A cold morning. I pass an hour usually in making out a catalogue of my coins and then out to the Office when my business is about sufficient to keep me employed until one. Mr. Stanwood this day brought me the Deed of the Estate which I filled up with my own name he not 362having performed his part in the engagement to redeem the houses, and returned to Mr. Appleton. This has been another vexatious business, and my pamphlet drags on shockingly. I do not admire my new publisher.

Mr. I. P. Davis stopped me to talk of a Lecture before the Historical Society and referred to the ones I had delivered at Quincy. I told him they were two and made but an imperfect sketch themselves. I proposed to him to make something out of my grandmother’s papers which he seemed to think feasible and requested me to prepare something for January. Thus my hands are full of literary projects.

Home. Herodotus. Afternoon, Crantz and the book on Medals. Evening quiet, reading Lockhart after which I began a sketch.

Cold this morning. I went out at my usual hour and after a good deal of delay to set the machine of Mr. Appleton’s conveyances rolling, went to the Office.

Received a letter from Mr. Johnson1 at London in which he intimates some disapprobation of my remitting at so great a cost and informed me he is in funds for three months to come. I have since remitted enough for a couple of months more which will put him at his ease, and shall transmit an additional sum as soon as Exchange is quite down. Even yesterday I sent two more of the Treasury Notes.2

Mr. J. Adams Jr. came in from Quincy with his account for very necessary work done there upon the farm and I settled with him for it. Home where I read Herodotus. Afternoon skipped away in one or two almost fruitless investigations.

Evening at home. Miss Smith dined with us and I accompanied her home in the evening. Attempted to get a ticket for the Theatre to see Hamlet but could not succeed. At a party at Mrs. B. D. Greene’s, much pleasanter than usual and yet I could not for the life of me tell what made it so. Home late.

After an hour taken up at Market I had not much time to spend at the Office. I nevertheless corrected one proof sheet which was sent to 363me thus finishing about one half of the whole and this now nearly in three weeks. This is bookseller’s expedition. Deacon Spear and Mr. Stanwood came in on business of their particular kinds. And thus the time passed until I returned home to read Herodotus.

Edmund Quincy and T. K. Davis dined with me, the latter not in very good spirits and hence the dinner rather dull. I have had occasion to notice in him this winter a great inequality of spirits which is likely to be a cause of misfortune to him.

Mr. Brooks and Mr. R. D. Tucker came in after dinner and spent an hour, and Quincy remained to tea, after which I read to my Wife from Lockhart’s Scott. A bitter politician enough. Afterwards, finished the first volume to Crantz’s Greenland.