí)慣；讓他們視每一種缺點(diǎn)為可恥和懦弱：激勵(lì)他們要有雄心壯志成為有用之材 ——使他們鄙視缺乏有用知識(shí)的人和毫無(wú)成就的人；把他們的抱負(fù)建立在偉大、堅(jiān)定的目標(biāo)之上，而無(wú)視那些細(xì)小、瑣碎和無(wú)價(jià)值的事情。親愛的，是你開始教他們法語(yǔ)的時(shí)候了。應(yīng)該讓禮貌、優(yōu)雅和誠(chéng)實(shí)牢牢地銘刻于他們的心中。

我以日記的方式記了一些備忘錄，待我回家時(shí)可讓你瀏覽消遣。不過(guò)，我們有那么多不同的人物要交談，有那么多的事物要觀察，所以不能夠如我所希望的那樣詳細(xì)敘述這一切?！邮芪易顪剀暗膼酆完P(guān)懷，你的流浪者。

約翰·亞當(dāng)斯

于新澤西普林斯鎮(zhèn)

1774年8月28日

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