Rain and clouds all day. Exercises as usual. Evening at home.

After my usual course of lessons with my daughter Louisa, I attended divine service and heard Dr. Frothingham preach from Isaiah 5. 4. “What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done to it.” A moral discourse upon self improvement which I did not attend to as I ought. In the Afternoon Romans 8. 9. “Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” Mr. Dwight a young man who has got as much of the mysticism of the new school as will be sufficient to destroy that practical use which is after all a characteristic of the English race and makes it superior to every other. He is feeble.

Read in the English Preacher a Sermon by one John Adams D.D., a singular name in England whose history I know nothing of. Acts 28. 5.6. “He shook off the beast into the fire and felt no harm. Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen or fallen down dead suddenly; but after they had looked a great while and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a God.” A Sermon upon rash judgment remarkable for that very practical judgment and sound sense of which I was just treating. Evening at home reading Nickleby, and Frank, after which continued my terrible labour upon the Lecture.

Heavy rain. Office. Athenaeum. Division as usual. Evening at home.

The rain poured very heavily in parts of today. I was at the Office in business. The news from Washington is that the confusion being daily more striking, Mr. Rhett finally took advantage of a speech of my father’s which had a great momentary effect to put him in the chair as chairman to organize the House. This is a position which I fear he will be unable to avail himself of. The pith of the whole matter is that the Jersey members decide the majority of the house. And the two parties are rabid. I hope the country will not experience so much of disgrace as I believe they will. At any rate, the part my father has thus far acted will be creditable to him.1

Went to the Athenaeum to study Numismatics and was kept there until dinner time. Afternoon, study Bancroft. Evening, finish Nickleby and on with the Lecture. This was City Election day. My classmate J. Chapman was chosen, a good selection and I hope will do him honor.2 Evening, Lecture, which drags.