Morning cloudy with a Southerly wind which brought a storm of rain before night. I went to town with Mr. Brooks and was busy at my office much of the day. My father sent me a long letter, the answer to Col. Pickman to copy. I think with the exception of one or two passages, it is very well. The subject is a painful one to all parties and should be treated with the gentlest language.1 T. B. Adams came in just before I left town, and I was obliged to hurry in order to complete my business with him. He wants an advance as usual with him when he comes to this Quarter.

Home. Afternoon quiet at home. Read German. The Life and Adventures of Quinctius Heymerau von Flaming. A work by La Fontaine, but more comical than his others. Read in the evening, two hundred lines of Ovid’s first book of the Metamorphoses and was much charmed with them—Incomparably superior to all the rest of his works, by the nobility of it’s thought. The versification is as easy as usual. A little of Mrs. Austin’s Characteristics of Goethe.2 Very German. I have a notion, I shall not like him. The boy was quite unwell with his new teeth today.

The weather changed to cold with a high North westerly wind. I passed the morning in reading German and laughing over the story, then attended Divine Service and heard Dr. Follen preach morning and afternoon form the same text. 4 Ephesians 28 “Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that needeth.” The virtues described in the text are honesty, industry and charity, the force of each he discussed in one, and their union and harmony in the other Sermon. There is a curious mixture of good sense and practical wisdom with flighty, unreal visions in this man. It is in character with his Nation whose Literature has reacted upon them to heighten these ill assorted mixtures.

Read a Sermon of Warburton’s or rather two thirds of what made in preaching several Sermons but were afterwards condensed into one. John 14. 16. “And I will pray the father, and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you for ever; even the spirit of truth. He dwelleth with you and shall be in you which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name. He shall teach you all things.” The subject, the process of sanctification by the mission of the Saviour, in whom the Holy Ghost acted as an instrument to extend the sprit of truth. He incidentally discusses the objections made by the Sceptics, to one great sign of this operation, the gift of tongues to the Apostles, and to the incorrect style of the Scriptures. These Discourses are strongly imbued with reasoning and are worth reading even by me who am no doubter. Evening, Mr. Jon. Brooks, his two daughters and Mr. L. Angier.

This was one of the most beautiful days I ever remember in our climate. The air was pure and the sky so clear that the outlines of all the distant hills seemed distinctly defined to the eye. I went to town accompanied by Mr. Brooks who was afterwards to dine at Mr. Everett’s, visit the Potomac1 and return in the Carriage which was to come down with my Wife. I was engaged during my morning as usual. 399Obliged to go to my House which I found Mrs. Fields had left. Two or three Commissions and my regular work consumed the remainder of the time.

Rode to Quincy. Found my Mother still improving, but a good deal depressed by information from Washington of the illness of both my brother and his Wife.2 I had a good deal of conversation with her during the afternoon. It is the first time she has ever spoken freely to me, and I have always avoided it myself. I do not know, but I always experience a strange mixture of fearful sensations when I reflect upon the relations of life in which I stand and have stood. I do not feel as if it would be prudent to commit these to paper.

In the evening I went up on my usual errand to see Mrs. Adams and Elizabeth. Thomas, and Louisa C. Smith there. We chatted quite agreeably for an hour after which I returned. Family all retired and as I was sleepy, so did I.