Morning pleasant but it afterwards clouded up. I continued writing all the morning. This new incident of attacking my father has re-235newed my spirit. Attended divine service and heard in the morning Mr. Frothingham from John 9. 34. “Dost thou teach us.” The vanity of wisdom. The over confidence of man in the mere accessories of strength. I have lost much even of my feeble power of keeping the thread of a discourse, but I am confident I have heard this Sermon before.

Afternoon Mr. Lothrop from Matthew 22. 37. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind.” The same subject with that of the two Sermons I heard a fortnight ago at New Bedford. It is curious to observe how different minds treat it. The present gentleman strove to deduce from it a certain application to the three great attributes of the Deity, power and wisdom and goodness. It was ingeniously done and on the whole the best discourse I have heard from Lothrop. I have not yet quite gotten over surprise at the superiority of his writing to any thing we knew of the man at College. The truth is the world revises the judgments passed in early life. Much of injustice is no doubt done in both. And circumstances produce a very considerable difference.

I returned and read a sermon of Dr. Barrow upon Patience. 1. Peter 2. 21. “Because also Christ suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps.” He inculcates the duty of patience and presses the example of Christ—A most valuable practical discourse upon one of the most important of virtues. I take this to myself. There is much to be done by me before I shall be able to arrive at any merit in this respect.

In the evening, we paid P. C. Brooks and his wife a visit. They are about to change their abode and make their father’s house their home. He is quite over the mark with exultation, and pushed his roughnesses too far to be agreeable. We returned home in good season.

The day was cloudy with mist and drizzle. I had intended to have gone to Quincy but was unable to do so. Went to the Office. The Newspapers are still violent against my father. He has as usual gone a little too far, and told the truth far too violently to be useful. Nevertheless there was no resource to get rid of the base manner in which he has been assailed. I shall resume my writing and begin a course of Articles explanatory of the reasons of the charge. I think I can make them out.

I sent off more papers of my Appeal, and worked upon Accounts and 236Diary. Home. Afternoon, busy in writing and in assorting portions of my large number of J.A. MSS. I must do something with these. Evening quietly at home. I finished two numbers of papers in a new style under the signature of a Massachusetts Voter. I hope they will prove effective.1