Morning at the Office. Weather quite cold but nevertheless tolerably agreeable. I was engaged much of my morning in settling accounts for my Father and myself. I paid those of Doggett, the Picture Framer and Jackson the Painter.1 So that now there are exceedingly few outstanding debts against him or myself. My time was interrupted so that I had little opportunity to do any thing in the way of reading or arrangement of matter for my Opening on Saturday. Mrs. Boylston, Mr. Curtis and Genl. Towne came to finish executing the Papers relating to Mr. Boylston’s Estate—Which was all done. Mr. Orcutt came to tell me that he could get no Money but we came to no arrangement. I went to see Mr. Brooks to get Mrs. Everett’s Letters, got into a conversation with Edward Brooks and Thos. W. Phillips which took up much time.2 From thence went to see Degrand, authorized him to buy some Fire and Marine Insurance Stock for my Father and to sell the Shares in the State Bank formerly belonging to George. This is an Operation I am going to hazard in order to diminish the amount of Stock which my father will be likely to transport from here to Washington, to experiment upon in the Mill. It will also be likely to turn out better in it’s Dividends than the Bank.

My time passed rapidly, and I found it time to go down to dine according to agreement with Mr. and Mrs. Frothingham. They asked us to dine with them and so I cannot escape. The dinner was pleasant as usual, perhaps a little more so, and after it I went to the Athenaeum and spent the afternoon in reading Hamilton’s report upon a National Bank. It is a good production but not exactly what I expected for it’s application was to Banking in general rather than to the expediency of a Bank for the Nation. This however is fully treated in the paper 108he presented to the President which I read over again. My time passed rapidly. I think this Library will be of immense use to me. As I was to go to a party tonight, I went home to dress and then walked to the place, Mrs. Bradley’s of Pearl Street—A relation of Mr. Frothingham’s, but not in the best Society.3 I found there few people whom I knew, but by stirring among the young men and speaking to all the ladies, I got through one hour which may fairly be reckoned among the wasted. Returned home without Mrs. Everett as she went to Mrs. Frothingham’s.