Day cloudy and moderate. I went to the Office as usual. My time taken up in writing my Journal and a variety of incidental occupations. Called at Mr. H. W. Kinsman’s to ask him about the service of a Writ in Norfolk County. Having made my Writ, I went to the Athenaeum and obtained from there the Volume of land laws in order to criticize Mr. McLane a little upon that subject. I confess I was surprised to find 206the extent of my own ground when I came to examine this book—Which by the way is an exceedingly useful compilation.

Returned home and passed the Afternoon in reading Cicero de Officiis—Perhaps the very best of all his philosophical works. I have read it before, I well recollect when. It was when I came to Boston under a new impulse of existence,1 and sat down doggedly to study as the purpose of my life, instead of dissipation and folly. I was now therefore not so much interested in it.

Evening, continued reading the Canterbury Tales which are very certainly well told. After which, Mr. Brooks spent an hour conversing with us. I then studied the subject of the Land laws and finished with my usual numbers of the Spectator.