Morning, northeasterly rain but it cleared away afterwards with a continuance of the same wind. I wrote Diary all day and attended divine service. Mr. Hall of Dorchester preached, my Wife’s relation. Luke 17. 17–18. “And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God save this stranger.” The history of these lepers illustrates the principle of gratitude, which though it should be constant to God is apt to be forgotten by man on account of the impalpa-215bility of it’s nature. Such was the substance of the discourse which was in most respects drawn up neatly enough. Some touches of eloquence.

I asked him to dine with us which he did, and we got through well enough. Attended service again in the afternoon when I heard another discourse from Luke 2. 49. “Wist ye not that I must be about my father’s business.” As usual when I get no nap I was very drowsy this afternoon and able to hear but little of the discourse. What I did hear appeared to me not so good as that in the morning.

After service, I read a sermon of Dr. Barrow, upon the same subject which has been carried on for several weeks. “Contentment.” It was a continuation of the reasons given in the last why the misfortunes of the world should not have affected any Christian, and opens many views which are excellent and which I have occasionally myself glanced at. Of all things the most important is content. The poor man has his compensations. His is a life of hopes while the portion of the rich is fears. Which is the most fortunate situation.1

In the evening, Conversation. My father again related the anecdote of my Grandfather which I have been anxious to catch. It was about a Speech of his at a Boston Town meeting prior to the Revolution when Mr. Boylston had been making an unpopular Speech, and the people hissed, he rebuked them by a quotation from one of Milton’s Sonnets to which I must look.2 I made up today the rest of my Diary.