Winter in Mr. Sparks almanack1 is said to begin today, and certainly the weather looked not unlike it when we arose. The snow fell thick and heavily, but it did not last more than two or three hours. 386At the Office as usual where I again spent a good deal of time in mere conversation to no useful purpose with my neighbour Mr. Peabody. I did afterwards find a useful hour in reading a book obtained from the Athenaeum called acts relating to the Colonies.2 This assumes the English Ground and it must be admitted reasons it well. Took a walk, in the usual direction of my Tenements, where I had a short and sharp conversation with the occupant of the first one. Then I returned home.

The Afternoon passed in a very rapid reading of a considerable portion of Brutus, with which I was better pleased. I think my acquaintance with the Latin Idiom is in some respects,3 I am getting to that perfection of being able to take in the sense of a sentence often at a glance, which is the only way of enjoying a language. Evening, some more of Corinne, and having no regular book, I read to my Wife from a novel recommended to her as a good one, Pride and Prejudice.4 It is not bad. Pursued my Catalogue and read two Numbers of the Tatler.