Fine day. Morning spent in town. Afternoon busy planting trees. Evening at the Mansion where I dined.

My cold was extremely troublesome all day. I went to the Office where I tried to make a fire in my new Office and found it smoke so badly as to drive me away. Something has happened to the flue. My time very much thrown away in consequence of this vexation. Visit from S. Conant about the Weston farm. Home late.

We dined at my Mother’s who talks of starting for Washington on Thursday. And spent the evening, partly in a game of whist. I was busy in setting trees all the afternoon with Kirk. The workmen removed my fence today to the new boundaries.

Heavy rain all day. Confined to the house where I worked on my papers.

I passed a bad night and arose in the morning so much indisposed as to see without regret good cause in the rain for keeping me at home. My papers kept me well employed, and in the course of the day I completed the fourth. At present they appear to me the most calm, the most statesmanlike production I have yet made, but it is impossible for me under the heat of composition ever to form such an estimate as comes near to correctness. And then what can I hope for even my best productions in opposition to the stubborn prejudices of the great mass of the people? My course is a hard and a doubtful one with nothing to sustain me but my belief of it’s truth. These papers will be laid on the shelf with all the others, yet they have not been without use in amusing and instructing me. Such occupations by ennobling the mind bring their own reward with them.

Fine day. Morning to town. After dinner, superintending trees and evening at the Mansion.

I went to town out of course today for the sake of seeing to the opening of the house for our approaching return. This is usually a melancholy process with me as I leave a place with which I have many sympathies to go to one where the world seems to move without reference to me. But the change is perhaps beneficial to me by making me value my present agreeable residence more.

I was engaged in giving directions, making purchases &ca. all day. Home to dinner. Afternoon, placed a few walnut trees in the room of some which have failed. The removal of the fence is a great improve-130ment. Mr. Price Greenleaf here this afternoon. Evening at the Mansion.