Cloudy but warm. Exercises as usual. Evening at the Mansion.

I devoted my usual time to my daughter Louisa and read some Chapters of Tucker’s Light of Nature. This Author has been much admired for his easy familiar way of illustrating metaphysical truths, but it seems to me that he is feeble.

Attended divine service all day and heard Dr. Lamson of Dedham preach from Matthew 20. 22. “Ye know not what ye ask.” A poetical discourse upon the unreasonableness of human wishes very much in the allegory of the old school, and also Matthew 25. 21. “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I 254will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”

I also read a sensible discourse by the Revd. John Holland upon the duty of attendance at public worship. Hebrews 10. 25. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is.” Man is so much the creature of habit that he becomes religious as often from the performance of external rites as from internal reflection. And the satisfaction of duty performed grows upon one as time goes on. Read some of Le Comte, Account of China. Evening at the Mansion.

Clouds and showers. At home. Visitors. Evening to Mr. Beale’s.

My time was not very profitably spent today. I finished Silas Deane’s portion of the Diplomatic Correspondence of the Revolution1 and a file of my grandmother’s letters. The rest of the morning was taken up with company. So also in the afternoon I only finished the ninth book of the Pharsalia and about 80 lines of the tenth before Dr. and Mrs. Frothingham came from Boston with three children. He remained but a short time as he was to go to a meeting of the Association of Ministers at Mr. Lunt’s. But the ladies came up from the lower house and so there was nothing to be done. They did not go until eight after which I made a hasty visit to Mr. Beale.

Day fine. Morning to town. Afternoon work. Evening at the Mansion.

I went to town and passed the greater part of my morning in making up the necessary accounts for the first of next month, but did not succeed in bringing them out right upon a first attempt. This is fatiguing and reminds me of last year.

Home as usual. Lucan 10. 81–320, Caesar and Cleopatra. Much poetical vigour but the poem appears drawing out so far that perhaps it is no great pity it is fragmentary. Work for an hour.

Received from Mr. Freeman Hunt a copy of the Sheets of my Article in his July number.1 It is very correctly printed. Evening at the Mansion.