Miss Elizabeth Adams left us this morning for the purpose of going to Mrs. Miller’s. I occupied myself variously. Attended divine service all day. Heard Mr. Frothingham from Luke 22. 20. “This cup is the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you.” A Communion Sermon. He explained the nature of the word Testament as applied to the two parts of the Bible, said they should rather be called the Old and New Covenants. But the Communion was the legacy left, that was the act testifying the spirit in which the Saviour’s mission was fulfilled. My attention was not fixed and I can give no good idea of the discourse. In the afternoon, a son of J. T. Buckingham’s preached.1 Matthew 5. 48. “Be ye therefore perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” A young man’s Sermon full of all sorts of things with many allusions to passing topics the nature of which he cannot possibly comprehend. But delivered with a degree of confidence and unhesitating accuracy which would puzzle the wisest to assume. Yet such is the excellence of the Sermon on the Mount from which he drew his text that hardly any person can preach from it without falling into a train of good ideas and delivering good morality.

Read a Sermon of Dr. Barrow from Psalm 90. 12. “So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” A good moral discourse upon the shortness of life and the fleeting nature of its purposes and passions. True every word of it and yet it made me dull. The happiness of man is made up of such shadows as almost to discourage one in the pursuit of good yet it is our duty enjoined upon us here to perform what is given to us to do diligently. I know not what men do who disbelieve in a merciful and yet just Creator. Evening, Miss Miller and E. C. Adams came in and passed the evening. I finished several papers.

Morning pleasant. I went to the Office and was busily occupied in my Accounts at the close of the month. They took so much time I had hardly any for any thing else.

The politics of the State are getting more heated and entangled at every moment. A vast number of things have been brought in having no sort of relation to general questions, which make me feel more and 257more pleased at the determination I made to keep out of all struggles for Office. Mr. Alex. H. Everett is not so lucky. His career throughout the last two years has been such as very deservedly to subject him to the lash of the Atlas today.1 Had that man acted an independent part from the first, had he pliant instrument in every hand, how different would have been his and our situation. We should not have had this battle to fight.

I went home and read Juvenal which is better than politics. Indeed now I believe I shall take a vacation from political scrapes—Now that I have written as much as will do before the election. After the smoke of the fight is over we may then if encouraged by the result point our guns anew. I have done my best both in Bristol and in Plymouth.2

Afternoon, I read Adam Smith, History of Astronomy, made up on a new principle, that of basing it on the affection of the mind which leads to tracing causes in a chain of wonderful events. Smith was a powerful thinker on many subjects. I know few men of modern times who excel him. Read a few of Voltaire’s and Mad. du Deffand’s Letters. Mr. Price Greenleaf called in for a short time.