Missed Prayers and recitation this Morning, it being the last Exercise in the term. We found the day to be a pretty pleasant one, except that it was likely to be close and hot. I lounged and loitered for an hour or two about the Colleges waiting for the assignment of the parts for the next Exhibition to be declared. I had some interest in the matter myself as I have been talked of for some time as a candidate for one. My rank, I presumed, should have given me one but they did not think so or, from some other motive, I was left out. I was not sorry as I have a contemptible opinion of the exercise and have expressed myself desirous, if the Government would allow it, to be left out altogether. Should this not be the motive, or a desire that I might have an opportunity to rise still farther, I must confess, I should feel a little hurt, for it is depressing me in the opinion of the students and doing me no personal advantage as a recompense. Chapman received the Oration, according to expectation. I went in at different times, to catch a few words of the Exercises. It was a very wretched Exhibition. The parts in my own Class appeared as puerile as those I have seen at School,1 and the Oration fell short most astonishingly. The fact is, I doubt most exceedingly the powerful talents of Wilder, and always have as he, in my opinion, has never been more than a hard student.

This over, I dressed and prepared myself for Parade. We went over to the Captain’s room where we received company, from thence we went to Blake’s, and there formed the Parade. The company looked very well and the Officers were well set off. We went through the ceremony of receiving the standard and, after a recess of fifteen minutes in which we saw company again, we went to Professor Everett’s according to invitation. We were very politely received, I obtained an introduction to Mrs. Alexander Everett2 and had some pleasant 295conversation with her. She is quite an agreable woman. We went away in about an hour, after having spent it very agreably, our troops not in the best state. We marched them some time and then dismissed them before Prayers which I attended in Uniform. We spent the Evening at the Captain’s room in amusement but I was glad to get away to go to bed being much fatigued. X.

Missed Prayers this Morning, arose, and found myself much refreshed. After taking breakfast I went at Chapman’s invitation to Freshpond as he was going to give a treat to the students who were in town, for his part. Almost a dozen went up, most of them are immediate acquaintances, and we amused ourselves in the morning in rolling at ninepins. This did not take with as much effect however as usual and some to rowing and some to sailing in the boats upon the pond. This is one of the prettiest places any where round. The bend of the lake, for I might call it one without impropriety, makes the place on which the house stands a sort of headland or peninsula and the thick shade of the trees on it which grow close gives it at a distance a very pretty effect. We took the largest boat among the whole, stocked it with provisions for a voyage, and went off.

Our sail was an extremely pleasant one, we had a song and enjoyed ourselves considerably, but as I saw we were likely to have a boistrous return, I pressed Rundlet to get home as quick as possible, some of our number not being in a state to behave perfectly properly. I am fond of social amusements but I cannot endure turbulence. It disgusts me immediately. On the whole however we had an agreable day of it and returned at three o’clock pretty well fatigued. We obtained a dinner or rather a desert at home and sat there sacrificing Otis’s last wine, Fay being still present, the most amazing of the party. He has not arrived at a seriousness of his being so far in College that it is requisite that he should act like a man.

As we were determined to finish every thing which had the appearance of public property, we went to Lothrop’s where we spent the afternoon. I was so tired and fatigued with these scenes however that I wished myself often away. After tea however, I continued, paid a visit to Lunt the Senior and then went to Cunningham’s where we 296continued drinking wine. I was too tired to stay however. The arrival of General Lafayette1 has excited the nation and it will probably be a cause of much festivity here. We argued the possibility of bringing our company out upon the occasion but have not much hope. I went home and very soon retired to rest after a fatiguing day. X.