Morning very cold. The sudden rush of the severity of the Season upon us is somewhat unusual. I went to the Office and occupied myself in my common way. Read the rest of Burkes Speech upon the Nabob of Arcot’s debts. A very able thing and worth attentive study by a man who is likely to be a Speaker. For myself it seems so doubtful whether I shall have any chance to shew myself in this way, that I must be content to speculate upon its effect and the means by which such a thing was composed. Nothing of any particular consequence took place. I went to the Athenaeum and then took a short walk. My Wife still continues very unwell from her cold. This is a great annoyance and one of the Taxes of our Climate.

Afternoon. Continued reading the Work, “De natura Deorum” and was much pleased with it today. The reasoning from Nature’s Works to the existence of a Deity is admirable and can be improved by nobody. 194But the idea that the Earth is that Deity is realizing the step from the sublime to the ridiculous. On the whole the book is a valuable historical relic.

My Wife felt so much indisposed that I could not read to her, but went on with Gibbon. His opening Chapters are excellent. They make so good a starting point. I then read a Book of Homer’s Iliad, but was almost overpowered with drowsiness. Finished the evening with two numbers of the Spectator.