Morning clear and mild. But the snow gives altogether a different aspect to the Country and chills the air to a very different temperature from what it would otherwise be. I went to the Office and passed my 271time a little more profitably. Read part of Rousseau’s Contrat Social besides writing Diary and Accounts as usual.

Called on Stephen Brown the broker and asked him to sell for me one share in the Merrimack Manufacturing Company. I dislike so much the appearance of public affairs that I have concluded to realize on this Speculation. Manufactures may continue to flourish, but I have quite enough from which to draw benefit besides.

Walk and home. Juvenal. Thirteenth Satire. Afternoon, I began over again upon my Grandfather’s Papers. These drag on heavily. But I mean to do the work sometime or other. I picked up some Autographs among them. Evening quietly at home. Read the biographical notices of Titian, Claude and Boccaccio. Afterwards at work upon the last of my three numbers.