Nothing but rain. I went to the Office and was busy in digesting matter for the discussion at the Debating Society this evening. I wrote out the whole and arranged it in my mind in a fit manner for delivery. This cost me some labour but I hope it will benefit me inasmuch as I shall be better able to rely upon my strength on any occasion that may come up suddenly. Having a little head ach, I was driven to my usual walk to remove it notwithstanding the badness of the weather. Returning home, found my Wife quite unwell, and I therefore sat in her room and read Cicero as well as I could, during the Afternoon. But my progress was not perfectly satisfactory. I am so sensible of the influence of situation in reading, that when I am out of my study nothing seems to go well. I did not much more than half understand what I did read, and read only half the usual quantity.

In the evening I went through the rain to hear the Debate, found about twelve present and had a pretty sensible course of reasoning, for it is not debate, there is not warmth enough. On my return, finished the fourth book of Paradise Lost and reviewed a portion of it, and read two Numbers of the Tatler.

Astonishing how the weather holds on stormy. It was as bad today as it has been at any time. My Wife was confined to her bed all day. I attended divine service morning and Afternoon. Heard Mr. Brazer of Salem.1 He is a clear, finished Writer with a good though conceited delivery. I was pleased with his Sermons. One thing struck me as singular which was, that there was a paragraph almost precisely the same with one I had written in my Review, but which on correcting, I had struck out as too commonplace. Perhaps this is the greatest evidence of my correctness, yet it did not sound flat in his mouth. This may be true and still the same thing would not stand cool reading. Took a long walk also. My exercise has already gone far to correct my difficulty of which I complained.

In the afternoon I sat with my Wife and read partly aloud and partly to myself Drake’s Essays upon the composition of the Tatler, Spectator and the other periodical literature of that day.2 A book that is extremely necessary at this day to the reading and right understanding of those works. I received today much information which will carry me much more easily through my undertaking of these Essayists. I afterwards finished reviewing the fourth book of Paradise lost and read half of the fifth book, besides my usual number of Tatlers. I also omitted to record a little work upon my Catalogue.

The day was not an improvement upon any of the preceding. I went to the Office as usual and occupied myself in making up my Accounts as well as writing my Journal after which I sat down again to my German. My progress here is not very rapid and for a few days past has been very much confused by other occupations. I succeeded however in making a slight impression upon the verbs. Took my walk as usual between one and two o’clock.

In the afternoon I read a large portion of Cicero’s second book de 363Oratore, coming to the Account of wit which I did not taste. The application of language in this manner requires a most thorough knowledge of the conversational idiom of a Country, and the peculiar acceptation of words in Society. However good it may have been, and Cicero would scarcely have commended it if it had not been thought so, we can see nothing which merits being so strongly sustained.

Evening, Corinne with my Wife, after which Edward Brooks came in and spent the evening. Which was all very pleasantly done. I finished the fifth book of Paradise Lost, and reviewed two thirds of it. Two numbers of the Tatler.