Mild and clear. Our weather is charming. I went to the Office. Mr. Walsh made a long visit. He now has two objects in view, and he 164seems to stand irresolute between them. I shall try my best to aid him whichever way he inclines.

After him came John Kirk who amused me by his Account of his adventures since leaving Quincy. He has as might be expected been stripped of all the money he raised to go and has lost his time besides. He told me a long story about the failure of one of the Carrs, which has been the talk of the town since.1 I could give him no consolation, excepting insofar as he might rejoice that he had not been able to lose two hundred dollars instead of one which he would have done if I had not refused him.

Home. Livy. Afternoon, Burnet. Mr. Ayer came in and consumed an hour or more in consulting about the details of the building. I believe he finally understood me respecting them all. My child Louisa is ailing as she so frequently does in the winter and gives us great uneasiness. Evening went to Mr. Frothingham’s. Family as usual. Nothing particularly interesting. Home early.

The weather has become mild, clear and exceedingly pleasant for winter. I went to Market and from thence down to the Office. Read at the Insurance office Mr. Webster’s late Speech upon the currency,1 which I do not regard as very strong. Occupied in Accounts and Diary. From Office to Athenaeum where I made some examination of Authorities for an article on the currency and then home.

Livy. Afternoon entirely given up to arranging and pasting into a volume my various Newspaper articles during the year 1836.2 When I reflect upon the quantity I have written and for what purpose I do not think better of my exertions. I could not finish quite all I have prepared. Evening, reading von Tietz whose account of Constantinople is amusing, and afterwards prepared an article on the currency for the Advocate.

A continuation of very fine weather. The wind has continued steady from the westward for a prodigious length of time. I went to the Office. Occupied as usual. It is hardly necessary to give much detail. Visi-165tors, Mr. Walsh and some two or three persons with bills. Walk. Home to read Livy.

Afternoon, at home. Read a little of Burnet and looked over the Greek of Plutarch’s Essay on the Administration of public affairs which I propose to myself to translate. The only edition which I find convenient is discouraging from it’s being in folio and full of abbreviations. I however concluded to attempt it and began, but the Afternoons are short and I only began.

Evening by invitation to Edward Blake’s, where we had his club. It is now two years since I have met them before and there is some change. The Company tonight consisted of Messrs. Chapman, Rogers, Blakes, Shaw, C. Amory, Goddard, and Stackpole, members, and Mr. Shelton and myself, guests.1 We had cards until nine o’clock when we had supper. The conversation was none of it interesting. Indeed I might say it was inconceivably empty. I felt as if I had gained nothing except a good meal. Home at midnight.