(seq. 1)

Brother John Q.Adams.
2 July 1806 -

Mr Thomas B Adams
at the {Reverend} Mr Shaw's
Honoured by Leonardus White {Esquire}
Haverhill

N. B. I have requested of Dr Jennison that he would
take you for his freshman; he did not give a positive
answer, but you will not enter into any engagement
contrary to it.

Cambridge July 2 1786
My Dear Brother

I have not written to you before, since I left you, because,
my Studies and European Letters have engrossed all my Time but as you will
probably soon enter this University, I wish to give you a few hints which you may
improve as you please. you will consider them, not as the commands or instructions
of a Preceptor, but as the advice of a friend, and a Brother.
Your intimate acquaintances will probably be in your own Class; at least almost
all of them, and let me strongly recommend to you great caution, & Prudence in the
choice of them for on this in a great measure will depend your reputation in College,
and even all through Life. if the Class which you will belong to is numerous, you
will undoubtedly find in it a great variety of Characters. Some will be virtuous,
and studious; these two qualities are most commonly united, as are also their opposites,
idleness & vice. it is not necessary to tell you that those of the first sort only
will be proper Companions for you, and such as you may always call your friends
without a blush. _ It is probable you will perceive that those, who are the most
officious, the most complaisant, and perhaps the most agreeable, on a short
acquaintance.