The morning was damp and rainy, so much so that Mr. Brooks decided upon not going to town. As I had remained here once this week, and was anxious to go to town, I fixed upon disregarding the rain altogether. My ride was of course dark and I reached my office only to sit down quietly and read Walpole after finishing my Article for the Patriot, which I believe will close for the present at least, my writing in the Newspapers. It is at best an unprofitable business, and this a peculiarly unprofitable subject.

I was much interested in Walpole. On the whole he has made a favourable impression upon me. I like his warmth, his politics and his nature. Qualities which though they hurt him as a historian, yet increase my personal feeling for him. He writes English too, remarkably well. It is a style exceedingly flowing and easy yet very difficult to imitate well.

I rode out in the Rain though it did not wet me, and passed the afternoon in reading Batteux, whose remarks upon the manner of Oratory are exceedingly good. I also brought out a number of the Edinburgh in which I dipped.

Evening, finished Winthrop’s Journal. Mr. Savage closes by saying that he died too early to hear of the distressing news of his old master’s, (Charles’) execution. A sympathy which I doubt if Winthrop himself had so feelingly entertained, particularly as his connexions in England were all engaged against the King, and he considers in one of his letters the account of his temporary success as sad news. All which Mr. S. does not condescend to consider.

The morning opened with continued rain. This is the fifth day that we have not seen the Sun. A fact neither useful nor agreeable to us apparently. Mr. Brooks and Mr. Frothingham decided to go to town, so that I thought I would not. For some days back I have not felt very well from some cause or other which it is beyond me to divine and it did not seem to me altogether prudent to hazard the damp without a coat. Mr. Frothingham having today a use for his and I not possessing here any of my own.

I finished the Volume of Batteux upon Oratorical style, and the remarks upon Historical and Epistolary Style which are very good. The translation of the Oration for Archias though good in its way only explains the more clearly the deficiency of the French language and 291the fullness of the Latin.1 Cicero was a master, and I must sit down when I get home and read his works as I have all along intended. They are all worth study.

But my reading now has come to an end here at Medford, so that for the remainder of the day I was obliged to recur to the Edinburgh Review most of which I read. This number has nothing in it very remarkable. A criticism upon a wretched poem which never had any merit though a good deal of popularity.2 The evening was taken up in reading Mr. Stewart’s answer to Mr. Channing’s election Sermon.3 He is an orthodox writer upon a subject not over interesting, but he handles his pen powerfully enough to take with one.4