Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 1
I have read my Journal over, and find a sad deficiency this Month in my resolutions which were so well formed. I am ashamed of myself and what is more regret to say that this is not a step to amendment. I find a most lamentable want of energy recorded, a great deal of dissipation, my regular habits invaded, and nothing to amend all this but a dry confession of the fact. Money spent without advantage and recitations missed which may bring me before the government. Therefore if my last record was creditable this is by no means so. Commencing, if we take reading, I have finished Aikins Selection, this is creditable as I was regular in that. I have read one volume of Mitford, a little of Plutarch, Anacharsis, and Salmagundi. This has been my occupation for four weeks. I have read all this thoroughly however and the only fault is that it is not half enough. In the description of character, there is no deficiency. I have done to the full what I intended, and my account of Lectures has been generally good. Now I come to the last which is my own conduct: My irregularity in my Bible has been considerable, that in my Journal more than usual, I have neglected College exercises, I have broken every one of my determinations, in short I have but little in this part, to review with any satisfaction.