Snowy and clouds but it cleared away towards night with great cold. I went to the Office and was engaged there for some time, then going into State Street I made sale of my United States Bank Stock which has lately taken a great rise in consequence of expectations of a new Charter from the State of Pennsylvania. I have no desire to continue a Stockholder and therefore am glad to get out. Short walk. Nothing passed of material consequence. Livy.

Afternoon took up by way of luxurious relaxation a volume of Madame de Stael and hit upon her ten years exile which is written with a vast deal of point.1 How delightful a way of spending time this is. If a man had no other duties and calls in Society to worry him, what a delightful existence he might lead in the occupations of refined intelligence. But labour is his doom in one shape or another.

Evening, I was obliged to attend the annual Meeting of the Proprietors of Boylston Market. The usual business was gone through. Nothing took place of any consequence. The same Directors with the exception of Mr. French who positively refused to serve again were 322elected, and the Meeting was dissolved after which I declined serving again as Clerk to the Directors and immediately withdrew. Home, severely cold, Goethe’s Wanderjahre.