Morning cloudy with occasional rain. The weather altogether being more like May than October. Went to the Office where I had much 340conversation with Mr. T. Welsh about this business of New’s, and concluded that our best course would be to look up the heirs and see if they would do any thing to release us from our dilemma. I then had a good deal of Conversation with him about political affairs, in which we concluded that the nomination of Mr. Appleton was a tolerably poor concern, and not likely to go down among the Citizens.1 I have half a mind to try my pen against it, and went so far as to draw up an Article for the purpose.

Returned home. Found there Miss Abby Adams and after dinner Horatio Brooks arrived from Gibraltar by the way of New York.2 I read Cicero, finishing the first book de Inventione and beginning the second, the first passages of it are very pretty, and much more easy than the preceding book. Since we have returned from the Country, I have had more Company at my House than during all last Winter, and seem to promise to continue. However I like to have my Mother who keeps Abby company. Mr. Quincy came in and spent an hour of the evening, he was very pleasant. I sat up until quite late drawing up a little sketch of my proposed Article. Read my Numbers of the Tatler.