According to my observations the cold was greater this morning than it has been either day of the last three. But it gave way in the course of the day. I was occupied much as usual at the Office. Mr. Degrand came in and I accomplished the investment of the sum of money in my hands. This is an experiment. I have some doubts and fears owing to my want of experience in business. Read a little of Gibbon but on the whole did not do much. The weather was so bad, I did not walk. Read more of Gibbon who keeps up the interest of his history tolerably. This is a repetition showing the want of ideas in me, but I will not deface the page by erasing it.

Afternoon, continued reading Quintilian. A very dry piece of grammatical discussion which made me almost repent I had taken him up. It is undoubtedly true that nothing is to be done without a knowledge of grammar, but except as a matter of mere curiosity it is of no consequence to us how the Latin is to be arranged or spelled. Evening, read aloud to my Wife more of Northcote’s Conversations. After which I read the version of the second book of the Odyssey and the Guardian.