Morning clear and cold again with a high wind. This felt more sharp from the mildness of what had preceded it. I am altogether inclined to the belief that the effect of weather upon the human frame is not in proportion to the degree of its severity, but its variation. A cold day coming after a warm one is more trying than a uniform decrease of temperature to a much lower degree. This is strengthened by reading Parry.

My Wife attended at Meeting with me and we heard a learned Sermon from Mr. Frothingham upon the doctrine of the final destruc-13tion of the Earth by fire. Afternoon I heard Mr. Ripley, alone. He is very prosy. Continued reading Buffon who is both instructive and amusing. Evening, finished Parry’s first voyage. An amusing work on the whole, being a history of a portion of the earth probably never before inhabited during its winter season by civilized man. He failed in his undertaking but on the whole the Voyage has not been without some profit to the knowledge of mankind. Continued Buffon and read the Spectator as usual.