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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!

Abigail Adams

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Abigail Adams
Age: 73 †
Born: 1744
Born: November 22
Died: 1818
Died: October 28
First Lady
Politician
Weymouth
Massachusetts
Abigail Smith
Abigail Smith Adams
Private
Undertakings
Sacrifice
Hopes
Capable
Task
Pride
Souls
Fire
Tasks
Noble
Weal
Public
Expectations
Quench
Difficult
Ambition
Undertaking
Soul

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Deliver me from your cold phlegmatic preachers, politicians, friends, lovers and husbands.
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What is it that affectionate parents require of their Children for all their care, anxiety, and toil on their accounts? Only that they would be wise and virtuous, Benevolent and kind.
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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.
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I can hear of the brilliant accomplishments of any of my sex with pleasure and rejoice in that liberality of sentiment which acknowledges them.
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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.
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Arbitrary power is like most other things which are very hard, very liable to be broken.
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It is to me a most affecting thing to hear myself prayed for, in particular as I do every day in the week, and disposes me to bear with more composure, some disagreeable circumstances that attend my situation.
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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.
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The heart is long, very long in receiving the convictions that is forced upon it by reason... affection still lingers in the Bosom, even after esteem has taken its flight.
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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
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The habits of a vigorous mind are born in contending with difficulties.
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These are the times when a genius wants to live.
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A patriot without religion in my estimation is as great a paradox as an honest Man without the fear of God. Is it possible that he whom no moral obligations bind, can have any real Good Will towards Men?
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Men of sense in all ages abhor those customs which treat us only as the vassals of your sex.
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