Fine morning. I went to the Office after finishing the Bride of Messina. There is a great deal of very beautiful Poetry in this play and a pretty close imitation of the character of the ancient Greek Theatre but I do not feel convinced of the truth of the argument for it’s restoration. The Chorus can be introduced with the least propriety1 only in 101scenes of a public character, and even in these they only give utterance to a series of bald commonplaces. But these make fine Poems dressed up with the imagery allowable to the lyric style.

Office. I did not remain long as I was obliged to go to the Boylston Market for the purpose of making up a long neglected record. This kept me until my usual time for a walk. Home. Having finished Ovid my hour is now unemployed. I read Grimm to fill it up. Finished the volume of Mons. Guizot but I am not certain whether I shall follow him through the six others.

My time is now drawing to a close at this House. On the first of May I propose to return to my own and I confess I look forward to it with some pleasure. To be sure it has it’s cares, but then on the other hand it has the pleasure of independence. Evening, read some of the letters of Lord Bacon particularly to the Earl of Essex but his character wants more study than I can give here.

Snow and hail throughout the day with occasional thunder and lightning. The Winter continues with little abatement. I read part of Schiller’s William Tell. This appears to me a masterly performance. It throws you completely into a new land. It gives you new scenery, manners and modes of thought—The simple feelings of poor herdsmen, ennobled by resistance to oppression.

Attended Divine Service and heard Mr. Frothingham. Galatians 5. 14. “For all the law is fulfilled in one word even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” He considered this precept as affected by two opposites of doctrine upon morality—The one that all benevolence was founded upon selflove, the other, that none is valuable without total disinterestedness. Both these he viewed as erroneous and the precept as a medium between them. Philippians 4. 4. “Rejoice in the Lord alway.” The duty of cheerfulness under all the vicissitudes of life.

I did not succeed in a walk today so that for three successive Sundays I have failed in my walk which the severity of the Season did not deter me from. Read a discourse of Dr. Barrow. Titus 3. 2. “To speak evil of no man,” directed against the prevailing custom of harsh judgment. A very sensible Sermon and discriminating. Perhaps there is no habit more common in the world than this of censuring the acts and 102motives of one another—None from which it is so proper to desist, none into which it is so easy to fall. I do not like to make too rigid an examination into myself upon this subject. And yet there are few people against whom I bear any ill-will. And very few whom I censure unless I believe there is sound reason for it. Read Grimm and evening William Tell.