Warm day. At home, bath. Usual occupations. Evening visit to Mr. Whitney.

My time was consumed much in the manner that it usually is. I devoted some time to copy which goes on pretty slowly, and to Storch’s chapter upon credit and paper money with which I am certainly much edified. I think him next to Smith of all the writers whom I have read.

In consequence of my going to bathe I was obliged to forego reading Menzel whose spirited style amuses me. Reading is on the whole a very 285great pleasure when the writer puts in action the mind of the reader. Whereas writing as an elaboration of thought is exceedingly tedious and painful. Yet a reasoning mind commonly will succeed in turning over an old train into a new shape and perhaps may draw something out of it worth recording. Menzel however shows us what this impression in a studious age will lead to and that is to the multiplication of worthless books.

After dinner, finished the remainder of the fragment of the sixteenth book of Tacitus whereby we lose the closing scene of the tyranny of Nero. I have refreshed my ideas by this perusal very much.

A ride to Mount Wollaston and Germantown afterwards, accompanied by my father. A visit in the evening to Mr. Whitney’s to see his son Frederick who was not at home. Returned early.