Morning very warm, and so it continued until I thought it might be classed among the warmest days we have had this Summer. I read some of Vida. But the sudden disappearance of my Man Servant besides worrying me, has thrown all the labour upon my shoulders, and I consequently was obliged to walk first to Mrs. Frothingham’s, then to market, so that it was late before I reached my Office. I accomplished my usual Diary, which has grown so much as to make it no trifle, and wrote a large portion of the tenth of the Bible letters so that I was not altogether without producing something. Returned home and found my Wife and Child still holding on pretty well. This is my present care and if it go on favourably I shall hold it as one among my many blessings.

Returned home and in the Afternoon read the Correspondence between Plancus and Cicero. It shows good intention on his part, but the Republic was not to be saved. How could it be when Cicero advises a military man friendly to the authority of the Senate to pay no attention to it’s orders, but go on doing and let them approve afterwards. How is Cicero justified in giving this advice? If it was not right, then is he to blame. If it was right, the government was not worth the blood it cost to support it.

Evening quiet at home. Mr. W. Lee called not knowing that my 113Wife was confined. Read Vida, and the Spectator, besides finishing Paradise Regained. I believe the reason it interests so little is, that the hero is perfect and known to be so which takes from the interest of a story by disclosing the invariable result. The little action there is, is uniform, with a uniform termination. So that the occasional snatches of bright Poetry are not enough to keep the reader alive. I would say more but I dilate too much. How do my thoughts agree with the Critics?