Morning rainy and weather appearing much as it has done for some time back, Previous to my going to the Office I called upon Mrs. Lewis in the House at the Corner of Common Street to ascertain her determination with respect to it as her Lease expires shortly. She begged for time until the Spring to move, provided I would make a reduction of one third in her rent, which I did not feel myself authorized to do, so that after some talk, I found to my regret that this House was also to be upon my hands. I therefore quitted her, to go to my Office and write some advertisements for the Patriot and Daily Advertiser which I carried down myself to those Newspapers.1 I have now two 66houses which become empty on the opening of the year and my Father will lose two hundred and sixty dollars a quarter until they are filled, which is something of a loss. And I am to have the trouble of directing the repairs which must infallibly be considerable. The rest of the morning was passed quietly at my Office, and I read Marshall pleasantly enough, and made some further arrangements in my Accounts by which I hope to be able to form a tolerable estimate of the profits of my Father’s real Estate. After dinner I read Aeschines as usual and accomplished more in my short allowance of time than I had previously done on any single day. My preparatory reading has been such as materially to assist me in my labour. But it is nonetheless not at all a slight undertaking for me, more particularly the part of translation. In the evening, I read a portion of Clarissa Harlowe to my Wife who was suffering from a head ache, and afterwards continued La Harpe whose account of the two Plinies is interesting, and with them I finish the second part of his book relating to Orators.

Weather cleared off during the Night so that upon this morning it had turned cool and promised an entrance upon Winter. I went to the Office as usual. Had some Conversation with Mr. Welsh about the House in Hancock Street and from that diverged until we got upon the last Election and the prospects of Mr. Webster. He was explaining his agency in the matter when I was obliged to leave him to see Mr. Degrand who came up to ask if I had any orders for the sale of the State Bank Shares, belonging to my Father. I told him, No, and we then proceeded to talk upon subjects in general relating to Stocks and Property of all descriptions which he seemed to have a pretty accurate knowledge of—But talked in an ambiguous manner as all brokers do. After him Richardson called and sat a few minutes talking as usual of nothings. I engaged him to accompany me to Weston next week which he assented to. Dr. Welsh came in apparently to give me some Message but did not owing to the presence of Richardson. The remainder of the morning passed in completing Marshall on Insurance, the Chapters on the Insurance of Life and of Fire which led me to examine the Policies of the Mutual Fire Company, and I then found myself having spent the morning. Afternoon, as usual occupied with Aeschines, a considerable passage of whom I read, but did not com-67plete the whole of my task in the short time I had to perform it in. Two hours each afternoon are not a very large allowance for a study resumed after a lapse of four years or more. My time is not yet entirely employed to my satisfaction. Evening, read a part of Clarissa Harlowe, to Abby, but we were interrupted in our pursuit by the entrance of Mr. Hall, the Clergyman of Northampton, and Cousin of Abby’s.1 His was a short visit, and after it I read a Chapter of La Harpe upon the early Historians of the first Class.