Clear and cool. I work about an hour upon my trees for the sake of exercise during the cool weather, then read until dinner time. Afternoon reading also until tea and Evening at the other house. P. C. Brooks Jr. here in the evening and spent the night.

Began to read Locke’s Essay on the Human Understanding to p. 40. A book I know more of by what I have seen in others than in itself. The first proposition that there are no innate principles is the pulling 101 image away to make room for the edifice. I assent to the force of the reasoning with doubt and mistrust, and desire to examine more fully.

Continued Lessing 275–336. Also Lucretius 151 to 303rd line of 2d book. A very difficult portion of the text. But great poetical energy. Mrs. DeWint and her family called in the afternoon and we saw them again in the evening.