Morning clear, but the wind came round East and the consequence was that it clouded and became cold. Miss Roberdeau accompanied 153me in a Chaise to town. We reached there at ten o’clock. And I immediately set about the business of collecting the Dividends due this month. This occupied me two hours as I was obliged to go to the Boylston Market. On my return, I found Mr. Conant from Weston, with whom I made a settlement of the sales of Wood at Weston last year and agreed upon a time for another sale. I hope that it will do better this Season, than it has yet done. I then went to the House to make a settlement with my Man Servant, and after this consumed the rest of the morning, in making up the Accounts. This Quarter has been unusually productive.

I went to dine at Mr. Frothingham’s, with a party of several of our own family, i.e. my Mother, Wife and Miss Roberdeau. We started early and got into Quincy before Sunset. Evening, I could do little being fatigued from my exercise. So I read the Spectator and went to bed.

Morning cloudy, and heavy rain from the South, throughout the day. I attended Divine Service throughout the day and heard Dr. Lowell of Boston preach. His morning Discourse was from 2. Timothy 1.5. “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy Grandmother and thy Mother; and I am persuaded that in thee also.” It was written with great pathos. The subject the relative duties of Parents, especially Mothers, and Children. The ideas were few and simple, but the management of them was very well calculated for the principal end of preaching, effect upon the people. The Clergyman dined with us. Afternoon. His Sermon was from Colossians 3.3. “For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God.” The nature of Piety, and its influence. I thought it much less interesting.

Read a Sermon of Massillon’s upon the benediction of the Standards of the Regiment of Catinat. Text from Psalms. 73 by the Vulgate and 74 in the English Translation. Verses 4 and 5, but the text is so imperfectly translated that I shall not try to insert it. The purpose seemed to be an exhortation to piety, to the abandonment of the usual desires which engross the mind of a warrior. It must have been an affecting discourse, as it was bold.

Evening. Quiet at home. Read Lord Bacon on Gardening. In the evening from the North American Review and the Spectator.