Hazy and clouds. A few drops of rain from time to time but it cleared away in the evening. Office, where I was not regularly occupied 274but still managed to make a little progress in the Annual Register. Went home and passed much time in making up a party to go to the Theatre. But failed in the party though I got tickets for myself and wife. There is always much vexation in getting any thing which depends upon others, to take. I never did any thing of the sort without cause to regret it.

Walk. Afternoon copied a letter to my father which I wrote yesterday,1 and read a part of the Hecyra of Terence. After tea went to the Theatre, accompanied by my wife and the two Frothingham boys—Mr. Power in Ettiquette run Mad and Born to good Luck. The first piece by himself. His genuine humor was visible most clearly in the latter, but I came away sated with laughing and Hibernianism. It is not an amusement which with me would endure as there is little variety in the humour and no wit. An Irishman is after all a very ordinary body. The Actor inclines too much to gentility too, and his Paddy o’Rafferty changes too easily from a rough Kilkenny boy to a Neapolitan Marquis. His dancing especially belied his brogue. Returned after ten.

Fine day. I went to the Office. Time taken up by Diary and progress in the Register. I am going over the ground of the volume of Debates I have been reading in order to keep hold of the thread. The Account gives more of a party tinge to the proceedings for which allowance must of course be made.

Walk. Fell in with Chapman and talked with him. I perceive a gradual revival of the old federal secession and new Southern nullification doctrines in this Community. Thus it is that opposition in this Country always precipitates itself into ultra measures. Afternoon, Dubos and the Hecyra of Terence. Even quietly at home. Our days are so monotonous as hardly to need a Journal. German.

My Ink is so pale today, I have great doubts whether I can write. Went to the Office—Weather being very stormy with wind and rain. Read the remainder of the volume of the Annual Register. I carried it back to the Athenaeum but did not take out a new volume from doubt. The book is hardly interesting enough to fix my attention. Can-275not I get something that will do it more effectually. Got hold of a book at the Athenaeum upon Wines. It is more manageable than Henderson’s although not so satisfactory. The author is too compendious and talks too much of measures. His information is however valuable. His name is Cyrus Redding.1

Home. Afternoon, finished Dubos and the Hecyra of Terence. The former has not quite filled my expectations. Upon the latter there have been great debates. It was not successful in representation, and Colman gives his opinion of the causes why it was not so. He attributes the failure to its being dry. I think it wants the observation of human nature and the great sketchiness of his other plays. Evening quite at home. Began reading Miss Edgeworths story of Ennui. German.