Morning rainy but warm. The weather cleared up however very shortly afterwards and produced another lovely day. I went to the Office and passed most of my morning in reading Marshall, the interesting portion of whose history I have now finished. In reflecting upon what I should do next, I felt a marvellous inclination to take up Aeschines and Demosthenes, though not a little awed by the amount of the labour which will be necessary to do any thing with it. I went to Hilliard’s Store to see what was to be done and upon examining the work of Mr. Negris I thought I would purchase and go directly to work to see whether something could not be done out of it.1 I propose to begin upon it coolly, to devote six months to the materials and the composition and if necessary to give two months more to the perfection. If I can make nothing more out of it, my labour will still not be lost. Called in to see Mr. Brooks who notified me of the birth of a son to Mrs. Everett, a matter which will delight them all—As Mr. Everett has been long regretting his want of one. Afternoon passed in my beginning of the Book of Mr. Negris, and found myself quite surprised that I had made myself so fully master of the text in my previous reading, but the Notes are very good. I read ten or fifteen pages easily. Evening Eustace to my Wife, after which I tried with little success to throw together some preliminary thoughts.