Morning cloudy. Returned to town rather late in order to give time for my Gig to be repaired. I found it ready at Charlestown. Misfortunes however never come single. As I was passing a truck my wheel came too near and turned me over on the pavement without any ceremony. I was not hurt and went on. But I have cause to thank heaven again that I was quit with the fright. My life might have paid the forfeit of my imprudence, though I really did not see what occasioned the shock. But the roads are very dangerous and I feel little or no desire to see more of them than I can help. I felt my bruises all day however and the thing affected me with low spirits. I did little or nothing in the 357morning and in the afternoon, wrote a letter to my father. Evening at home reading the Disowned.1

Morning at the Office, occupied in copying my letter to my Father, which took me nearly the whole time. The rest was not passed very usefully. I have another Client. They thus seem to thicken upon me, and I feel on the whole quite thankful for it. Afternoon, reading Adam Smith, but the thread has been so long interrupted that I cannot easily resume. Evening, reading the Disowned, which is very interesting.

Morning at the Office. Nothing remarkable. Called into the Justices Court to enter my first action this morning. I felt a little puzzled about it but got along, I suppose as others do. Then in the Supreme Court where I listened to an argument until I was called out to see my friend Richardson who paid me a visit. We chatted pleasantly for an hour. Afternoon in Court. A land cause. Evening, at home reading the Disowned. It is very interesting and what is more it has a deep settled influence upon those who are as ambitious as I am, for I find many of its aspirations echoed within in sounds which I recognized as long and deeply cherished.

Morning at the Office and in Court. The land cause was going on and as I took no interest in it and found little profit, I went to my Office to study Blackstone over again. Nothing remarkable took place. George showed me an interesting letter from my father which I read with much interest and attention.1 In the afternoon, finished Smith’s Wealth of Nations, a book from which I have derived instruction and amusement. I propose following up the subject with some of the later writers. Evening at the Office reading the Disowned.

Morning at the Office. Passed in reading Blackstone with some attention. I find myself more acquainted with it than I had expected. Read over in review my file of my father’s letters and found them more 358interesting now than at first. My thoughts were of a mixed character, but they were not unpleasant. I dare not give utterance to them even here. They breathe a spirit of pride and perhaps of vanity which becomes no one. Received a note from Abby intimating a desire to have me remain in Boston on Sunday.1 It made me a little dull. After dinner I was reviewing Smith’s Chapter on Taxes and in the evening read the Disowned.