Day fine. Time divided as usual. Evening at Mrs. Everett’s.

My time at the Office is now a little on my hands and I am not sure that I make the very best use of it. Walk and Accounts. Began today the play of the Trachinians, founded upon the death of Hercules the great giant killer of antiquity.

Afternoon the Chinese, a remarkable people whose history is really worth studying. There is something a little extraordinary in the fact of 208the opposition of the habits and manners and customs of the two most civilized races of the world, the European of the Caucasus, and the Asiatic Mongol. We settle it however in America that we know every thing, and the rest of the world is benighted. Happy self-complacency which each Nation cultivates towards all the rest.

Evening at Mrs. Everett’s where we had a few of the family and nothing new. Burr.

Fine day. Office. Conant to settle. Evening at home.

At the Office. Call at Mr. Foster’s Store to settle the charges of freight for poor T. B. Adams and to bring his affairs more gradually to a close. Accounts, home, the Trachinians. Miss L. C. Smith at our house to dine.

Silas Conant kept me all the afternoon discussing the question of his damage to the Weston farm. The attachment has brought him up as I expected it would. He was accompanied by his under tenant Fuller. After a full discussion of the merits of the case, he paid me my demand being two hundred dollars besides the year’s rent, and I gave him a receipt in full. Thus is that matter off my mind. But I fear I shall yet have some trouble with it and seriously meditate recommending to my father a surrender to the reversionary heirs.1

Mr. Brooks spent the evening with us. On with Burr.

Mild day. Office. Time as usual. Evening to Mr. Shaw’s.

Called for Mr. Brooks and we went to see a collection of plants from France, some of which I desire to buy for Quincy. Then Office where I did not much. Looking over Accounts and into probabilities. I undertake rather more than I ought.

Trachinians. Afternoon, Chinese. I am much interested in them and think I will make them the subject of a Lecture if I should ever again be expected to deliver one.

Evening at Mr. Robert G. Shaw’s at a Levee made by him of members of the Legislature and others. I found there many gentlemen who greeted me with great cheerfulness and one or two spoke to me of my papers. So that I have not entirely thrown away my labours. My headway is not rapid but it is gradual and safe. Abbott Lawrence puffed 209which seemed to me hollow. T. W. Ward less fulsome but I think more sincere. Home early. On with Burr.