Fine day. To Quincy. Return Afternoon. Evening at home.

A cool but clear and bright November day. As soon as practicable 325after breakfast I started to go to Quincy accompanied by my Wife. We came round by Milton hill in order to stop at Dr. Holbrook’s and notify him to meet Bigelow at the time agreed upon. But he had gone to Boston. We found the family in a state of distress such as may be conceived, which was however relieved by the result of Bigelow’s examination so far as that hope which had been almost extinct revived.

I had but a dull and unprofitable day of it as my father was busy and the other members of the family were much taken up of course. It was the day of general election but I lost my vote which would otherwise have been what it never was before, regularly Whig. Returned to town by sunset leaving my Wife. Devoted the evening to new modelling a page or two of the article for Hunt which I positively folded up to send.

My boy Charles I sent this day upon a visit to his old Nurse at Portsmouth Mrs. Fields, through her sons who were going. So unused am I to part with my children that I feel a dislike to have them out of my sight. And yet it is not man’s vocation to be confined and I ought to repress a weakness which will cost me even more serious pain in advanced life. My trust in all cases is in a higher power.