Missed Prayers, but attended Chapel on one of the warmest days we have had this year. There was no amusement therefore in sitting to hear Dr. Ware and the President prose away the day. To this however we were condemned today, and went through with. For my part I was employed very closely all the rest of the day in writing up my Journal which is no inconsiderable task when it gets in the least behind hand. I had expected to have been able to do a little more, but I was attacked with a considerable visit from Dr. Bartlett as we call him from his size, having a tremendous corporation for a young man. He staid with me about an hour and a half. He came to develop a body of news which he had picked up at different places concerning the late differences in the Porcellian Club. He made out quite a correct story by different pieces of information which he had picked up in the course of his conversation. He used formerly to be more intimate with me than now but I found him dangerous from this very quality of his, that he has a power of making up stories from the different persons he hears them from and retailing them with the authority of one man. As I was his friend, I told him some things which came near injuring me essentially in College. I found out this 211part of his character and although I know he is not guilty of any sinister intention towards me, he might do me more mischief than my most bitter enemy even when he believed he was performing the kindest office, in the world. He is a young man with the best temper in the world, his only fault arising from a wish to be important in the great world, that means the high circle. He therefore makes himself so by carrying news to them and inventing very long stories. He hears something and gives it a relish by stretching it, if he is asked for his authority, you are informed, such a one but that he would not wish to have his name used or that it should be known as coming from him. If however as is sometimes the case he has no authority he says that he is obliged to be secret. After leaving my room he went to Otis and Sheafe’s where he spent the rest of the afternoon. He said there was a report about that I had accepted which I of course told him to deny.

In the evening I took a walk and some strawberries as usual. Spent the Evening as usual in Summer doing nothing at all. X.

Missed Prayers this Morning although very anxious to attend indeed. I had cautioned Sheafe to wake me which he did but my drowsy habits had made me return to sleep, which would have continued until breakfast had I not heard the sound of the last man’s steps on the Lyceum stair case. I might just as well have staid at home for not having prepared myself upon the long propositions, I was obliged to say so when unexpectedly called upon. On this account I was marked absent. I had missed a sufficient number already but this must make me more. I returned home quite sorrowful.

At study bell we attended a lecture in which Mr. Channing gave us an account of that sort of eloquence peculiar to Christian countries, the eloquence of the pulpit; he treated of its nature and history. He commenced as usual with a sort of historical sketch of it’s rise, at first mere exhortations from some particular commandment in the Bible. When however the Jews and civilized Heathen nations came to be converted, the Christians adopted some of their rites to please the one and some of their eloquence of the other. In the mean time he observed that probably the Christian religion owed more of it’s errors and follies to these causes than to any in its whole history. A remark new and much to the purpose. This digressive style is his pleasure. He said that this plan of texts had been adopted for pur-212poses of advice or consolation, but that now in many cases this had nothing whatever to do with the subject dissected upon. A pretty severe allusion, I thought to some of the Presidents sermons. Mr. Channing amuses himself picking up now and then a straw in his Lectures. With a sweet pretty style he does nothing but go round and round without making any decision as to the real points in question—what Eloquence is, where it is to be found, how cultivated, in whom it flourished in perfection, how gained? The field is wide but never can be thoroughly passed over in such a dawdling way. The man is a man of exceeding small mind. Though judicious in observations of small things, he can embrace no whole, he can take no wide view of the most enlarged issue on the face of the globe. He has improved my speaking, true? but it is only in a few natural observations which my education early in life enabled me to profit by.

Lecture over I returned home and spent my morning doing nothing or next to nothing. I looked over a little testament and attended recitation to the Dr. this noon. After which until dinner time, I was assisting in chalking the squadding rooms. After dinner I attended a Lecture of Mr. Nuttall’s on Botany. It was on the four first classes according to the system of Linnaeus. He continued his system of illustration and gave us a number of examples to examine at our rooms. Returning I read over my Arithmetical lesson, but Mr. Farrar could not hear us as he was very busy indeed. We therefore went and obtained some strawberries and then I chalked my floor which was no inconsiderable toil; as Lothrop had done the same with me I was obliged to assist him in his which was far the most troublesome of the whole. We finished at last but I was obliged to come home and dress myself all over again, the heat had been so powerful, before I could attend Prayers after which I drilled my section as usual, taught them the step forward, which they performed finally pretty well. I am amused at the exercise and begin now to be quite pleased with it. I kept them about half an hour and then dismissed them until tomorrow morning. I then walked up to College with Lothrop who had just dismissed his section and met a number of our class standing near Hollis1 whom we joined and, after arguing sometime concerning the company, separated.

I had a few minutes conversation with Chapman on the subject of Cunningham’s election to our Club here. It is a matter of great satisfaction that if this Porcellian affair has had no other advantageous effect it has had that of uniting Cunningham and Dwight, which would not have been done in any other way. This was what I tried 213to bring about but without success. The two leaders are now united and will proceed I hope with more effect. I walked down to Howard’s with Lothrop, he was not at home however so we returned. After this I spent a half an hour with Brenan in which we had some conversation concerning the disturbance in the Porcellians. He is in a queer plight in this difficulty for he has been well treated by the Northern party and badly by the Southern so that he can take but a singular part in it without inclining either way. After talking some time with him I returned home. X:15.