This was a very hot day and bid fair to restore our season to it’s usual course. I remained at home all day with the exception of a visit to the hill to superintend as usual. I made no progress in reading except about sixty lines of the fifth book of the Iliad.

Sidney Brooks and his Wife came out and dined. They had promised us this visit since their return and I was pleased with their manners. She has much more ease and less affectation than formerly and he is 270much the same as formerly. They remained here until nearly sunset when they returned.

The day had been a fatiguing one. I felt somewhat exhausted from it and remained out to enjoy the cool evening breeze until late. Attention attracted to the Aurora Borealis which was very brilliant. It commenced in the North and East but gradually passed to the South where it displayed the rich crimson tinge though not to so great an extent as I have twice seen. The phenomenon called the merry dancers was also visible.1 On the whole a fine thing to observe.

A fine day but very much cooler than yesterday. I occupied myself in the morning with reading Humboldt, but felt slightly a kind of dull head ach increasing with the day. Attended divine service and heard Mr. Frothingham preach a Sermon which upon looking back I find I heard upon the 24 April 1836, as recorded in this volume. But upon this occasion, I was very much more struck with it from the superior manner in which it was delivered. The point of the discourse was the Scriptures as a phenomenon when considered without any reference to their presumed origin, deriving a strong argument in their favour as divine writings from their duration, their spread, and their power. Strongly reasoned and beautifully expressed.

Mr. F. dined with us in company with Mr. Lunt. I felt so decidedly unwell that I could hardly sit at table and was immediately afterwards driven to bed. An hour’s sleep quieted the pain though it did not perfectly restore me.

Read a Sermon of Sterne upon the character of Shimei 2. Samuel 19. 21. “But Abishai said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this?” Waiting upon fortune as exemplified in this story very neatly descanted upon as one of the great vices of the world which it no doubt is. Mr. Frothingham sat with us an hour after evening service and then returned to town. Evening, Mr. and Mrs. D. Greenleaf made a call, after which we were quiet at home.

The morning was fine. I arose very early for the purpose of going up to meet some of my workmen who were to be here early to take my 271directions previously to my necessary absence. I might as well not have hurried myself for they did not come until after breakfast and I was detained for an hour or two later. It happens unfortunately that perhaps the most critical part of all the work, the posts and fence in front, comes to be set just as I am to be absent. However, as this could not be avoided, I did the best I could and hurried off to drive to town with my father. We reached there at eleven and I was busy until one with various commissions.

At half past one, a stage called for us to go to Newburyport as we had arranged, but to our surprise we found we were to have no fellow passengers. We had a quick trip down through Lynn, Chelsea, Salem, Beverley, Wenham, Hamilton, Ipswich, Rowley but slightly incommoded by the rain. The Country did not strike me excepting for its barrenness and apparent poverty.

At Ipswich, we were met by Mr. Cushing and Mr. de Ford, the Chairman of the Committee of arrangements, who announced that my father would be met out of the town by a cavalcade of citizens and they would escort him in a carriage. This was accordingly done at a place called Old Town. My father got out upon the green, where Mr. de Ford made him an Address to which he made a suitable reply and then the procession started for the town. I followed in the rear with Mr. Cushing in the Stage.

A vast number of men, women and children were poured out from the avenues to the town and accompanied the procession. There was something so perfectly voluntary so enthusiastic and yet so little pretending in the reception that I could not help feeling less averse to it than I otherwise should have been. As it was I was glad to reach Mr. Cushing’s where we were to remain. There was much company there, particularly Miss Gould the poetess of the place and some of Mr. Cushing’s connexions as visitors.