Morning occupied in finishing the volume of Messages of the different Presidents, and reading some other Papers in regard to the Congressional History of the Country. At eleven as the weather promised tolerably I started to go to Medford. The roads were in as bad condition as I ever knew them, occasioned by the late rains. Found Abby quite sick so that she did not come down to dinner but she had somewhat recovered in the afternoon and came down. In sickness there is always more scope for affection and I have seldom known an evening to pass with purer, kinder and more enthusiastic feelings on my part.