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.

Morning cold and blustering. I went to the Office as usual. Heard of the murder of Mr. Jos. White at Salem, a shocking affair enough. Found in his bed this morning stabbed and bruised in the head. The City was a good deal excited about it.1 Read this morning Genl. Harrison’s Pamphlet and was satisfied by it, that his vanity and ignorance of the whole had made a fool of him.2 The worst danger of all to public men comes from themselves. Many are fully equal to prevent surprises from others, who are totally overset by some strange and insidious enemy in their own persons. Although this gentleman was most certainly ill treated, yet he proves himself fully unfit for the place he was occupying. I also read something of Marshall, relating to the early debates in Congress which formed the parties in the Country. These are interesting but they are not managed by Marshall as I should have supposed a man of his powers would have done. He wrote it in too much haste, and did not leave his mind to form conclusions, instead of merely hurrying over premises. But there is notwithstanding much information to be derived from the work. It contains a definite and not altogether a dry statement of facts, and explains the motions of parties, though by one side asserted to be partial.

I received today the Dividends upon the Stock in Neponset and West Boston Bridge.3 The latter is again becoming tolerable stock. My father’s personal Property here is generally good. And all, both real and personal, tolerably productive. If his other property was equally so, he would have been a wealthy man.

The afternoon was passed in reading Graham’s History of the United 208States, the portion relating to New England is very interesting as it conveys a clearer and more impartial account than any preceding Historian. I also compared Robertson.4 In the evening, I began reading aloud to my Wife a part of Eustace’s Tour in Italy,5 in order to render myself a little more familiar with places in that country. It was pleasing. After it, I read part of my father’s Lectures, and found in them much food for reflection.