Morning quite warm. I went to my house to superintend the making of the banks and Soon set to work myself and laboured for a couple of hours steadily. This may be of service physically but it is wonderful how little of it I can bear without a sense of great fatigue. As in this matter there was great need of direction and I thus consumed all the time excepting a very small portion devoted to studies. I now anxiously look forward to the termination of building, and I think it will be some time before I am caught in a similar trap. It interests me, it is true, but it worries me too much. I have much exceeded my original estimates in starting and what is worse I am even yet in doubt how far they will be carried. The finishing now goes on which is a great thing. Afternoon, 280read a little of Wieland and some of Humboldt but much of it at the house. There came on a violent shower of rain, the ladies and children being out, but they got home safe.

A fine day. I was occupied in copying a letter for my father. Attended divine service and heard Mr. Phipps, a young clergyman settled at Cohasset, preach from Psalm 55. 19. “Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.” It is singular that we should have heard this text discoursed upon once already during the Summer by Mr. Farley, and in a better manner. The afternoon was from John 12. 42.43. “Nevertheless, among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God,” upon that favourite topic of personal independence, a topic of great interest at the present day in theory but carried into practice less and less every year. Mr. Phipps dined with us, the son of the late Dr. of that name in Quincy. He is respectable though not brilliant.

Mr. Degrand was here in the afternoon but I made out a letter to Mr. Hallett remonstrating with him for his servile flattery of Mr. Kendall in the case of a letter written to Philadelphia.1 I know there is risk in this step, but my feelings are strong enough to take risk.

Evening read a Sermon of Sterne’s from Judges 19. 1.2.3. “And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of Mount Ephraim, who took unto him a concubine.” This is in the particular style of the author and by a mixture of tenderness and moral sentiment gives the effect to morality of a doubtful character. I like the style though rather an artificial one.

A very charming summer’s day. I went up to my House and was delayed by the nonappearance of the workmen for some time and their not being prepared with a pattern for the cornices from which I might 281choose. Directed Kirk in his work which goes on steadily. Just before noon, the gentlemen at Mrs. Adams’ called with a proposition to my father and myself to bathe to which we assented and found the water extremely refreshing. Home where I was again called to go and make a selection, and did so, but had time for only about fifty lines of Homer before dinner. Afternoon somewhat fatigued so that I did little more than finish Wieland’s Abderites and a little of Humboldts New Spain. Evening at home.