Morning cloudy and soon broke into a regular, steady rain. We reached home however in good time and I went to the Office as usual. Occupied all the morning by different persons coming to make application for Houses. Judging from them I should think applications for Dwellings were rising again, and in fact I am informed that real Estate is improving.

Wrote my Journal and found half an hour to go to the Athenaeum to consult the Books there upon some points in which I was doubtful, 339in making up my Catalogue. Returned to my House in a violent rain. Found there Chardon Brooks who dined with us—He being quite solitary at home owing to his Wife’s accident which confines her to her bed. My afternoon was passed in reading Cicero in which I progressed considerably though I find it totally impossible to keep in my mind all the subdivided instructions which are given.

My wife was not over well but she read an hour in Corinne and I continued the sketch of Gray’s character which presents him in a light very different from what I had expected. I afterwards began Symmons’ Life of Milton,1 and continued my undertaking with two papers of the Tatler. There was quite a smart thunder shower this evening.