Braintree August19 1774

The great distance between us，makes thetime appear very long to me.It seems already amonth since you left me.The great anxiety I feelfor my country，for you and for our family rendersthe day tedious， and the night unpleasant.Therocks and quick sands appear upon every side.What course you can or will take is all wrapt in thebosom of futurity.Uncertainty and expectationleave the mind great scope.Did ever any kingdomor state regain their liberty， when once it wasinvaded without blood shed？I cannot think of itwithout horror.

Yet we are told that all the misfortunes of Sparta were occasioned by their too greatsolicitude for present tranquility，and by anexcessive love of peace they neglected the means ofmaking it sure and lasting.They ought to have reflected says Polibius that as there is nothingmore desirable，or advantageous than peace，whenfounded in justice and honour，so there is nothing more shameful and at the same time morepernicious when attained by bad measures，andpurchased at the price of liberty.

I have received a most charming letter fromour friend Mrs.Warren.She desires me to tellyou that her best wishes attend you through yourjourney both as a friend and patriot——hopes youwill have no uncommon difficulties to surmount orhostile movements to impede you——but if theLocrians should interrupt you，she hopes you willbeware that no future annals may say you chose anambitious Philip for your leader，who built up amonarchy on the ruins of the happy institution.

I have taken a very great fondness for reading Rollin's Ancient History since you left me.I am determined to go thro with it if possible inthese my days of solitude.I find great pleasure andentertainment from it，and I have persuadedJohnny to read me a page or two every day，andhope he will from his desire to oblige me entertaina fondness for it——We have had a charming rainwhich lasted 12 hours and has greatly revived thedying fruits of the earth.

I want much to hear from you.I long impatiently to have you upon the stage of action.The first of September or the month of September，perhaps may be of as much importance to Great Britain as the Ides of March were to Caesar.Iwish you every public as well，as private blessing，and that wisdom which is profitable both for instruction and edification to conduct you in thisdifficult day.——The little flock remember Papa，and kindly wish to see him.So does your most affectionate.

Abigail Adams

你我相隔甚遠(yuǎn)，使得時(shí)間于我顯得那么漫長(zhǎng)。自你離開(kāi)我似乎已有一個(gè)月了。我為我的祖國(guó)、為你、為我們的家庭甚感憂慮，這使我白天過(guò)得沉悶，夜晚過(guò)得不愉快。礁石和流沙到處都是。你能夠或?qū)⒁獙?duì)未來(lái)采取什么樣的方針路線完全還不得而知。變化無(wú)常和期望令人思緒萬(wàn)千。一旦受到侵略，有哪個(gè)王國(guó)或政府沒(méi)有流血就重新獲得了自由呢？一想到這我就不寒而栗。

然而，就我們所知，斯巴達(dá)的一切不幸緣于他們太渴望現(xiàn)在的安寧，緣于他們對(duì)和平的過(guò)于珍惜而忽略了那些保持國(guó)家穩(wěn)定與持久的手段。他們應(yīng)該考慮波里比阿的話，基于正義與榮譽(yù)，只有和平最值得渴望最有利；因此，再也沒(méi)有比以卑劣的手段獲得和平，或是以犧牲自由為代價(jià)換取和平更令人感到恥辱、同時(shí)更具危害性的了。

我從我們的朋友沃淪太太那里收到了一封令人無(wú)比欣慰的信。她希望我告訴你，她作為一個(gè)朋友和一個(gè)愛(ài)國(guó)者，祝你旅途順利，——希望你沒(méi)有克服不了的困難，也沒(méi)有帶有敵意的運(yùn)動(dòng)阻礙你 ——但如果羅克里人竟會(huì)阻撓你，她希望你要意識(shí)到未來(lái)的編年史不會(huì)說(shuō)你選擇了一個(gè)有野心的菲利普人領(lǐng)導(dǎo)你們，并在幸福制度的廢墟上建立了君主制。

自你離開(kāi)我后，我甚愛(ài)讀羅林的《古代歷史》一書(shū)，并決心如果可能，在我獨(dú)處的這些日子里讀完這本書(shū)。我從中得到了極大的快樂(lè)和樂(lè)趣，我說(shuō)服了約翰尼每天給我讀一兩頁(yè)，并希望他也會(huì)從滿足我的愿望中對(duì)它產(chǎn)生興趣。——我們這兒下了一場(chǎng)及時(shí)雨，持續(xù)了12個(gè)小時(shí)，使枯萎的作物大都得以復(fù)蘇。

很想收到你的信，忍不住盼你快點(diǎn)寫(xiě)信來(lái)告知你們的行動(dòng)計(jì)劃。9月的第一周或是整個(gè)9月，對(duì)英國(guó)來(lái)說(shuō)，或許就像3月15日對(duì)凱撒一樣具有重要意義。我祝愿你公私順?biāo)欤徊⑾Ｍ且嬗谝龑?dǎo)和啟迪人的睿智卓識(shí)在這困難的日子里為你指明前進(jìn)的航程。小家伙們向他們的爸爸問(wèn)好，并盼望見(jiàn)到他。你最親愛(ài)的人兒也是一樣，渴望見(jiàn)到你。

阿比蓋爾·亞當(dāng)斯

于布藍(lán)垂

1774年8月19日

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