Breakfasted with John at the Exchange. Read law a couple of hours at the Office and then went round with John paying visits, which occupied us until dinner which I took with John and George at the Exchange. After it John and I rode to Winter Hill and passed an hour with Mrs. Everett, and from thence to Medford where we drank tea. 168I returned to take leave of my father and dress myself for a party. I rode down to Dr. Gorham’s, took up Abby and then went to Mrs. Jones’s, a lady I never knew nor heard of before. A small party of young people, and rather dull. My head ached from fatigue.

Morning at the Office excepting an hour spent at Mrs. Frothingham’s with Abby. At one I called at Dr. Gorham’s for her in a gig and then drove to Medford. A small family dinner to introduce Miss Dehon. Mr. and Mrs. P. C. Brooks Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Everett, Mr. Sidney Brooks, Miss Dehon, Miss Bartlett, (a cousin staying here),1 and I constituted the company. The afternoon was dull to me. There is much in the habits of a family foreign from your own which must necessarily be of little interest, and when they gather together in such large numbers, those who do not belong are almost thrown out of the circle. Indeed I always like Abby better when not surrounded by her own relations as their habits and mode of life and thinking are so different from those which I have acquired that it is scarcely possible for us to meet upon common ground. Still it is matter of great question to me whether as a family their happiness is not greater with their system than our’s has been with the different one which fell to our share.

At Medford all day without attending Church. Mr. Stephen Gorham was here. A brother of Mrs. Brooks’.1 And while the family were absent Mr. and Mrs. E. Brooks called.2 As they have been living in the Country and not within convenient reach I have been deferring my visit to them from time to time. And it is unfortunate that of all the family they are the most punctilious. I have had notice that they are offended and must make up as soon as possible. Their treatment was civil but distant. Mr. Shepherd and his daughter also came in, and Gorham Brooks. Quiet in the evening.