The weather continues warm even to the sultry feeling of Summer. I went to the Office as usual and passed my time in reading 218Graham’s History of the settlement of New England. My interruptions were not numerous. A man called with a bill of Messrs. Russell and Randall, Pump makers, against the late Agency, which after much demur, I consented to pay. It was of three years standing, and done by the direction of Mr. Hollis who seems to have had Carte blanche during the preceding six years to waste, to spend and to destroy.

Mr. Champney is one of my Tenants and called to pay me a portion of his rent which was due and promised to me some time ago. I had begun to fear that it would not come at all, and was therefore glad to give him credit for it. The remainder of my time was much at my own disposal, and I took advantage of it to examine the early History of our forefathers with some attention but the subject multiplies upon me so rapidly that I hardly know what to do. I see so many branches and so many lights in which it may be taken that my mind is almost puzzled, and I begin to yield to despair. My time is so short and so much seems i.e. needs to be done. My task is rather more than at present I feel equal to. Courage, there is a spirit to support the labour and a prize to reward it.

Afternoon, employed in writing, but my views were not bright nor clear. I did not accomplish much. The days now grow long. Evening, stopped in reading Eustace by Edmund Quincy who came to pay a visit and spend two hours. The rest of the time, reading anecdotes of distinguished characters.

Morning at the Office. The weather grows warmer rather than more cold and begins to make us feel as if Summer had really come. It is delightful to sensation but creates rather a languid feeling as to work. My time was not interrupted. I went to see Mr. Kinsman to inquire respecting Whitney whom I saw this Morning. He was not aware that he had returned from New York. Then read Graham but not regularly, and finding my head full of composing, I sat down and wrote off the concluding portion of my Essay. I think it is tolerably good but will require much careful correcting and laborious recomposing. I think the ideas are generally sound, though I am afraid a little of the reasoning, is open to question. It may not be good but it is so ingenious as to have convinced me, which I never thought it would.

The rough draft is now completed. And I must now commence the work of putting into a favourable shape. The afternoon was accordingly passed in this business, and I worked steadily and accomplished a large portion of the earlier, but not most laborious portion for [fol. 218] [fol. 218] [fol. 218] [fol. 218] 219it includes little of the reasoning, and was better finished at first than the latter part of it. The evening was sultry. I finished the second volume of Eustace to my Wife, and continued my labour afterwards until eleven.