Morning at the Office. Received a letter from my Mother, a little dull, but still in tolerable spirits. It affected mine a little but not much. Read Law as usual. Mr. Brooks notified me that Abby was in town, and I went to see her immediately. She was very dull and evidently showed signs of sorrow and heaviness. I conversed with her and found very soon that my plan had produced a very bad effect. This put me again in a quandary. I had adopted it as the best result of my reason and understanding. I must now abandon it and subject myself to all it’s accompanying trouble, without any adequate justification to myself other than to keep her from being unhappy. I did give up the plan. I consented to see her once a week but with one condition. She promised solemnly that this engagement should terminate in October. She promised that at all events I should have her hand if I demanded it. This at any rate will give a definite close to my waste of time and is a feeble palliation for my want of resolution. With regard to Mr. Brooks I must take a more decided tone with him or it will never finish. I trust the whole in the hands of a higher providence.

George came in the afternoon and talked, but I read a good deal of the secret Journal of Congress besides.1 Evening, at the Federal Street Theatre. Colman’s Heir at Law. A good piece and tolerably well cast. Finn’s Pangloss bad in general. Some good bits, but the starched formality of the character was displaced for ill placed jest and buffoonery. Duberley and Ezekiel Homespun very good.2 The Epilogue was very well done. The ballet of the Barber of Seville closed the performances. It was very well got up. Dancing is a singularly fascinating amusement. It seems to be one of our original tastes judging from the Indian habits. On the whole, well satisfied.

Morning at the Office. Occupied in reading Law excepting half an hour which I passed in looking through the Market. This is a famous day in New England, being that previous to Thanksgiving. The substitute of the Puritans for Christmas. The preparations are making throughout the State for rich and poor, and the markets are abundantly filled. I was given to understand today that the display was unusually meagre. At any rate, I was disappointed in my expectation about it. The afternoon was passed quietly and the evening at the Office.

Morning dull and gloomy. Clouds very heavy. After breakfast, I rode to Medford, the weather being rather cool. Went to Meeting with the family and heard Mr. Stetson preach a Sermon of very considerable violence in a political way. He was very warm indeed and rather unnecessarily severe. As usual there was a family dinner. Mr. and Mrs. Edward Brooks, Mr. and Mrs. Frothingham, Gorham and Horatio, besides the members of the family and a multitude of children. All this was a bore to me and not half so agreeable as a plain, common Sunday would have been when I might have had Abby all to myself, but when Mr. Brooks gave me the invitation I was aware that to have declined it would have been matter of offence. Mrs. B. entered a little into conversation with me upon my course, but we were interrupted very much to my regret. From what I could collect, something seems to have gone wrong in her husband’s mind, about the money affairs. I am sorry and sore perplexed about the matter and sadly wish some assistance instead of more confusion in my course. Evening passed pleasantly with Abby.

The morning was dark and opened with heavy rain. I was consequently detained pleasantly enough until eleven o’clock. But I could not help thinking this one of the evils attending the continuance of the engagement. My spirits were better however than they were a year ago, although still liable to slight returns of dullness, one of 316which I had today. There is room for hope though, and as I am so well now in comparison, I am sanguine that I shall again be myself. Returned to town with Horatio Brooks in company. At the Office, found a letter from my Mother, rather dull. Occupied all day as usual. Evening at home reading Percy’s reliques.