Morning cloudy. I went to town accompanied by my Child’s Nurse who went in for the day. She being somewhat ponderous retarded my progress a little. Morning consumed very much as usual. I purchased and began to read the exposition of the Committee of the Rhode Island Legislature who investigated the business of Masonry and published a Report, the Copy Right of which was secured according to law.1 A very extraordinary proceeding. I did not finish much of it. Returned to Medford to dinner.

Mr. and Mrs. Gorham Brooks dined here. Nothing of particular consequence occurred. I continued reading Stapleton’s life of Canning, especially in the most interesting period of his life, the close. The account of the Portuguese War — “I called a new World into existence, to redress the balance of the Old.” Somewhat of the bravado style. Nevertheless Canning deserves some consideration for his support of liberal opinions at a time when a formidable combination existed against them. He was ambitious, but that surely is not a Crime if directed to an honest purpose with honest means.