Morning fine and clear. At the Office as usual. Commenced the corrected translation of the Preface of Puffendorf and finished one page in one of the unfinished Blank books of my poor brother.1 He had attempted a series of answers to Field’s Interrogatory Analysis of Black-stone, and as usual had left off very early. I have resolution to finish what I begin if nothing else, and if possible shall exemplify it in this Preface. I began the second Chapter of the Treatise but was interrupted by my Father who came in and sat an hour or more. We had some Conversation upon the late publications of R. H. Lee and the works of Mr. Jefferson2—And upon the course Mr. Sparks is likely to take in his history which he3 thought would not be agreeable to his notion of History.4 I left him to attend an Auction where I had expected to find a Copy of a French Work, Arts et Metiers. But it had been previously sold. I returned to my Office to read a little further. Col. Quincy came in to give me the result of the application made by my father to the Athenaeum to have his name reinstated among the Proprietors of that Institution—It was with a Certificate of a Share.5

I returned home and dressed myself to attend a Dinner at Govr. Winthrop’s. The Company consisted of my father, uncle, Mr. Brooks, Mr. Everett, Frothingham, Ed. Everett, Brimmer, Welsh, Genl. Dearborn, Gorham, and myself.6 The dinner was handsome as usual, 74and I felt more in the humour than I have for years. I sat between General Dearborn and Robert Winthrop and was on the whole very well entertained. I did not leave until the latest went and until I had drunk quite as much wine as was consistent with the bounds of propriety. I walked down to Mrs. Frothingham’s after Abby and amused them a good deal with the liveliness of my Conversation. Returned before ten o’clock.