Morning warm although the wind had a great effect in cooling the air so as to be tolerable. I concluded not to go to town today, and sat down to my task. But this new Chest has somewhat discouraged me, and my Father’s Apathy adds so much that I decided upon not working all the time as I designed, and instead of it sat down to 62Rousseau’s Emile.1 This is a work on Education which I have been for some time wishing to read. The first book, all I accomplished today, appears to me admirable. It is more practical than he commonly is. Read also a part of the Oration for Milo in review. Half an hour passed in the Articles Rousseau and Voltaire in the Dictionnaire Historique.

Afternoon, my father asked me to accompany him in a visit to Genl. Dearborn at Roxbury. We accordingly rode there through Milton, very pleasantly. Found him and his daughter. Sat two hours a larger part of which I was tete a tete with the latter. And yet she was agreeable enough to get through it—A thing all young ladies could not have done. Returned late. Evening as usual. Grimm and the Spectator.

The dry weather perseveres. Vegetation begins to suffer by it. The wind was however very high from the South West, so that it was not oppressive while quiet. I attended Meeting all day, and heard Mr. Whitney preach Sermons as uninteresting as usual. There is a placidity however and above all a shortness which is pleasing. I rank both these qualities high in the character of a country Minister. Miss Smith dined with us.

I spent much of the day in the review of the Oration for Milo which I finished. This is considered as one of the masterpieces of its author, and it deserves its reputation. For whether we consider the artful arrangement of the evidence, the selection of the defence, or the management of the Judges and of Pompey, it is a model, or whether we look into the richness and melody of the language, and the pathos of expression.1 Perhaps this last may be considered as the most general characteristic of his eloquence. It pervades every defence, and generally the allusions to himself. Evening. Took a salt water bath, read a little of Emile, finished the second volume of Grimm and two Spectators.

Morning tolerably pleasant, with a cool East Wind. I went to town 63as usual, though I felt a little affected by a bad Night’s rest. Occupied much in my common way, in the performance of sundry Commissions, and then in reading Mr. de Mably. A book I do not admire. The principle of its foundation being wrong, it destroys the whole superstructure. I went to the Athenaeum to get some books and spent a short time reading the newspapers from England which exhibit a very peculiar state of things. But the Reform seems determined. The violence with which it is conducted betokens more alarming measures to come.

Dined at Mr. Frothingham’s with only the family and Horatio Brooks.1 From thence I went to the regular Meeting of the Directors of the Boylston Market, where having transacted all the usual business which was not much, I got away to return to Quincy at about five o’clock. But from my imprudence in eating Nuts at dinner, I found myself suffering from a violent headach with some fever, which I tried to walk off by going to Mt. Wollaston, without effect. Read the Spectator and passed a restless Night.