Abigail Adams
Abigail Adams
Abigail Adamswas the wife of John Adams and the mother of John Quincy Adams. She is now designated the first Second Lady and second First Lady of the United States, although these titles were not in use at the time...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPolitical Wife
Date of Birth11 November 1744
CityWeymouth, MA
CountryUnited States of America
adversity call calm characters contending formed genius great habits mind pacific repose vigorous wish
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. The habits of a vigorous mind are formed in contending with difficulties. Great necessities call out great virtues.
attained attended learning sought
Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.
afraid daughters eve fine knowledge mother since
Well, knowledge is a fine thing, and mother Eve thought so; but she smarted so severely for hers, that most of her daughters have been afraid of it since
sex class intellectual
The only chance for much intellectual improvement in the female sex, was to be found in the families of the educated class and in occasional intercourse with the learned.
men grasping dangerous
I am more and more convinced that man is a dangerous creature ...
eye heart devil
O, I have read his Heart in his wicked eyes many a time. The very devil is in them.
ambition pride sacrifice
How difficult the task to quench the fire and the pride of private ambition, and to sacrifice ourselves and all our hopes and expectations to the public weal! How few have souls capable of so noble an undertaking!
integrity honor littles
Great learning and superior abilities...will be of little value and small estimation unless virtue, honor, truth, and integrity are added to them.
genius want
These are the times when a genius wants to live.
challenges mind habit
The habits of a vigorous mind are born in contending with difficulties.
mother daughter female-empowerment
Well, knowledge is a fine thing, and mother Eve thought so; but she smarted so severely for hers, that most of her daughters have been afraid of it since.
beautiful wind dancing
Every object is beautiful in motion; a ship under sail, trees gently agitated with the wind, and a fine woman dancing, are three instances in point
judging circumstances persons
But let no person say what they would or would not do, since we are not judges for ourselves until circumstances call us to act.
religion unitarian acknowledge
I acknowledge myself a unitarian