A fine day. My Wife was not much better this morning and my child Louisa was suffering from a severe cold. A little discouraging upon arriving at Boston. At the Office where I occupied myself some time in accounts until interrupted by T. K. Davis who came in for a talk. His mind is evidently much unsettled. He wishes to take a more active part in life and yet fears the effect upon his own opinions. He has to some extent liberated himself from the restraints of the federal school and now finds that it stands in his way to be liberal. I am afraid I have done a little towards producing this result. I feel the same difficulties standing in my way. And Heaven only knows how either of us can ever get over them. For my part, to heaven am I willing to trust it.

A. H. Everett came in and talked for some time. His position is deplorable. This is the day of general election in Massachusetts, and he is a candidate for the State Senate, but the New York intelligence coming as it does in aid of the strong feeling already existing will probably defeat him. I determined upon this day not to vote, as I had no disposition to swell the tide of Whig triumph and less to stem it’s force in a defence of radicalism.

Home to read Herodotus. Afternoon, took up Malthus again, but I do not find him the very intelligible writer he is maintained to be. Evening passed in part in company with my Wife and the remainder to making a new draft of my Mother’s biography.