Cloudy day. I felt but poorly after the severe influence of my Medicine. I remained quietly at home engaged in looking over and abstracting Stone’s book. The more I read upon that subject, the more I am struck with the extraordinary and disgusting nature of the whole transaction. The extent of the combinations, the calmness with which they were formed and the plans executed, and the disregard of means in executing them are truly wonderful. I was also occupied in comparing MS with my father, and copying two or three Letters for him.

After dinner, I read a few more of Bayle’s Letters. They are amusing but pedantic, display a great variety of reading and a good deal of felicity in application, but are too much the efforts of a mere reader. The world has changed much since his time. It is less willing to hear the effusions of scholars which merely compile the sayings of their predecessors. Yet there is a charm to me in that kind of allusion that I 382never can get over. In many respects, I am not fit for the matter of fact world of this Century.

Evening. Read a little of Dr. Granville and afterwards Lingard, but not having rested well for the last two evenings, I felt drowsy and retired much earlier than usual.