Letter Writing - A Lost Art?

Letter writing was the primary means of communication used during the revolutionary period. When a personal meeting wasn't possible, family, friends, and business people shared ideas, ask questions, and kept in touch through writing letters to one another. Letters were often poetic, and were most always carefully written to include very specific words. Words were used to artistically present ideas and feelings. Much thought went into not only what to say but how to say it. A letter writer often took much pride in the presentation of their letters, much like an artist would take pride in a painting or other work of art. Many, many letters written throughout the American Revolutionary period and early American period, 1750-1850, were kept by families and archived as family treasures. Some of these letters are now kept in historical archives and available for viewing by the public.

Here is an example of one such letter written by John Adams, 2nd President of the US. Notice the manner in which details are conveyed. After you read the letter, see if you can "translate" the letter into modern day correspondence. What are the main ideas that Adams is writing about? Once you have drafted your own version of this letter, post it as a comment response to this posting... Good Luck!!

Paris July 9. 1783

My dearest Friend

Not a Line from you since December. Congress has not cutt off our heads for making Peace, and that is some Comfort. I am not in health and dont expect to be, untill I can get home. But when will this be? We are all at as great Uncertainty as We have been these six Months. Yet one should think it cannot be long before the Treaty is finished. You must not cease to write to me, untill I arrive at your Door. Write by England Holland France. The Letters will find their Way. Write decently and then I dont care if they open your Letters, at present.

- - - John Adams