A fine day and in character with the season which has been a rarity heretofore. I passed my morning, partly in reading German and partly in Hume’s Dissertation upon Morals. Attended Divine Service all day. Mr. Stetson preached. Job 27. 10 “Will he always call upon God.” The character of men as manifested by his habits of devotion. The impossibility of adhering to a custom very long after the sincere desire to carry it on has ceased. The difficulty of the hypocrite. Afternoon, Mark 4. 14, 15. “The sower soweth the word. And these are they by the wayside, where the seed is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.” The meaning of the word Satan in the passage, Sin and sinful ways. The seed is the word, the wayside, habits of inattention. Then a digression upon the habit of sleeping, and neglect of the Sermon, as well as the disposition to criticize in a literary point of view. All of which he discussed calmly and sensibly. Mr. Stetson is rather above the ordinary level of the Clergy.

Read a Sermon of Atterbury. 1. Timothy. 6. 1. “That the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.” Subject, Wickedness no proof against the truth of Christianity. He maintains first, that wickedness is no proof because it is not evident that there is so much of it, but if there was, it is yet no argument from its abuse 3. inferences. The argument might be summed up in the short question whether Christianity made men wicked by any thing peculiar to itself which might be pointed out.

Mr. Philip Hone from New York with his daughter Miss Hone and Niece Miss Anthon came out and took tea. I have not seen him for many years. He seems to me to have grown old and conceited.1 Evening quiet at home.

A very warm day indeed. I accompanied Mr. Brooks to town. Passed my time at the Office reading Jefferson and also in the performance of several Commissions which I had been charged with. Nothing of particular interest in town. Returned to Medford to dinner. Afternoon. Continued the History of Maritime Discovery and Hume’s Moral Dissertation, Utility, and not Self Love which system he combats more successfully than he builds the other. Ovid’s Elegies. I do not turn my time to much profit. But the circumstances must excuse me. Evening at home. Maritime Discovery which is interesting though almost too brief.

Warm day but not like yesterday. We are in general subject here to a rapid alternation from cold to hot without much of the middling weather which is so agreeable to the system. Went to town accompanied by Mr. Brooks. As my Office was not habitable under the process of purification I went to the Athenaeum where I amused myself reading Blackwood upon Trade Unions.1 Called for my Wife who was in town and we went to the Athenaeum Gallery together. Then back to Medford. Afternoon not much employed. My place of occupation is too near the children. Read a little of Discovery, finished Hume’s Moral Treatise, and two elegies of Ovid. Then took a walk with my child. Evening, read aloud to Mr. Brooks, Mr. Webster’s late speech 326upon the Protest.2 It is the next best thing to the reply to Hayne which he has done. Some parts are very fine.