Morning cloudy. I rode to town and found my ride much the pleasanter from the rain which had fallen during the night. At the Office where I had several visitors—One accidental one. Mr. Whitcomb is a connexion of Mr. Everett’s and an intelligent man. He has had Office in the Custom House here but has been turned out of it upon party considerations. Of course he feels very bitterly and seems to seek out my conversation for the purpose of explaining some of his past political conduct.

Mr. Ayer came in and kept me nearly the whole of my time in discussion upon a variety of points. I finally agreed with him upon the terms and he gave me estimates of the cost of building which from their extent a little startled me. I know not in what particular I am extravagant, not desiring any ornamental work and yet I see that I shall not get on without great expense. But as I am in for it I mean to go through, justifying myself only by the simplicity of my design. After he had gone, for a wonder, a stray person from Vermont dropped in and wished me to execute a deed, the first client I have had for a long time.

Returned to Quincy and in the afternoon went over to the ledge of Rocks worked by Mr. Colburn to see after the contracts for my stone. He appears to be at work in earnest and has succeeded thus far quite well. He now proposes to begin lower down in order to take advantage of the fall of the ground and get some headway without necessity of drainage. I then walked home by the way of the next ledge on land of my father’s neighbour Mr. Bass. There is some secret about this rock not yet perfectly known. This ledge works unprofitably. Colburn’s so far as he has gone the reverse. The reason as I understand it is what they call the pitch or dip of the stone and the course of the grain. The first enables them to get out more or less easily and the other to divide the stone. Home. Evening quietly with the family. I sent to the Advocate today two numbers of my latest attempt.