Arose considerably better than I was before and with spirits considerably revived. I first reviewed some portion of Paley and then went upstairs to see my mother. The weather had changed and had become exceedingly cold. This is the curse of this climate, that there are so many rapid and entire changes. They solely can make a person sick. I then went to the Office, wrote my Journal and amused myself the rest of the morning copying Governor Bradford’s will for my father. An ancient manuscript about as amusing as that of Captain Standish. I have not much relish at this age for antiquities of this sort, I suppose it will come upon me in time however. I just finished it in time for dinner. My father and mother were gone to Boston in the morning to stay all day as usual. My uncle gone to town and I was quite alone in the house. Mr. Marston dined here as usual. I regretted exceedingly 328that I could not enjoy an enormously fine salt fish dinner to day, I did not feel my health sufficiently established to venture upon vegetables.

In the afternoon I spent some time looking over more tracts and documents of my Uncle’s and then sat down to write a letter to John.1 I got through the first page and part of the second when I happened to stumble upon politics and say something which was not altogether consistent with prudential maxims. I on the whole determined to scratch it out and this created such an ugly place that I left the paper to another time. I then went into the house and amused myself with Junius which I read again with avidity. The commentaries are generally correct but sometimes have a little too much partiality for the crown side of a case. I was much interested by a biographical sketch of Charles Fox and could not help thinking that there were many points of similarity between him and the present Henry Clay. The same powers and the same vices. I continued reading this author until I was called in to keep company with Grandfather who was alone. I sat with him reading scraps from newspapers &c. until his time of going to rest. My father and mother returned at this time with George. I had some political conversation with the two latter in which it was intimated that the horizon was darkening. I afterwards had conversation with George upon many subjects, but none of any interest which I have not often mentioned. XI.