Fine day. I went to town accompanied by Mr. Brooks. Office, and to the House from whence I strolled to the Athenaeum Gallery and reading room. I have got into such a habit of idling my time about that I can hardly sit down deliberately to read.

Coming into town I had a conversation with Mr. Brooks upon the subject of my Wife’s fortune. He seemed desirous of knowing my feelings as to his retaining it. He offered to give it outright in some invested shape—An offer which flattered me extremely as I know he would do no such thing if he was not confident both in my honour and judgment. The best way in such cases is not to try them unnecessarily. I am satisfied that an outright grant of any invested property would scarcely give me a clear income of 6 per cent interest and keep the Capital secure in the long run.1 I expressed my disinclination and the more strongly, as to make a difference between me and other daughters’ husbands would scarcely be judicious. I mention this conversation because it gratified me with evidence that my labor for years had not been in vain.

Home to dinner. Afternoon Mandeville. Mr. Theodore Lyman called to see Mr. Brooks and took tea. Dr. Edward Warren2 and Miss Julia Gorham also came out which prevented my reading Ovid. Mr. Lyman is old and failing. He seemed anxious to recur to old scenes but his memory did not equal his will. He is eighty one.3

Very unexpectedly we perceived the sky overcast this morning and it rained very heavily all day so that nobody went to town. I passed my time quietly enough. My difficulty is only in the coldness of the weather which prevents my sitting with comfort away from a fire. Read German this morning, this being my month according to my plan of studying the languages alternately. Also Hume System of Morals founded upon Utility. Very questionable. Wrote part of an Essay upon our affairs. Afternoon Mandeville and Ovid. Evening, History of Maritime Discovery,1 the early adventures in South America, very interesting, but a very black page in European History.

Morning cloudy but it afterwards cleared a little. I accompanied Mr. Brooks to town. Nothing of material importance. Read some of Jefferson, conversed with Mr. Walsh, wrote my Diary. At Washington they have chosen a new Speaker in the place of Mr. Stevenson who has resigned.1 The result betokens some shaking in the Councils of Washington. The Caucus system does not go down quite so easily as in the smaller limits of the State of New York. On the whole the political horizon shows some few spots of light.

Home to dinner. Afternoon, Mandeville whose book I finished. His second volume somewhat softens the intention of the Author, although it does not appear to me to deduct from its deformity. Ovid’s Elegies. 324He seems to have been pretty full of his desires. He reminds me of Byron, in a very different style however. Evening. Maritime Discovery. A very interesting Account of the Northern expeditions, in which so many men have lost their lives in the most fearful manner.