Morning clear and fine weather. I arose feeling as awkward and lowspirited as if I had not ever left my Parents and had a home of my own. Occupied in my study bringing my books and things into my usual train. Attended divine Service all day as usual and heard Mr. Frothingham in the morning from Exodus 32. 1. “And when the People saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, ‘Up, make us Gods which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.’” The moral to be drawn from this is the ingratitude of man, and his forgetfulness of all favours shewn him, also the patience taught by the divinity in concealing his end beyond our understanding. Men are apt to repine but the purposes of the Lord are pure and righteous altogether. Afternoon Text. Job. 38. 4. “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.” A lesson strongly deserved by the presumtuous confidence of our day by which man is exalted. Now man is a weak 158and ignorant and consequently fallible mortal, which makes it highly necessary that he should be modest.

On my return home I read a Sermon of Massillon’s upon Fasting. Text. Matthew. 6. 16. “When ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance.” The division was into the obligation and the extent of the Rule. It was a severe censure of the habits of the idle and luxurious who evaded this principal injunction of the Catholic faith. To me, it had of course no material interest. Fasting does not strike me as a part of the dispensation of Christ who teaches us to use the things of this life as not abusing them. Read an Essay of Lord Bacon’s on Ceremonies and Respects. Quiet Evening with my Wife and the Spectator.

My nights are a little more disturbed since my return to town and we again have the Baby, in the room. I arose early and immediately after breakfast started to go to Weston according to my engagement. Called for my old acquaintance Richardson and completed my business in the course of an hour or two. This was as usual the marking out of Wood for the yearly sale. Returned home soon after my usual dinner hour. The weather being uncommonly warm today, made my precautions against the cold rather troublesome.

Afternoon at home. Took up the letters to Atticus and read one or two, but was stopped by a visit from T. B. Adams Jr. who stai’d to tea. He is going off tomorrow morning to Charleston after having passed four or five months here with his family. He appeared more like himself in the simplicity of his character today, than I had seen him for a long time. Nature is after all the great secret, of manners. He left us early and Edward Brooks came in for the remainder of the evening. I read Bacon’s Essay of Praise and the Spectator.

I begin to feel a little more settled now, and fall gradually into the routine of duty which I had formerly. The day was very fine and uncommonly warm for the Season. I went to the Office after spending an hour in reviewing the first Olynthiac of Demosthenes in the Edition of Reiske. This is the third in that of Mounteney. I find my reading of it has been more superficial even than I expected. Occupied at the Office in Accounts and in reading a part of the Debates in the Convention of the State of New York on the adoption of the Constitution.1 159Went to the Athenaeum and made several little calls which consumed a large part of the Morning. On the whole, I begin to feel again the content which my quiet way of life here gives me.

Afternoon at home. Continued the fifteenth book of the Letters to Atticus, but my progress was slow, and the text grows more obscure as I go on, it seems to me. Read Bacon’s Essay, Of Vainglory and in the evening, tried to sketch off a little political Article for the Press. But I did not succeed in my effort. Finished by the Spectator as usual.