Another delicious day. My time was spent for the most part in the Street. I was engaged in Commissions for my Wife, of Furniture, but 257was unable to get any to suit me. The walking besides my regular exercise fatigued me considerably. And the day was weakening. Deacon Spear called to see me with reference to the auction to take place at Mr. Farrar’s, and also upon Affairs in general. I gave him my general instructions as to what was to be done and agreed to go to Quincy next week on the same business. I was informed by him as well as from other sources that my uncle the Judge was now lying very low without probability of his going many weeks more. I do not know that this is to him a misfortune but it is bad that his death should happen while my father is absent.

Quiet Afternoon at home. Continued Virgil and read the fourth and part of the fifth books. The latter containing the Games in honour of Anchises. An imitation of the Games in Homer, at the funeral of Patroclus. The boat race is an improvement. Quiet evening at home. Began Scott’s Life of Napoleon Bonaparte.1 A book which will probably lead me fully into the history of a period about which my head is not now quite clear.

The Child seemed today decidedly better. And it is the first day upon which my pleasure has exceeded my anxiety for her, since her sickness. The Wind was cold and raw, the sky clouded. I attended Divine Service all day. Heard Mr. Putnam a young man settled in Roxbury. His Morning’s Sermon was from 97. Psalms 1. “The Lord reigneth.” But I did not find that he made much of the subject. At least my memory is a blank about it. I did rather better with the Afternoon. The text upon that occasion was from 1. Peter 12 “which things the angels desire to look into.” The argument tending to show the intellectual character of the Christian religion, and based upon the authority of the greatest minds making it a study. This young man however does not direct his powers to any object of value. Milton, Hale,1 Newton, Jones2 and Locke though all of them undoubtedly men of first rate mind, yet did little or nothing to sustain the character of Christianity, for the simple reason, that the religion was at once adapted to the simplest and poorest comprehension, and set at nought all the distinctions of mental power. I of course mean the practical doctrine without reference to the mystery which equally defies the greatest and the smallest comprehension.

On my return home I read a Sermon of Massillon’s upon luke-258warmness in religion. Text from Luke 4. 38. “And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever and they besought him for her.” As it seems to me with very little propriety. He spoke of the dangerous effects of lukewarmness as it makes our rectitude of purpose uncertain 1. by retarding the endeavour to attain perfection, 2. by confusing in the mind the consciousness of crime or sin, 3. by making charity doubtful.

I had a very quiet evening. Read to my Wife a part of the Lives of British Painters, those of Opie and Morland.3 They are interesting. Other studies as usual.