The weather was cold and disagreeable. The wind from the Eastward brought a driving sea mist, which wet me pretty thoroughly before I reached town, so that I thought it advisable to go home and change my dress. My particular object in coming was to attend the town meeting for the settlement of the question as to the amount to be borrowed to make a Railway. I went and saw for the first time in my life a primary assembly of the people in Boston. It was not agreeable, particularly as it was very evident the sentiment of the mob was clear and strong. The speaking was none of it good, though some of it was violent enough. I felt somewhat excited although there was 280in fact nothing material to occasion it. But I confess I regretted that the public feeling should run so strongly in favour of a measure which I hold to be ruinous.1

The whole morning was taken up however so that I had only a minute to go and see Mr. Brooks after which I went out of town. The afternoon was passed in taking the list of the remaining books in the Entry and lower floor, leaving now only what are in the Upper Story. Finished Walpole’s 1st. Volume in the evening. An interesting account of a very uninteresting period.