Mild, clear day. Time divided in the usual manner on this day. Attended divine service all day. Mr. Lunt preached in the morning from 1 Corinthians 10. 31. “Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” A discourse which made no 125great impression upon me. Mr. Whitney had no better effect in the afternoon from John 15. 22. “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.” I remarked only in it that it appears to have been written long ago as a qualification of opinions thought to incline over much to Universalism.

Read a Sermon of Revd. John Abernethy upon the causes and danger of self deceit. Matthew 6. 22.23. “The light of the body is the eye, if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body is full of light; but if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light, that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness.” A respectable essay upon the operation of conscience and the common modes of soothing or neglecting or evading it’s reproaches.

Finished the first volume of Milman’s History of the Jews, which ends with the captivity. I am much pleased with this book so far. Also read a little of Grimm. Evening at the Mansion.

Rain and fog. Day at home writing and reading. Evening at the Mansion.

Read Locke, p. 185–240. Upon the general character of proof, certainty, probability &ca. and the degrees of assent. Lucretius 533–780. I think this sixth book appears put in to fill up.

I devoted much time to writing an essay upon the present state of political affairs. Whether it will come to any thing remains pretty doubtful. But I was satisfied with my work after I had finished it, which rarely happens to me. The returns of elections appear very much against the Whigs, more so than I think they in reality are. The people appear to have turned a somerset to the Administration moved by the popular impulses that party know so well how to use. Yet the opposition is more concentrated and effective and better able to take advantage of every bad accident which must involve the Government through it’s own stupidity. The Administration now runs for luck purely.

Clear day. Morning to town. Afternoon reading, evening at the Mansion.

My time in the City so much taken up by tenants and commissions of various sorts that I have had only opportunity to draw up the Ac-126counts of my father’s affairs without copying them off. Four tenants called to see me and all require repairs. This multiplies my work very much, and at this season of the year I commonly have enough.

Afternoon, out attending to the setting of two cherry trees and one oak within my inclosure, and an elm tree in the road. Mr. E. P. Greenleaf called with a present of some bushes and then accompanied me to the house below. It is a pity, he has not some occupation to cure him of his foibles.