Morning cloudy and soon after eleven, hard rain for the rest of the day. This prevented our all fulfilling an engagement made to dine with Mr. Brooks at Medford, and my going to Boston as I had intended. I passed my time quietly at home, first in reading part of Lingard’s History of England which I am going over,1 and partly in comparing and correcting Text of Copy of Journals. William Greenleaf in making them was exceedingly careless. And the labour of altering is considerable. The Journals are to be sure in themselves very full of confusion, but they are worthy of rather more labour to arrange than was paid.

Afternoon, read Seneca. Minor questions, such as whether a man can be released from gratitude as an obligation, if he has made great efforts to repay it yet failed. Compared with a debt, the difference explained. These are small affairs inasmuch as they settle no principle. Passed half an hour at dusk in pasting in labels.

Evening, Dr. Granville to the Ladies, after which I continued Lingard for an hour. On the whole, the day is better accounted for than usual.