My father left us this morning before daylight in the Providence Stage. I felt his departure more than I had expected. He has been so kind to me and I have been in the practice of such frequent communication with him this Summer as to make me feel as if one of my supports was leaving me. I hope his absence will not be for a long time. He promises to return in April, though I am afraid that circumstances will prevent him from coming quite so soon.

I went to the Office, obtained the Fenders which Mr. Brooks gave us, and made my regular deposits in the Bank, for the Quarter.1 It is now just three Months since I was married and on the whole I have had happiness uninterrupted, as mortals ever enjoy. And let me here as ever take occasion to be grateful to a benevolent Deity for the benefits and advantages enjoyed, and pray that I may never abuse them.

I was obliged to hurry myself and make the arrangements about my Father’s Horses. He left them upon my hands in such a manner 95as to compel me to act at once without hesitation. I therefore went down and employed Mr. Forbes my Stabler in all that was requisite to keep the Carriage in good order,2 and to send the Horses for the Winter to Weston. I think sufficiently well of the Tenants there to be willing to trust them. Thus went the Morning. In the afternoon, after returning from dining at Mrs. Frothingham’s where Abby and I had been invited, I sat down and studied some of Aeschines being resolved not to lose this fourth day of the week. I succeeded in making a translation, and as Abby was out, read until late, thus finishing the fifth of the pieces of Aeschylus, called the Choephorae. One of the most interesting of them all. I read La Harpe’s opinion of it which is favourable. But the French lean too much to Dramatic effect. Went for Abby at eight o’clock. The Night was severely cold.

Morning at the Office as usual. Time occupied partly in reading the Edinburgh Review. This number has much strong writing in it, but not a great deal of that which is better than show, real substantial foundation. My time passed rapidly and I did not seem to do much, but our days are now so short that they do not admit of the performance of a great deal. I paid the long unsettled bill of my Carpenter Mr. Ayer who made my Book Cases, and felt very glad at being able to free myself from that debt.1 I had been in hope to make an Investment this Winter but instead of it find myself barely able to pay all my Debts. These were not large neither. But my disappointment at the failure of the Banks to pay Dividends, and my not yet obtaining any of my Fees for my professional Services have had some effect in producing this. I hope still not to let the Winter entirely pass without making some attempt to this effect.

In the afternoon, I read a part of Aeschines but being interrupted 96by Mr. Sparks and his Clerk for a little while I was unable to read as much as I had wished or to do all my task of translation. I this afternoon read what is called his beautiful passage upon the parental affections. It is good but now it would be trite. After tea I went down to hear Dr. Walter Channing deliver a Lecture upon Aqueducts and the modes of conveying water. It gave me a little information but not as much as I had trouble so that I was not quite paid. On my return I found Edmund Quincy at my House who sat and chatted for a little while quite pleasantly. He is disposed to be quite sociable and I am very well satisfied that he should be. I afterwards read Brumoy’s Analysis of the Choephorae and Plutarch’s Life of Demosthenes.2