Morning at the Office. The weather was lovely, more like the softness of the latter part of Spring than our harsh and chilly weather of the Season. It was too warm to have need of Fire, a thing remarkable to say in these days. I was occupied during the morning in reading Williston, and feeling still the strong fury for writing I sat down and wrote a few pages upon the subject. They pleased me better than any thing I had written before and the arrangement of the ideas met my satisfaction more. My allowance of time however was so small that I could not finish as I was obliged to return home uncommonly early in order to go out to Medford with my wife and Mrs. Chardon Brooks who had agreed to go and dine there. My father sent Abby a letter from Philadelphia which place he had reached on Friday Evening.1 We rode to Medford together in a Carriage with both Windows down more as if it was Summer than Winter.

We found Mrs. Brooks and the family much as usual. She is not well but on the whole seems considerably better than she was during the Summer. Our dinner was much as usual and I felt just as I usually do. I do not know why it is that I can say so little as I do at that house, but it does seem to me as if my tongue was tied when I get into it. Habitual caution, and the fear of committing myself upon many subjects in which I know I do not feel as they do, is perhaps the reason. For with my Father, how different is it. We remained there until nearly sunset, when we started with the additional company of Mrs. Everett and Chardon. Mrs. Frothingham’s child has been very ill with Measles, so that Abby wished to go and 99see how it was. We went accordingly, found it better and from thence we passed over to Eliza’s to the usual weekly Meeting. I went earlier and it was at first rather dull, but it ended pleasantly and we returned home in rain. Mrs. Everett going with us to stay the Night.2

Morning at the Office. Continued my Writing which I carried on with spirit and rose from it with an impression that I had done famously. How very deceptive is self judgment. We incline most impartially to judge and yet the little whispering spirit within us distorts every thing till others know not what we would intend, and then scorn and derision follow the result of the deception. I thought I had clearly shown my talent, and perhaps I have erred in believing even in the existence of any thing extraordinary. At any rate my time passed very rapidly and I had no leisure for any thing else. My interruptions having become much less numerous than they were previous to my father’s departure, I am now able to perform much more than at any previous time since the Spring, and I hope what I may do will result in some useful purpose.

After dinner I was occupied as usual in my portion of Aeschines which I read with more pleasure than usual as it was uncommonly easy. Mrs. M. B. Longhurst sent me a part of her rent due on account of the House in Tremont Street and I was very glad to be able to receive it, as at last it brings my Father out of all his embarrassments for this Quarter at least. After my time for Aeschines was done, as Mrs. Everett and Abby were to go to Mrs. Hale’s, I sat and commenced a letter to my Father in which I stated to him fully my causes of trouble in study. He has written me very usefully heretofore and will I hope continue to do so. I could not conclude before it was time for me to go, as Mrs. Hale had a small party of friends and must not be neglected. These small parties of friends are great bores in general and this was assuredly no exception to the rule. It was apparently given to Alex. H. Everett and his Wife. I was tired to death and very glad to get away quite early, as I felt exceedingly fatigued.