Clear pleasant day. I passed my morning in continuing the revised Address into which I have infused more vehemence, and then attended divine service where I heard Mr. Young of Boston.1 His morning discourse rather an elaborate production of an hour upon the text of Ec-110clesiastes 7. 10. “Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.” I think I have heard part of this sermon before. It is a good subject but was not handled exactly in the way I should have thought of. Yet the general position that each age and each man influencing it have their peculiar adaptation appears to be a sound one.

Owing to the winter change of hours, the interval of the service was very short this day but Mr. Young dined with us. Afternoon, Matthew 12. 36. “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” A very general condemnation of the folly and vanity of man who pervert the great gift peculiar to man to very trivial uses. I afterwards read a Sermon of Dr. Barrow upon the truth of the Christian religion. Ephesians 1. 13. “In whom ye also trusted, having heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.” The main point of the discourse appeared to be to show that a revelation by God to man of his will in such a shape as Christianity is perfectly consistent with reason and our idea of his attributes. Afterwards, finished the Address and then in the evening at home with the ladies.

A clear, cold day. Immediately after breakfast, Mr. William Spear called to take my father and myself in a Waggon up to the Wood lot purchased of Mr. Turner. The object today was to procure a survey by Mr. Humphrey, without which my father very justly refuses to purchase. We spent all the morning from nine until half past two going along the borders of the lot and in many cases experienced the pleasures of scrubbing through the thicket and knocking against rough stones. This is a business I do not much admire. We returned home just in time for dinner but for my part, pretty well scratched and battered.

After dinner I went up the hill to see how the men went on. They are laying the cellar wall, and Mr. Ayer was to have been out here but failed me. I am afraid his Boston residence will be a disadvantage. My well has ten feet of water and promises me abundance. The Stones showing signs of moisture to within a few feet of the coping where they left off. I did not go any further, being fatigued.

Home. Evening, the ladies out at Mrs. E. Miller’s, whither we went, my father, Mr. Price Greenleaf who called on his way and myself. We 111found there the usual Quincy people, with the addition of Mrs. DeWint who had just come from Fishkill and Mrs. Angier who accompanied her from Medford. Cards, dancing by the Piano and music with a light supper passed off the evening, but I was too much fatigued to enjoy it. Glad to get home in the Carriage.