Warm but pleasant day. My morning was passed in the usual way. A great variety of little things very tedious to me to execute but absolutely essential. My exercise has been pretty well kept up since my return and it may have been fortunate for me that it was so, inasmuch as my spirits might otherwise have flagged.

At the Office engaged in Accounts, then home early to dine. Immediately afterwards, I started for Quincy. Found progress making slowly. A new house requires so much thought, and care and attention. And 60strange to say, I have ceased to feel the interest I did in it. At present it weighs as a burden.

Home before sunset and then to a small party at Mr. B. Gorham’s given to Commodore and Mrs. Hull.1 Only members of his and her family, pleasant enough. Home very tired.

Fine day. After walking up to the house at the corner of Tremont Street1 to see that the painter was at his work, I returned to the usual duties at the Office and various commissions. But I had several hours in which I could work more steadily than usual at accounts and thus made preparation for the annual balance which I am accustomed to make for July. This is a vexatious affair, for trifles frequently give one very great inconvenience. I was quite uninterrupted until the time for me to return home.

After dinner, went to Quincy. One great load of things gone out hardly relieves the weight of things to be sent but it at least appears like removal. Arranged as many books as I had and gave other directions, until sunset when I drove to Mrs. Adams’, to see her. Found Elizabeth looking better and Mr. and Mrs. Angier there, but I stayed only a few minutes before going home. Evening quiet and short.

This was a specimen of Summer heat; there not having been last year any day when the Thermometer rose higher. I spent some time in the work of making a catalogue of coins and then attended divine service and heard Mr. Stetson of Medford preach from John 4. 29. “Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did”: the revealing of religion through the Saviour by discovery of self. