Missed Prayers, but attended Chapel on one of the warmest days we have had this year. There was no amusement therefore in sitting to hear Dr. Ware and the President prose away the day. To this however we were condemned today, and went through with. For my part I was employed very closely all the rest of the day in writing up my Journal which is no inconsiderable task when it gets in the least behind hand. I had expected to have been able to do a little more, but I was attacked with a considerable visit from Dr. Bartlett as we call him from his size, having a tremendous corporation for a young man. He staid with me about an hour and a half. He came to develop a body of news which he had picked up at different places concerning the late differences in the Porcellian Club. He made out quite a correct story by different pieces of information which he had picked up in the course of his conversation. He used formerly to be more intimate with me than now but I found him dangerous from this very quality of his, that he has a power of making up stories from the different persons he hears them from and retailing them with the authority of one man. As I was his friend, I told him some things which came near injuring me essentially in College. I found out this 211part of his character and although I know he is not guilty of any sinister intention towards me, he might do me more mischief than my most bitter enemy even when he believed he was performing the kindest office, in the world. He is a young man with the best temper in the world, his only fault arising from a wish to be important in the great world, that means the high circle. He therefore makes himself so by carrying news to them and inventing very long stories. He hears something and gives it a relish by stretching it, if he is asked for his authority, you are informed, such a one but that he would not wish to have his name used or that it should be known as coming from him. If however as is sometimes the case he has no authority he says that he is obliged to be secret. After leaving my room he went to Otis and Sheafe’s where he spent the rest of the afternoon. He said there was a report about that I had accepted which I of course told him to deny.

In the evening I took a walk and some strawberries as usual. Spent the Evening as usual in Summer doing nothing at all. X.