Attended Prayers and recitation in Enfield this morning, after which I read my Chapters in the Bible as usual. I spent the morning 217in writing my Forensic on the subject of language, whether improved by being compounded of other languages. I argued the affirmative and am very much inclined to believe it true, as I think it should be more open to beauties than the other. I attended them and heard as good as any since we have been writing them. Chapman’s was a very good one. Dwight’s I did not hear. We remained here as usual two hours, and I heard some nonsense. Mr. Hedge decided against my position, I did not think correctly for my own part.

After dinner I attended a Lecture of Mr. Nuttall’s, who changed his day, on account of a representation from the government. He treated of the five succeeding orders of Linnaeus and gave us many examples which I noted in my book.1 But which it is impossible to mention here. I then spent a little while at Lothrop’s room reading over the afternoon’s military lesson which does take an amazing deal of time, went home, wrote my Journal, looked over my Greek lesson and attended a recitation to Dr. Popkin as usual. The remaining hour until Prayers was devoted to chalking the right oblique step on my floor at Willard’s and that of Lothrop’s at Porter’s. This is the worst duty of the whole and happy am I that it is all performed. We have now only the manual2 which is the tedious part of our labour, and which calls us out so often.

After Prayers, they received a drill and performed very well; indeed, for new recruits I have seldom seen so much advancement. Silsbee came up to see them, while he was there I was peculiarly anxious that they should do well and was very well satisfied at the result. I gave them some exercise. I went immediately home and read over my lesson before attending a meeting of the Officers which was called at nine o’clock. We went to learn the manoeuvring and had a lesson set to us to read over and understand by eleven o’clock tomorrow morning when we were appointed to meet again. I then went with Rundlet to Mr. Willard’s for some strawberries, he having none we eat some cake and took some wine. Chapman and Lothrop came in and we staid here talking and laughing until late, the party then came to my room, which they soon left and I retired. XI:30.