Extended excerpt  [Letter to husband John Adams. Text & spelling as it appears in original letter & cited transcript.]:

“They have time and warning given them to see the Evil and shun it. — I long to hear that you have declared an independency — and by the way in the new Code of Laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make I desire you would Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favourable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If perticuliar care and attention is not paid to the Laidies we are determined to foment a Rebelion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation.” (p. 2)

Extended excerpt: [Modern American text version. Repeat Right edits.]:

“They have time and warning given them to see the evil and shun it.  I long to hear that you have declared an independency – and by the way in the new code of laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make I desire you would remember the ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands. Remember all men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice, or representation.”

Source link: Letter from Abigail Adams to John Adams (31 March – 5 April 1776) online via Massachusetts Historical Society: https://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/archive/doc?id=L17760331aa

Extended excerpt [Letter to husband John Adams – text as it appears in letter transcript]:

“I most sincerely wish that some more liberal plan might be laid and executed for the Benefit of the rising Generation, and that our new constitution may be distinguished for Learning and Virtue. If we mean to have Heroes, Statesmen and Philosophers, we should have learned women. The world perhaps would laugh at me, and accuse me of vanity, But you I know have a mind too enlarged and liberal to disregard the Sentiment.” (p.3)

Extended excerpt: [Modern American text version. Repeat Right edits.]:

“I most sincerely wish that some more liberal plan might be laid and executed for the benefit of the rising generation, and that our new constitution may be distinguished for learning and virtue. If we mean to have heroes, statesmen and philosophers, we should have learned women. The world perhaps would laugh at me, and accuse me of vanity, but you I know have a mind too enlarged and liberal to disregard the sentiment.” (p.3)

Source link: Letter from Abigail Adams to John Adams (14 Aug. 1776) online via Massachusetts Historical Society: https://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/archive/doc?id=L17760814aasecond

Extended excerpt  [Letter to husband John Adams. Text & spelling as it appears in original letter & cited transcript.]:

“They have time and warning given them to see the Evil and shun it. — I long to hear that you have declared an independency — and by the way in the new Code of Laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make I desire you would Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favourable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If perticuliar care and attention is not paid to the Laidies we are determined to foment a Rebelion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation.” (p. 2)

Extended excerpt: [Modern American text version. Repeat Right edits.]: “They have time and warning given them to see the evil and shun it.  I long to hear that you have declared an independency – and by the way in the new code of laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make I desire you would remember the ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands. Remember all men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice, or representation.”

Source link: Letter from Abigail Adams to John Adams (31 March – 5 April 1776) online via Massachusetts Historical Society: https://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/archive/doc?id=L17760331aa

Extended excerpt [Letter – spelling as it appears in transcript]: “It gives me great pleasure to hear that you and your Brother are setled in a regular way. Roving is not benificial to study at your age, Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardour and attended to with diligence.”

Extended excerpt: [Modern American text version]: “It gives me great pleasure to hear that you and your brother are settled in a regular way. Roving is not beneficial to study at your age – Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.”

Source link: Adams Family Correspondence, Volume 3 (Letter: 8 May 1780) Massachusetts Historical Society: https://www.masshist.org/publications/apde2/view?id=ADMS-04-03-02-0240

Extended excerpt  [Letter to husband John Adams – spelling as it appears in original letter & cited transcript. While the quote sometimes appears with commas in modern media, Adams herself did not use commas in her sentence.]:

“Luxery that bainfull poison has unstrung and enfeabled her sons. The soft penetrating plague has insinuated itself into the freeborn mind, blasting that noble ardor, that impatient Score of base subjection which formerly distinguished your Native Land, and the Benevolent wish of general good is swallowed up by a Narrow selfish Spirit, by a spirit of oppression and extortion.” (p. 2)

Extended excerpt [Modern American text version]: “Luxury, that baneful poison has unstrung and enfeebled her sons. The soft penetrating plague has insinuated itself into the freeborn mind, blasting that noble ardor, that impatient score of base subjection which formerly distinguished your native land, and the benevolent wish of general good is swallowed up by a narrow selfish spirit, by a spirit of oppression and extortion.”

Source link: Letter from Abigail Adams to John Adams (13 Feb. 1779) Adams Family Papers: An Electronic Archive, MA Historical Society: http://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/archive/doc?id=L17790213aa

Extended excerpt  [Letter to son John Quincy Adams – spelling as it appears in cited transcript]:

“These are times in which a Genious would wish to live. It is not in the still calm of life, or the repose of a pacific station, that great characters are formed. Would Cicero have shone so distinguished an orater, if he had not been roused, kindled and enflamed by the Tyranny of Catiline, Millo, Verres and Mark Anthony. The Habits of a vigorous mind are formed in contending with difficulties. All History will convince you of this, and that wisdom and penetration are the fruits of experience, not the Lessons of retirement and leisure.

