Morning clear but windy and cool. I passed some time in looking over parts of Thucydides in order to see how much I should remember of it for tomorrow. I found that passages were familiar to me—others, I did not remember.

Attended divine service and heard Mr. Lunt preach, in the morning from Matthew 17. 1.2. “And after six days, Jesus taketh Peter, James 276and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them:” and afternoon, John 7. 46. “The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.” Two very good discourses upon the nature and acts of the Saviour but which I did not listen to as attentively as I ought.

Afternoon, read a discourse of Sterne which I think about the best that I have yet read. 2 Kings 20. 15. “And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, all the things that are in my house have they seen; there is nothing amongst all my treasures that I have not shown them.” The case of Hezekiah and the Messengers. He seems to think his punishment followed upon a manifestation of his pride and vanity through a veil of courtesy, and proceeds to analyze the frequent causes of motives of the fairest actions. A familiar topic as are most of his but very neatly illustrated. Evening at home. Retired early.

I was up very early this morning and got ready to start for town in good season. My Wife accompanied me and was left at Mrs. Frothingham’s while I went to the office and was called for by the carriage at eight o’clock to take me to Cambridge. Judge Merril, the chairman of the Committee was the only person with me, the other members being unable to go. We reached the hall before any body was stirring, but soon after we found the Tutor and the President. We had Mr. J. C. Gray with us too.

The examination was of the Freshman class, one section in the fifth and sixth books of Herodotus, and the other two in the first and second of Thucydides. The recitations were many of them very good. Indeed I thought very well trained. But there is one defect in this system of division according to proficiency, that it makes the worst division not merely bad but without desire to be better. Thucydides is an author hardly to be read with profit by boys so young. But I was satisfied that the system of instruction had improved much since my day, if this class was the standard of education in Greek. We dined in the Corporation room, President Quincy presiding and the usual number of proctors and tutors present. There was also a certain Dr. Adams.

Returned to town and I had time to go to my House and then to Hancock Street to see the House vacated there by Miss Oliver, then to the Office where I was busied in accounts. At five I called for my Wife and we returned to Quincy. Evening quiet at home.