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.

Morning at the Office. Looked over some Chapters of Blackstone and a long Essay of Mr. Butler upon the Feudal System. I think I am pretty well acquainted with that subject. In the afternoon. Wrote to my Mother and read Adam Smith. Spirits rather dull on account of my intended stay in Boston. In the evening. Attended a meeting of the Debating Society. The subject was the expediency of religious Controversy. I became warm, but did not say much. The evening passed quietly and rapidly and the subject was not disposed of.

Attended divine service all day, at Dr. Channing’s. Heard in the morning Mr. Gannet to whose Sermon I could not pay much attention. In the afternoon, Mr. Frothingham, a very remarkable address, upon toleration. I admire the sentiments of it, though I confess I think them ill adapted to our meridian. We are an intolerant people. The weather was disagreeable and a light snow was falling throughout the day, but as George had not been to the Office yesterday, I went to see how he was. Indolence and inactivity, mental and bodily, are his troubles. I spent an hour with him, and returned to tea. I thought in the evening I would visit Mrs. Frothingham, but was so coldly received that I shall not go there soon again.

Morning at the Office and in Court. The Judges passed the morning in delivering opinions upon Cases, some of which were tolerably interesting and all of them seemed to be reasonable and sound. I was called out to make a small Writ in the way of my business. There is something encouraging in this to one in progress. Afternoon, reading Adam Smith, finished his Chapter on Taxes. My room was hardly tenable owing to the wind and consequent smoke. Evening, finished the Disowned, and a volume of Pope’s Works.