Fine morning. I went to the Office after riding into town with Mr. Brooks. My time taken up for the most part in business matters. Conversation with Mr. Walsh and doing little or nothing.

Finished the Pamphlet relating to Freemasonry, in which I am a little disappointed. The refusal of the Senate to sanction a demand for the evidence defeated the Investigation. No Mason would attend or testify voluntarily thereby pretty clearly manifesting the indefensible nature of the Institution. The more I think of that question, the more I am amazed at it’s character—That so much bad faith should have been found among men in the common relations of life, and that so much influence should be constantly and yet silently exerted over the Community.

Returned to Medford at noon. After dinner read Madame de Stael’s book upon Literature. Ovid, Canace to Macareus—A disgusting story of incest. Ovid had no delicacy in his notions of Love. It is all desire.