Warm day. At home all day. Evening at the Mansion.

After a week of so much and such unusual movement with me I was glad to seize the occasion of a quiet day. My time was taken up in finishing the fourth paper upon the Southern Convention, which consumed the whole morning. I have ended it as if promising a longer discussion. But I do not feel inclined to waste my ammunition. The whole of my work is just so much labour thrown away. I must feel a strong sense of duty to self impelling me to exertion when it would be so much more easy to take mine ease. I believe I have had enough of composition for the present.

After dinner Tacitus B. 2, s. 31 to 42 inclusive. Then interrupted by visits from Edward Brooks and his Wife, and Sidney’s Wife who took 264tea and remained until sunset. Afterwards a short visit to the other house.

Showery and cool. Exercises in the usual way. Evening at the Mansion.

I passed a portion of my morning as usual in my lessons to my daughter Louisa who is thus receiving the rudiments of religious instruction.

Attended divine worship and heard Mr. Lunt from two texts 16 Judges 28.29.30 and 23 Luke 32.33.34. The verses are too long to transfer, but the idea proposed was a striking one and for aught I know original. A contrast between Samson as the perfect physical man with Jesus Christ as the incarnation of moral excellence; between the complete developement of the natural passions of man under the rudeness of the primitive age and ritual law of the Jews, and the full influence of the spiritual nature as displayed in the doctrine of the new dispensation, between the death of revenge and the death of forgiveness. The view taken was masterly but short as could not be otherwise during the period of a sermon.

Afternoon, Acts 10. 15. “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” The opening of Christianity to the Gentiles and the destruction of the exclusiveness of the Jewish system. Mr. Lunt is fond of contrasting these at all times. But his discourses always contain thought.

Read a sermon of Dr. Clarke from John 21. 22. “Jesus saith unto him, if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me.” A sensible discourse upon needless curiosity and the investigation of merely trifling points of doctrine. Read some of Tucker’s Light of Nature finishing the first volume. I am not much inclined to metaphysical researches, but do not desire to be wholly unacquainted with them. They improve the capacity of attention which is perhaps the most indispensable quality for effective mental action.

Mr. Campbell and I. H. Adams here for a short time. They leave tomorrow for New York. We passed an hour at the Mansion.

Fine day but not entirely without rain. At home. Dine and evening at the Mansion.

I spent the morning in reading excepting a short time devoted to a 265modification of my article. It was pleasant to be able to go over the words of others, and not to be always marshalling them for one’s self. Read a part of the Diplomatic correspondence of the Revolution, some chapters of Texier on the Roman affairs and a little of Lessing’s very ingenious dissertation upon fable. He is certainly an extremely acute critic.

As my Wife took an early dinner to go to Boston, I went down to the Mansion to dine. Afterwards, Tacitus and some work in the garden and on my grounds. Evening again below.