My Wife is slowly but gradually getting better. My man still continues sick and the rest of my family are worked enough to wear them out. I went to the Office feeling under most anxiety for the Child who has taken her Mother’s sickness.

Occupied in various ways, drawing Accounts and writing my Journal. Purchased today some more Suffolk Insurance Shares.1 This is hardly a prudent step in my present situation as my expenditure cannot be foreseen at all as it could be a year since. And unless my Dover Stock2 should bring me off safe, I shall have to retrace my path at the hazard of loss in a falling Market. I am fully sensible of this but my anxiety is so great to improve all reasonable opportunities of enlarging my means, that I feel under the necessity of straining a little. And on the whole the risks are now in my favour, and at worst I can only sell out Stock that is good.

Dined at Mr. Frothingham’s to save trouble at my House. Afternoon reading Cicero and Evening, Gibbon. The Child gave us much uneasiness and kept us up to a late hour. Read the Spectator.