Cloudy day with occasional showers. I remained at home and occupied myself steadily in reading over the MS papers of J. A., the old journals and controversial papers which seem to be numerous in our family.

I also for the sake of refreshing my German resumed Lessing’s Laocoon which I had partially read last year.1 I began it over again and was still more pleased than ever with the critical acumen it displays. There is something exceedingly agreeable in turning from the tempestuous sea of politics to which I have been bred, to the calm and sunny repose of art.

Afternoon, read Lucretius finishing the first book and reviewing a part of it in the annotated edition of Gilbert Wakefield. A scholar, but a bold conjectural critic of the Bentley school.2 Continued Lockhart also. Evening at the Mansion and home in rain.