Morning a clear, cool air suitable to the season. I remained at home today and occupied myself pretty diligently, first in reading Livy, whose thirtieth book I began, containing the history of Scipio’s masterstroke of policy, and then in writing very industriously and very pertinaciously upon the democratic Address. I found at first it was prodigiously hard to get into the track but once in I went on easily.

In the afternoon, I walked up the hill where Spear has two men at work digging the cellar. They go on so slowly that I am fearful they will hardly finish the work I have proposed to do this season, before I get away. From thence to Colburn’s Quarry where he is splitting a very fine block of stone, but he had not succeeded in opening it today. Hardwick has resumed work upon his block and the appearances grow more favorable as he goes down. Thus if the quarrying of stone continues an object, the facility of access now made to this common may be likely to make it as frequented as any, particularly if the color prove as favorable as it promises.

Home. An evening party of Quincy people. Millers, Quincys, Greenleafs and Whitneys and Lunts. Cards and a light supper after which they retired.