A raw East wind with clouds and a slight snow. I wasted my morning in looking over some numbers of the London Court Journal lent to my Wife by some of the Bootts. I could not help being much struck with the contrast between the state of society therein described and our’s—An accumulation of forms through which display is cultivated as a passion. My habits are becoming so fixed that I think I never could fancy so artificial a condition, and I regard our lot in a country of simple manners as being far more desirable than that where overgrown power makes excessive subservience.

Attended divine service and heard Mr. Frothingham. 1. Corinthians 35115. 51. “We shall all be changed.” A beautiful idea, that change is to us an object of desire while we dread it, that it is constantly taking place while we are not sensible to it. But I lost the train of illustration by my wandering head, and could not fully recover it. Matthew 3. 9. “God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” A vehement squinting at the doctrine of election, the idea of the Jews that God had them in his keeping and that for them was to be reserved all future happiness. There are some who have similar fancies now, not mindful that to the power of the Deity, every thing remains open.

Mr. Walsh walked and dined with me. I like very well to have persons do this in a quiet, sociable manner and without ceremony. Read Dr. Barrow, in continuation of last Sunday’s Sermon and with the same text, giving further reasons why we should act openly in the support of virtue. The principal ones are the force of example, the spirit of charity as well as justice. Evening Madame Junot, and Montagne.