Great necessities call out great virtues. When a mind is raised, and animated by scenes that engage the Heart, then those qualities which would otherways lay dormant, wake into Life, and form the Character of the Hero and the Statesman.”

Extended excerpt [Modern American text version]:

“These are times in which a genius would wish to live. It is not in the still calm of life, or the repose of a pacific station, that great characters are formed. Would Cicero have shone so distinguished an orator, if he had not been roused, kindled and enflamed by the Tyranny of Catiline, Millo, Verres and Mark Anthony?  The habits of a vigorous mind are formed in contending with difficulties. All history will convince you of this, and that wisdom and penetration are the fruits of experience, not the lessons of retirement and leisure.

Great necessities call out great virtues. When a mind is raised, and animated by scenes that engage the heart, then those qualities which would otherwise lay dormant, wake into life, and form the character of the hero and the statesman.”

Source link: Letter from Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams (19 Jan. 1780) Adams Family Correspondence, Vol. 3, MA Historical Society: https://www.masshist.org/publications/apde2/view?id=ADMS-04-03-02-0207#AFC03d209n1

Extended excerpt [Letter to son John Quincy Adams – spelling as it appears in cited transcript]:

“These are times in which a Genious would wish to live. It is not in the still calm of life, or the repose of a pacific station, that great characters are formed. Would Cicero have shone so distinguished an orater, if he had not been roused, kindled and enflamed by the Tyranny of Catiline, Millo, Verres and Mark Anthony. The Habits of a vigorous mind are formed in contending with difficulties. All History will convince you of this, and that wisdom and penetration are the fruits of experience, not the Lessons of retirement and leisure.

Great necessities call out great virtues. When a mind is raised, and animated by scenes that engage the Heart, then those qualities which would otherways lay dormant, wake into Life, and form the Character of the Hero and the Statesman.”

Extended excerpt [Modern American text version]:

“These are times in which a genius would wish to live. It is not in the still calm of life, or the repose of a pacific station, that great characters are formed. Would Cicero have shone so distinguished an orator, if he had not been roused, kindled and enflamed by the Tyranny of Catiline, Millo, Verres and Mark Anthony?  The habits of a vigorous mind are formed in contending with difficulties. All history will convince you of this, and that wisdom and penetration are the fruits of experience, not the lessons of retirement and leisure.

Great necessities call out great virtues. When a mind is raised, and animated by scenes that engage the heart, then those qualities which would otherwise lay dormant, wake into life, and form the character of the hero and the statesman.”

Source link: Letter from Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams (19 Jan. 1780) Adams Family Correspondence, Vol. 3, MA Historical Society: https://www.masshist.org/publications/apde2/view?id=ADMS-04-03-02-0207#AFC03d209n1

Extended excerpt [Letter to husband John Adams – spelling as it appears in original letter & cited transcript.]:

“If we expect to inherit the blessings of our Fathers, we should return a little more to their primitive Simplicity of Manners, and not sink into inglorious ease. We have too many high sounding words, and too few, actions that correspond with them.”

Extended excerpt [Modern American text version]:

“If we expect to inherit the blessings of our fathers, we should return a little more to their primitive simplicity of manners, and not sink into inglorious ease. We have too many high-sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them.”

Source link: Letter from Abigail Adams to John Adams (16 October 1774) Adams Family Papers: An Electronic Archive, MA Historical Society: https://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/archive/doc?id=L17741016aa

Extended excerpt  [Letter to husband John Adams – spelling as it appears in original letter & cited transcript.]:

“I am more and more convinced that Man is a dangerous creature, and that power whether vested in many or a few is ever grasping, and like the grave cries give, give. The great fish swallow up the small, and he who is most strenuous for the Rights of the people, when vested with power, is as eager after the perogatives of Goverment. You tell me of degrees of perfection to which Humane Nature is capable of arriving, and I believe it, but at the same time lament that our admiration should arise from the scarcity of the instances.” (p. 1)

Extended excerpt [Modern American text version]:

“I am more and more convinced that man is a dangerous creature, and that power whether vested in many or a few is ever grasping, and like the grave cries give, give. The great fish swallow up the small, and he who is most strenuous for the rights of the people, when vested with power, is as eager after the prerogatives of government. You tell me of degrees of perfection to which human nature is capable of arriving, and I believe it, but at the same time lament that our admiration should arise from the scarcity of the instances.”

Source link: Letter from Abigail Adams to John Adams (27 November 1775) Adams Family Papers: An Electronic Archive, MA Historical Society: https://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/archive/doc?id=L17751127aa