Morning fine. This being the day of departure for my father and his family,1 it is rather an agreeable circumstance that it should be fair. After reading a part of the first Philippic of Demosthenes, I went to the Office and spent my time in reading the New York Debates. Received a Note from my Father which gave me two or three Commissions to perform.2 Mr. Peabody asked me also to accompany him to a sale of Dutch Flower roots, which I did and purchased several 166according to my Mother’s request for her. They went pretty dear. My time was thus all consumed and partly in matters which really did not pay their way.

Returning home I passed my Afternoon in reading the Letters to Quintus, most of which are excellent. He moans too much about his exile however. Continued Mackintosh’s History of England which seems to me to be bald, Cicero’s Attic Style with a vengeance. The driest of dry things. Finished Practical Education, parts of which I propose to myself to read over for deeper reflection. The subject has been often written upon, and like that of Government has been in the hands of Theorists, most frequently. It appears to me that this book comes nearer the true principle by which to reach what we want, than any. It collects examples of the operation of things upon Children. In this science as in others induction will be used to advantage. And yet how little has been done in this way. Finished the Evening with the Spectator.

Morning clear but cool with a Northerly Wind which was not over agreeable to us, though it may have helped my father and family on their way. I tried to make a Fire in my study but the wind was in the smoky quarter and I desisted, not however until after I had been almost blinded.

Attended divine Service all day and heard in the morning Mr. Pierpont from Matthew 20. 27. “And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your Servant.” The whole Sermon was upon the difference between the essentials of Christian superiority and that of the world. The latter finding its substance in display, in luxury, in passion and vice, while the former was derived from self subjection for the benefit of others. This is common place enough but still good. Mr. Frothingham preached in the Afternoon from 65. Isaiah 5. “I am holier than thou,” in other words the disposition of men to excuse to themselves their faults, by comparisons with others. This generates censoriousness, uncharitableness, and the various social sins. The Sermon was sensible.

I took two walks for exercise and on my return read Massillon’s third Sermon in Careme. “Verily, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.” It was a defence of the Christian faith against Infidelity rested upon three grounds. 1. The reasonableness of 167it, 2. the glorious character of it, 3. its necessity. An Englishman would have relied mainly upon the first point. Massillon adheres to the Catholic doctrine of implicit faith and therefore makes that the least. Among the curious parts of the Sermon is that it deplores the condition of England and argues from it the necessity of the Catholic faith to make People happy. It does not seem to have entered his head, that to allow men to differ is sometimes the surest way of making them agree. To force them to unite ensures constant division.

My family is still in a very unsettled state. The sickness of this woman is a little discouraging. Evening. Continued Mackintosh’s History, and began the Abbé Condillac’s Art d’Ecrire,1 which seems to be nothing more than showing the faults of other Writers in order to avoid them. Many of the remarks are good as general ones, and many being confined to points of French nicety in criticism, of no use to us. Read also the Spectator.