A fine day. I was occupied in copying a letter for my father. Attended divine service and heard Mr. Phipps, a young clergyman settled at Cohasset, preach from Psalm 55. 19. “Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.” It is singular that we should have heard this text discoursed upon once already during the Summer by Mr. Farley, and in a better manner. The afternoon was from John 12. 42.43. “Nevertheless, among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God,” upon that favourite topic of personal independence, a topic of great interest at the present day in theory but carried into practice less and less every year. Mr. Phipps dined with us, the son of the late Dr. of that name in Quincy. He is respectable though not brilliant.

Mr. Degrand was here in the afternoon but I made out a letter to Mr. Hallett remonstrating with him for his servile flattery of Mr. Kendall in the case of a letter written to Philadelphia.1 I know there is risk in this step, but my feelings are strong enough to take risk.

Evening read a Sermon of Sterne’s from Judges 19. 1.2.3. “And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of Mount Ephraim, who took unto him a concubine.” This is in the particular style of the author and by a mixture of tenderness and moral sentiment gives the effect to morality of a doubtful character. I like the style though rather an artificial one.