Letter 2 "Prayers at the Congress"

In this letter written from John Adams to Abigail Adams states the importance and the impact of prayers at the Congress. John had never heard a better preacher than Mr. Cooper. He made everyone realize the importance of religion and how connected they were with it. The Psalm made people care and gave them divine guidence. John encourages Abigail to read the Psalm and to read to her friends.

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RHETORICAL DEVICES

1. “I must confess I never heard a better prayer or one, so well pronounced. Episcopalian as he is, Dr Cooper himself never prayed with such fervour, such Ardor, such Earnestness and Pathos, and in Language so elegant and sublime” (John Adams 678).

In this quote the rhetorical device of appeal to emotion is present. We can see that John is transmitting his emotions of admiration to us. Without hearing Dr. Cooper´s speech we know that it was a very good one. This is an important quote to the letter because by knowing this we understand what John is trying to say to Abigail.

2. “I must beg you to read that psalm. If there was any Faith in the sortes Virgilianæ, or sortes Homericæ, or especially the Sortes biblicæ, it would be thought providential” (John Adams 678).

By reading this quote we can see the persuasion in it. John persuades the reader, in this case Abigail to read the psalm because it impacted him greatly. This can help her make changes in her life. This quote also persuades other readers to read the psalm.