Morning bright and pleasant. I went to the Office as usual and passed a great part of my time in translating Aeschines. Mr. Chadwick came in and asked me to accompany the Directors of the Middlesex Canal tomorrow1—An arrangement to which I consented, providing I found no difficulty in my present situation at home, my Servant being gone to Quincy. Called to see Mr. Brooks and afterwards at the Bank to know if Whitney’s Note had been collected, found it was not yet due.

Returned home for an early dinner, in order to be able to go out and see how things went on at Quincy. My Wife accompanied me today. We found things in considerable confusion, and our woman very much discouraged at the magnitude of the Work. Things had been left so very dirty as to multiply the work exceedingly. It made me feel badly, as it showed the mode of life pursued by my father during the last Summer. It will be different this year I hope, but I care much less about it. We remained looking round until evening when we returned through Milton. I received a letter this evening from my Mother in answer to my first, counting very much upon my being there.2 Now I wait for the reply to my last, which will change the face of things. Evening, two hours of Prior’s Life of Burke.