A third day with the peculiar atmosphere already noticed. It terminated however upon this day in a short rain. I passed some time as usual in superintending at my house, and after a walk round the com-268mons where I was struck with the contrast between this year and the last, went home. Not a soul working upon either of the three quarries that were opened with so much promise during the last season. Thus it seems in this country that intermittents are our natural diseases.1

Read Homer, and attempted to dig a little deeper into the mines of the Greek language. But the process is not easy. Made a draft of a portion of the work I wish done for my fence which took me some time but satisfied me when done.

Afternoon owing to the rain I was driven home, and passed the time reading Humboldt and Wieland’s Abderites. Lawsuits and factions are both the subjects of his satire, and well they may be. Evening, conversation with my Mother who seemed better and the rest of the family.