Morning clear and still pretty cold. I went to the Office as usual after reading my regular portion of Buffon in the morning. Engaged pretty fully after my common matters, in reading an Abstract of the Political Essays of Hume.1 They are well written, having the peculiar style of the Author with his philosophical manner of thinking. But the tendency of his opinions is to the establishment of absolute power, and his feelings lead him to look with more composure upon oppression by a few, than by the many. He was too cold blooded for his authority to be valuable. There are some things upon which every man should feel and speak strongly. He does not upon any thing. I then went to the Athenaeum where I spent an hour instead of walking.

In the Afternoon, I accomplished though superficially the three Orations against Rullus upon the Agrarian Law. These have not much interest. They are Addresses calculated to excite the People and of course evidently upon reading, overcharged. The idea that Capua was likely to be a Rival of Rome was clearly to catch. So is much of what is said against Rullus who was probably a Popularity seeker like the Gracchi.

Evening I began the account of the second Expedition of Parry which went through Hudson’s Bay.2 Also, Buffon and the Spectator.