Morning milder and more pleasant. I went to the Office and passed an hour in occupation. Mr. Peabody came in and asked me to walk with him. I accordingly went, and on my return went to the Athenaeum to select some book for my morning’s exercise. I find some difficulty in selecting a suitable subject for my morning meditations. I picked up a volume of Parliamentary debates of the time of the American War, which I thought might clear my ideas a little as to those times. But I must turn my attention more definitely to that subject if I take it up at all.

Walk. Afternoon, having received a letter from my Mother, I answered it and wrote one also to my father1—The subject generally political. There is a clue yet to be unravelled which I do not understand. Evening quietly at home. I began the Account of the life of Racine prefixed to his works. A man killed by the critics, which is bad enough to be sure. When he probably was worth all the critics together that ever touched his works. There is much to profit by in this Account. Hewlett and the Bible as usual.