The day was pleasant although unusually sultry with southerly winds and damp. I passed my morning in reading the North American Review, which contains one or two amusing articles. I also pursued my work of copying.

Attended divine service all day, but in the morning I had barely got seated with my little girl before I became uneasy by her appearance and was misled by misunderstanding her to take her home. I thought her sick but heaven be praised, she was not so. It was too late to return. So I amused myself by a long and rather fatiguing walk. I do not know that there is much profit in exercise taken in this barren manner. Afternoon, heard Mr. Frothingham from Acts 17. 28. “For we are also his offspring.” My attention is again from my habits of life during the summer utterly gone. I heard but gained little from the hearing.

Home where I read a short Sermon from Dr. Barrow. Proverbs 4. 23. “Keep thy heart with all diligence.” It seems to be a discourse preparatory or laying out the ground, in the manner customary with this writer. He first explains the signification upon which he would rest, a practice conducive to clearness but which by too frequent repetition becomes fatiguing. A writer of discourses should study variety of arrangement. Mr. Geitner called to see me for a few moments, and young Gardiner Gorham spent an hour in the evening.