Arose and after looking over the lesson in Astronomy, attended Prayers and recitation immediately afterwards. Mr. Heyward shows himself to some advantage in this study. He certainly appears to know much more of the branch than usual. It is said he is writing a book. I was employed an hour in writing my Journal and some time in 113studying a Spanish lesson to recite to Mr. Sales1 at half past nine o’clock. This is generally made a farce but I am inclined to learn it and although the disposition of the hours is not good and my application is not excessive, I hope in time to acquire an understanding. He is a good instructor and a pleasant man, hardly fitted for his situation here as he is too mild. And Students, boys as they are, take advantage of it. The fact is, I think that this institution is not a University yet. Children are admitted here and make fools of themselves, are ruined by the love of dissipation which they acquire and dazzled by the glare which accompanies it.

I returned home and read the Summer of Thomson. This abounds in beautiful imagery, and a diversity of description which is extremely pleasing. Some very soft and touching parts and one voluptuous description, that of Musidora.2 But a characteristic of this poet is that he is chaste in his language and ideas to a degree not equalled by scarcely any of our other authors. This not being their forte by any means. It was my desire to obtain this book3 a month ago in order that I might notice some of the poetry which I have read in that time and give some account of the lectures I attended, but as it was not ready, I was disappointed.

I attended a lecture at eleven o’clock from Professor Farrar in Natural Philosophy, on the subject of Opticks and Vision. The weather being cloudy he could give us no experiements and confined himself to the account of the theories of light and colour. The ancients appear to have had a very indistinct conception of the cause of colour and remained in a state of ignorance until Newton discovered the real cause of the rainbow. The Lecturer has an easy manner and is quite agreable as there appears to be no effort. Newton made his most important discovery at the age of 23, and had the moderation or as Farrar called it, the continence to keep it to himself for six years. But the principal part of today’s lecture was a description of the eye and it’s properties. Most of which was very simple and not entertaining as we have so lately been over the very same account in Enfield.

After dinner I went to the College library to return my books and spent an hour there in looking over a volume of plates showing the eruptions of volcanic mountains and the sorts of lava which are sent forth. Farrar in treating of Earthquakes the other day showed them to us but at such a distance that I was unable to see them and therefore determined to see them today. The collection is a very valuable one. I returned home and read Moliere’s Comedy of the “Avare.” Some parts of which are admirable but I think it liable to the objection 114of a plot too intricate. The connection depends upon two marriages and thereby requires some attention. The mistake of the fille and cassette is carried too far as he being naturally suspicious could not misinterpret his language so far. He has also dropped his character in some places for it would be hardly expected that a man so amazingly parsimonious would keep such a multitude of servants, or would talk of engraving in letters of gold or would keep horses however he might starve them. This certainly would not be the character of the English Miser. The last scene is quite happy and shows him very much in character. On the whole I was very much pleased by the perusal.

As this afternoon’s lesson was the last in Greek I determined not to attend it and read the fourth and last Canto of Childe Harold. Byron is truely a great poet. His power lays in greatness of thought and masterly expression. He has that remarkable gift of compressing an immensity of feeling in a very few words. Laying character full in our view by a striking turn of expression and condensing passion in a breath. While you read him, you feel exalted and arise with a melancholy but delightful pleasure. I have not felt so strongly before since the time of my melancholy days. I also read an article in the last number of the Edinburgh review on the Lyrical Poetry of Spain, but was not much interested by it.4 There are one or two happy things in it but generally not much to my taste. I think the Spanish language sweet and not enough appreciated but ballads and canzonettas which are sweet in their language can seldom bear even the best translation.

I could not read any of Mosheim today as I had no volumes out. So having nothing to do I spent the Evening at Otis’s room. We had a great deal of conversation on Washington manners, the Presidency and so forth. I continued here till late so that I could but just examine Dr. Reid’s opinion on our next forensic question5 and read over Astronomy before I retired. IX:30.