The day was bright and clear. We returned to town after breakfast, and I went to the Office directly. My time was taken up first in writing my Journal and next in settling my accounts. I went down to claim my Dividend upon the Stock of the State Bank which paid this morning at the rate of 2 and a quarter per Cent,1 a small matter but better than nothing. I received and deposited the sum. The rest of the morning was passed in reading though not without such interruptions as to render Marshall very difficult to understand. I cleared out the room opposite in order to have it ready to let. I had my Carpet shaken and set in my inner room so as to have it ready to occupy myself for the summer, and arranged my Accounts with regularity and method. Returned home and passed the Afternoon in reading Mr. Graham’s book, in that portion which relates to the State of Virginia. It is very well but it does not come quite up to my expectation, being for a shorter period than I had supposed and embracing much less of the Colonial History. The Account is however a fair one, as coming from an inhabitant of the old Country, and treats the whole principle with more of a philosophical and less of an angry turn than any preceding Writer. Why may I not attempt an Essay upon the subject.

I had time also to look over some Copies of papers taken by Mr. Sparks order relating to minutiae of the Treaty of 1783, but not in themselves over interesting. The evening was spent in reading Clarissa 206Harlowe, to which I gave a final close. It has taken more time than it deserved,2 still the book has merit, much thought and moral influence. I afterwards began my father’s Lectures upon rhetoric, and was surprised agreeably by them, for they contain almost every thing which in my new Articles, I had thought to have said, and express it much better. I never read them before.3

Morning at the Office. The Easterly winds have now set in and give the usual disagreeable chill to the Air. I walked down to State Street, and received at the Boston Bank the Dividend of Stock, being one third of their Capital—My share being one hundred and fifty dollars and reducing thus much my Capital in Bank Stock. This amount is already invested in the Atlas Insurance. Whether for better or for worse remains to be seen. I then obtained the Dividend of one per cent in the American Bank—A very large distribution for one year. This Company has lost part of it’s Capital. My little property has on the whole been far from prosperous,1 having done very little for it’s increase in the way of profit. Returned to my Office and spent the morning in reading Marshall, where I made considerable progress, yet I feel dissatisfied with that book. It does not contain that extent of philosophical view which I should have expected from such a pen. My morning time is not available as I would wish. So many interruptions occur, and so much trouble in regard to the pecuniary affairs of the moment that the mind is distracted and unsteady. I hoped to day, that Whitney would come to settle. He did not. I had expected the rent from the House occupied by the Olivers. They fail to pay this Quarter, making another trouble upon my hands.2

After dinner, I read Beverley’s History of Virginia, Part the first. A curious book published in 1705 a copy of which happened to belong to George.3 It relates the History of the Settlement plainly and apparently in a very concise and impartial way. I then began Grahams, 207Account of New England. He is a warm Advocate of the Puritans, and justly so for in England they have been much misrepresented. I was then called down to spend the Evening at home at the usual meeting of the Brooks family, which was this week at my house. It was as usual tolerably pleasant, but not so much so as some of the later ones have been.