Morning cloudy at last. It is now three weeks that we have had constantly fine weather, so that the slight shower that fell in the morning was grateful, and the heavy rain in the afternoon and evening very refreshing. I went to Boston as usual and my time was taken up in much the same fashion as common. I had some conversation with Mr. Degrand but came to no conclusion as to investment. The difference in the New England Ins. Dividend alters my views seriously.

I went to the Boylston Market today and draughted the Record of the Directors Meeting into the Book. From thence I went to the Athenaeum and obtained J. Otis’s Rights of the Colonies for my Father.1 The remainder of the morning was passed in reading it. But it was too short to progress far.

I returned to Quincy, and passed the Afternoon in reading the first Oration against Antony, which is much to my taste. The tone of it is subdued, but yet firm, willing to take things fairly, but prepared for the worst. Cicero was an extraordinary compound of timidity and courage, of sublimity in sentiment and timidity of action. His character is in itself a study. I filed Letters afterwards. A Quiet Evening at 68home after which I pursued Rousseau’s Emile in the third Stage of his Education, and the Spectator.