Morning to town. Abby in low spirits about her Mother and I could not rouse her. This affected me a little and I felt depressed all day. A letter also came from John1 saying that my Mother had been taken sick, which did not contribute at all to improve my pleasure. Morning passed in the Office and in attending an Auction, to purchase a few of the last things for Quincy. Received from E. H. Derby, one year’s pew rent which I called upon him to obtain. Too much of my day was wasted in reading les Liaisons Dangeureuses, a book nominally with a moral but altogether vicious, in fact. George owned this copy and read by far too much in this and similar works. But the afternoon was occupied in destroying the school boy productions of my brother and his friends which he always preserved. I remained in town until late in order to obtain the evening’s mail, by which there came a letter from my Mother which relieved our apprehensions.2 Then to Quincy. Evening with my father. Miscellaneous conversation.

Morning to town. Weather quite warm. After spending a short time at the Office, I went up with Baxter, the Waggoner, and assisted him in transporting the remaining Articles of Furniture from the House at Dr. Welsh’s. The Book Cases were rather heavy but we got them down by the assistance of a hand cartman. And at last I saw the end of that business which had been hanging upon my mind heavily for some time. At last George’s room bears no marks of his residence, and in a short time the changes of life will have nearly effaced his memory from the globe. Such is our final existence and such our end. Moralizing ceases to produce it’s effect for the lesson is too extensively spread.

This took up nearly all of my morning so that as I had decided that I would dine at Quincy today, I was compelled to start forthwith, merely asking first how Mrs. Brooks was and found her sick, as ever. My ride was warm but not unpleasant. Found the family at dinner but Louisa C. Smith too unwell to come down. Thomas dined with us. Afterwards, we took a bath, which I enjoyed exceedingly, but found myself much fatigued in the evening. So as not to enjoy my father’s conversation from drowsiness. He was upon the History of America too.