an object that I hope none of my children will ever aim at. It is indeed
true everywhere, that those who attend to small expenses are always rich.

"I would have my children attend to doits and farthings as devoutly as
the merest Dutchman upon earth, if such attention was necessary to support
their independence. A man who discovers a disposition and a design to be
independent, seldom succeeds. A jealousy arises against him. The tyrants
are alarmed on the one side, lest he should oppose them: the slaves are
alarmed on the other, lest he should expose their servility. The cry from
all quarters is, 'He is the proudest man in the world: He cannot bear to
be under obligation.'

"I never in my life observed anyone endeavoring to lay me under particular
obligation to him, but I suspected he had a design to make me his
dependent, and to have claims upon my gratitude. This I should have no
objection to, because gratitude is always in one's power. But the danger
is, that men will expect and require more of us than honor, and innocence,
and rectitude will permit us to perform.

"In our country, however, any man, with common industry and prudence, may
be independent."

One cannot turn over a page of the domestic history of John Adams, without
finding a precept or example, the influence of which is manifested in the
character of his illustrious son. Thus he writes to Mrs. Adams, touching
certain calumnies which had been propagated against him:--

LIFE OF JOHN QUINCY ADAMS. 39

"Do n't distress yourself about any malicious attempts to injure me in