Morning fine. I find the air for the season unusually cold. I went to Boston and was engaged there in a variety of ways. My time passes always very rapidly without my ever having a chance to look at a book. Is this useful employment of my life. Called at Mrs. Frothingham’s, then to the Gallery and Athenaeum.

As I was walking today I came across one of those very unpleasant circumstances which give us a chill in the midst of life and prosperity. A poor man as he was starting his handcart loaded with a barrel of something or other, slipped and fell, the barrel falling upon his head All this happened a few feet from where I was walking. He seemed not to have been very severely hurt for he was able to get up but he bled freely. A crowd was collecting so rapidly and there being persons to take the necessary measures I went away but the incident was a touching moral lesson to me which I hope to recollect.

On my return home I found the child drooping. These changes of weather affect her. I read a part of Henderson’s History of Wines a book obtained from the Athenaeum which gave me a great deal of new information upon the subject.1 Indeed before this, my ideas were not a little confused. All the French Wines were in my mind mixed up together, without much reference to the spots where they grow. Evening quietly at home. Read a little of the book of Prince Puckler Muskau2 and the Observer.

A most extraordinary day for weather, first, a chilly East wind, then a sudden change to West, then North with a most furious gust of wind, and a very little rain. I passed my morning in the room with the child who seemed very sick. These violent and sudden attacks occur so regularly that it seems to be part of the system of the child. They create in us much anxiety.

I attended Divine Service and heard Mr. Motte of Boston who also dined with us.1 His discourses were from Ephesians 6. 24 and 1 John 2. 25. The morning was taken up in a view of the character of a Christian which he considered a name distinguishing only such as are followers in faith and practice of Christ, so that according to him an infidel might be nearly a Christian—The divinity of Jesus being the only thing in the way. He also fell into the same train of reasoning about Judas Iscariot that we had last Sunday. His Afternoon discourse was upon the light of natural religion. He is a thinker, although perhaps wanting in basis. This idea of saying fine things of Judas is most preposterous.

Read a Sermon from Massillon being the first on the Anniversary of a Saint. The Volume I now begin consists of ten Sermons of this kind. This was a eulogy of Saint Agnes, one of the martyrs of the Church. He drew from her life the following moral, 1. the superiority of the truely pious over all the temptations of the world 2. the victory which they can also achieve over suffering and death. Men are not to plead their situation in life or circumstances for sin, nor should they excuse themselves because of the difficulty of virtue. The same general subject makes the greater part of the Sermon read by me on the 24th of February last. This is a youthful, that was the mature effort. Evening at home. Read Puckler Muskau.

Morning cold with occasional showers through the day. I went to town for the purpose of voting, and attending the regular Meeting of the Directors of Boylston Market. The first was soon done and the 104other being for the Afternoon, I am afraid I must stand responsible for a very considerable waste of time.

Passed a little while at the Athenaeum and also at the Gallery. How much better I could have done in the little study I have made for myself at Quincy, to which I am becoming somewhat attached. I was caught at dinner time at the Gallery in a shower of rain and I found Mrs. Dexter and Mrs. Barrell in a similar predicament. Having been offered an umbrella, I persuaded them to take it and was barely in time for dinner at Mr. Frothingham’s.

Attended at Boylston Market but found no Quorum and therefore no meeting. Took the time to make up the records of the Association. I then called at the houses of two or three Tenants in the Neighborhood and then returned home. I had an hour of work after I got back. Evening, finished my volume of the German Prince, the second volume of Madame de Sevigné and the Observer. The Child seemed decidedly better today for which I am duly thankful.