Morning cold. The change of wind has disposed of all our fine weather and given us in its place the easterly chill. Went to the Office. Passed my time in copying Catalogue and then to the Office where I read my father’s Report upon the Bank. It has his usual vigour and his usual severity.1 This is the reason why I think it disadvantageous to him to be placed in a public body. But in reading it as in reading all that is written by him one is carried away by the glow which he throws upon the subject. Washington has a heated Atmosphere unlike that of any other place in this Country. I do not think things are at all judged of in the same manner there that they are any where else.

Took a walk with Mr. Peabody. Then home. Mr. Frothingham dined with me, and we had some of my new wine which I think very good. Afternoon passed in reading a little of Sismondi as well as prosecuting my Catalogue. I did not work to effect however, feeling somewhat drowsy from my vigil last night. Quiet evening. My Wife went over to see Mrs. P. C. Brooks who is unwell. I went with her, though sitting solus, while she was upstairs. Continued my Catalogue.

Morning cloudy and cold with rain. Isaac Hull left us this morning. On the whole I cannot say that I experienced any great regret. I asked him to stay with me from the best motives. I hope that he has received benefit from his time. I cannot help thinking however that he could have done more. Continued my Catalogue.

Then to the Office where I worked on my Diary and finished the ninth volume of Gibbon. This work from it’s great length drags considerably. I finished the Account of the Conquests of the Saracens today. It is drawn up with great labour, evidently intended to counterbalance the influence of the argument drawn from the progress of the Christian Religion. But the cases are wholly dissimilar.

Returned home. The Child is still quite sick and gives us anxiety. I continued working upon my Catalogue all the afternoon and evening. The house seemed cheerless, and my spirits were much depressed.

An exceedingly heavy rain all day and more particularly towards night. I laboured all my spare time upon the Catalogue, but attended Divine Service as usual. Mr. Frothingham preached in the morning from Matthew 11. 19. “Wisdom is justified of her children.” I lost the thread so cannot retrace it. The afternoon was from 10 Job. 4–5 “Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth? Are thy days as the days of man.” The subject was the justification of the dispensations 301of divine providence from the complaints of man by explaining the difference with which things are viewed. 1. Man is hasty. Providence is slow. 2. Man is confined to particulars. Providence sees the whole. 3. Man must form his opinions from superficial examination. Providence from things invisible. 4. Man’s is limited in time, the Deity is eternal. It was a very good Sermon.

I read one of Massillon’s Sermons afterwards. Upon the evidence of Christianity. John 8. 46. “If I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?” He takes up two objections to the practice of the Christian precepts, commonly urged. 1. That where conscience is at ease, there is no need of them. 2. Where these precepts are so differently construed and hard to be understood, they do not call for attention. He urges in opposition to this, the force of conscience and the simplicity of the spirit of Christianity. On this last point he is good.

The Baby is still sick and fractious which very much wearies us as well as affects our spirits. Finished reading Paley’s book this evening with which I have been very much pleased.