This Morning was employed as usual, I doing nothing except reading the second part of Akenside’s Pleasures of the Imagination. My judgment upon the beauties of this Poem is not yet made up, as a first reading will not suffice to discover them. My thoughts here also are not under sufficient command. The rest of the morning was spent in taking a walk with Thomas round Quincy near Mr. Miller’s1 new house. The day was warm and I felt quite tired consequently took some luncheon for refreshment which I seldom otherwise do. In the afternoon I wrote my Journal and accompanied my Grandfather in a short walk round his garden which appeared to fatigue him very much indeed. He was still in good spirits and gave me two new stories. He is less inclined to talk on serious subjects than he used to be and more on trivial ones. I cannot strike his chord right at all. So fatigued he was that he could hardly reach a chair.

I then wrote my Journal, and laughed heartily all the rest of the day. I was in remarkably high spirits and made the girls laugh at my nonsense all the time. The stage arrived and dropped an expected person—Mr. Thomas B. Adams junior. He has just arrived from Norwich having taken up his connections from there, he now goes to West Point where I am in hopes he will do well. It is now almost eighteen months since I have seen him in which time he has grown considerably and is now to all appearance becoming a young man. I have been much struck of late with the progress of time which makes me think that in no long time I shall myself become one of the world, when I see my youngers coming on so. He brought out a letter from Miss Foster2 to the girls in the reading of which consisted the rest of our amusement, it being one of the most ridiculous things I have yet seen. Thomas purloined it and I edified the company by reading it. The correspondence of girls, if it is of this kind, is not to be considered of such amazing importance as young ladies make it, for more ridiculous trash is nowhere to be found. Elizabeth became quite hysterical in hearing it. 157I intended by ridiculing this to the utmost to correct this in these girls as I could conceive no better opportunity of lashing what they themselves are prone to. I think it will serve my purpose.

After tea we walked into town in cavalcade and made a formal visit at Parson Whitney’s.3 The first one I almost ever made voluntarily in Quincy. After sitting ten minutes we returned in the same order. Mr. Marston being at home saved me the usual task of reading to Grandfather and I was downstairs all the evening, although my exhilaration had passed and I was rather in the dumps as well as sick. XI:15.