I arose shortly after six, wrote my portion of Record for the Morning and read a little of Maltebrun. But for the rest of the day, instead of pursuing my studies, I went fishing with John. We had not much sport. But we took off three boys from the bottom of a boat which had been upset by a squall in the Channel. One white boy and two 118coloured ones. And strange to say, the white one seemed the greatest chicken of the three. He moaned the most and seemed to have shown the least courage for the emergency. Evening, Cards as usual.

Completed my share of Executive Record and of Maltebrun before I breakfasted. After that instead of law I went to sit to King who kept me until nearly two o’clock, and I was engaged after that in arranging my father’s files of newspapers for the last month. A great bore. My spirits not remarkably good. In the evening I read a portion of Judge Cranch’s sketch of my Grandfather.1 I am clearly of opinion that he was the most extraordinary character who figured in the American revolution.

I wrote my portion of Executive Record this morning and devoted the rest of the time before breakfast to finishing Judge Cranch’s Memoir. It is a sensible, well written thing in his peculiarly sententious manner. After breakfast my time was not occupied very correctly—it being wasted in doing little of any utility or profit. I wrote a letter to Richardson1 and rode with John in the evening. Conversation with the President about the Memoir.

I wrote my portion of the Executive Record and read a portion of Maltebrun before breakfast. Studied law earnestly during the morning1 and wrote to Abby. No letters yet from her. Genl. Wool called to see me and delivered a message from her which made me quite comfortable. I do love this girl as I think a woman ought to be loved. Sincerely, fervently and yet with purity and respect. I can think of her in no other light. Other women have acted upon me by a voluptuous manner, to which I am unfortunately peculiarly susceptible, but I have never known one who has produced any respect before. I have seen so much of their bad shades of character that I had doubted whether any could create a different effect on me than this single one. But the very simplicity of Abby’s character is what has struck 119me most. It is a strong contrast to my previous experience of art. Enough.

I read for nearly an hour in Campbell’s Philosophy of Rhetoric which does not strike me so far as a peculiarly powerful work. There is more jingle of metaphysical titles in the work than is necessary for a book where simplicity of idea should be the object. Evening, Cards. On the whole this is a well spent day.