Morning clear and warm. I went to Boston as usual arriving quite in good season. At the Office after going to the House for the purpose 67of obtaining two or three articles for myself. Engaged in making out the Dividend for the Creditors of R. New’s Estate which I accomplished and paid one of them upon the Spot. Mr. Degrand called but entirely without success in his purpose of investment. On the whole, so far as my purpose is concerned it is as well. Found that the New England Office disappointed me in its Dividend this six Months, which satisfies me more than ever of the expediency of my advice as to paying off all engagements here. I feel the relief sensibly now of the payment of six thousand dollars in the last year.1

Returned to Quincy to dinner. Afternoon, read the Oration for Deiotarus, a thing apparently thrown off without any effort. An ingenious defence though rather an unsound one. This is the last of his Orations in defence. The Philippics only remain as a close of his brilliant though agitated career. Continued filing Letters.

Evening, T. B. Adams Jr. paid a visit here. I had a business conversation with him, and took the occasion to advise him to the best of my ability as to his course. The Ladies returned from riding, my Wife not very well. I afterwards read Grimm finishing the 3d volume and the Spectator.

Morning cloudy at last. It is now three weeks that we have had constantly fine weather, so that the slight shower that fell in the morning was grateful, and the heavy rain in the afternoon and evening very refreshing. I went to Boston as usual and my time was taken up in much the same fashion as common. I had some conversation with Mr. Degrand but came to no conclusion as to investment. The difference in the New England Ins. Dividend alters my views seriously.

I went to the Boylston Market today and draughted the Record of the Directors Meeting into the Book. From thence I went to the Athenaeum and obtained J. Otis’s Rights of the Colonies for my Father.1 The remainder of the morning was passed in reading it. But it was too short to progress far.

I returned to Quincy, and passed the Afternoon in reading the first Oration against Antony, which is much to my taste. The tone of it is subdued, but yet firm, willing to take things fairly, but prepared for the worst. Cicero was an extraordinary compound of timidity and courage, of sublimity in sentiment and timidity of action. His character is in itself a study. I filed Letters afterwards. A Quiet Evening at 68home after which I pursued Rousseau’s Emile in the third Stage of his Education, and the Spectator.