Morning delightfully mild and pleasant. I went to the Office as usual after finishing the fifth volume of Buffon’s Natural History, and thus concluding all that I propose to do in this way just now. I have been interested by much that he says, although in a great many things he seems to me to be wrong. Particularly in the closing Dissertation upon Men and Animals. In which he does not maintain fully the ground he starts upon. After reading several Letters from Washington,1 and T. B. Adams Jr.—The latter enclosing a power of Attorney for his stock in the Fire and Marine2—I sat down and considered the Analysis of Locke’s Essay upon Government.3 A very remarkable production. Took my usual walk.

Mr. Brooks and Miss Julia Gorham dined with us. The former seemed a little depressed. The latter passed the Evening. I felt languid and unable to study but I continued the reading over the Second 15Oration against Rullus and nearly accomplished it. Evening, I thought I would look into Kotzebue’s Voyage4 and I became interested enough in it to accomplish one half of the first Volume. After which I read the Spectator. Two of Addison’s Papers upon Tragedy.

Morning cloudy with a warm Southerly Wind and threatening rain. I continued reading the Voyage of Kotzebue. How different from the coolness and perseverance of Parry. The former though on the whole not an unskilful Navigator, yet possessing little of the dignity and scientific ability of the latter. His expedition to the North West commencing very favourably seems to have been left off for no reason at the very time when it is best to try it. And his voyage was conducted rather at haphazard to discover a few little contemptible Coral Rocks in the Pacific than any settlement of interesting philosophical questions.

At the Office where I finished the review of Mr. Lockes Treatise. This contains much deep reflection, it developes many truths which I believe to be sound, but it mixes with them much that seems theoretical and several things positively false. I also resumed my old task of writing out the sayings of the Wise Men.1 Took a walk to the Athenaeum.

Afternoon, finished the Orations against Rullus, of which I have already said enough and began that for Rabirius. My spirits were depressed, and I did not study with my usual zeal. Evening, Captain Parry, Kotzebue, and the Spectator.

Morning pleasant with a warm Wind. After reading Kotzebue for a sufficient time, I went to the Office as usual and was busy as usual with my regular work after which I read a portion of the “Bibliotheque de L’Homme Public” containing Maxims of Guicciardini which on the whole did not strike me, and a part of An Analysis of the State of 16France by Seigneur du Haillan.1 I was interrupted however by An Applicant for the Transfer of a Share in the Boylston Market, and by some other little bits of business of a trifling character yet seizing time. Took a walk.

After dinner I read the rest of the Oration for Rabirius which is but a fragment, and the first Oration against Catiline. It is a little remarkable that in the first of these two, Cicero contradicts the whole of his doctrine about a future state which he adopts in that for Cluentius. This would make it appear as if he suited his Opinions to the cases he argued, a principle which I cannot quite see the correctness of.

In the evening as Mrs. Dexter had sent in to ask us to spend the evening, My Wife and I feeling refusal to be impossible, paid her a visit. Judge Ward was there.2 She is a singular Woman, but not an unpleasant or an unkind one. Returned home to read Kotzebue and the Spectator.