Morning to town. Abby in low spirits about her Mother and I could not rouse her. This affected me a little and I felt depressed all day. A letter also came from John1 saying that my Mother had been taken sick, which did not contribute at all to improve my pleasure. Morning passed in the Office and in attending an Auction, to purchase a few of the last things for Quincy. Received from E. H. Derby, one year’s pew rent which I called upon him to obtain. Too much of my day was wasted in reading les Liaisons Dangeureuses, a book nominally with a moral but altogether vicious, in fact. George owned this copy and read by far too much in this and similar works. But the afternoon was occupied in destroying the school boy productions of my brother and his friends which he always preserved. I remained in town until late in order to obtain the evening’s mail, by which there came a letter from my Mother which relieved our apprehensions.2 Then to Quincy. Evening with my father. Miscellaneous conversation.