aving one of her
noblest deeds unrecorded, to close without mentioning the influence for
good which she exerted over Mr. Adams, and her part in the work of
making him what he was. That he was sensible of the benignant influence
of wives, may be gathered from the following letter, which was addressed
to Mrs. Adams from Philadelphia, on the 11th of August, 1777:

"I think I have sometimes observed to you in conversation, that upon
examining the biography of illustrious men you will generally find some
female about them, in the relation of mother or wife or sister, to whose
instigation a great part of their merit is to be ascribed. You will find
a curious example of this in the case of Aspasia, the wife of Pericles.
She was a woman of the greatest beauty and the first genius. She taught
him, it is said, his refined maxims of policy, his lofty imperial
eloquence, nay, even composed the speeches on which so great a share of
his reputation was founded.

"I wish some of our great men had such wives. By the account in your
last letter, it seems the women in Boston begin to think themselves able
to serve their country. What a pity it is that our generals in the
northern districts had not Aspasias to their wives!

"I believe the two Howes have not very great women to their wives. If
they had, we should suffer more from their exertions than we do. This is
our good fortune. A smart wife would have put Howe in possession of
Philadelphia a long time ago."

While Mr. Adams was wishing that some of our great men had such wives as
Aspasia, he had such a wife, was himself such a man, and owed half his
greatness to _his_ Aspasia. The exalted patriotism and cheerful piety
infused into the letters she addressed to him during the long night of
political uncertainty that hung over the country, strengthened his
courage, fired his nobler feelings, nerved his higher purposes, and,
doubtless, greatly contributed to make him one of the chief pillars of
the young republic. All honor to a brave wife, and not less heroic
mother. If her husband and son kept the ship of state from the rocks,
the light which guided them was largely from her.

Heroic wife and mother,
Whose days were toil and grace,
Thy glory gleams for many another,
And shines in many a face.

The heart, as of a nation,
Throbs with thy tender love;
And all our drama of salvation
Thou watchest from above.

Our days, which yet ar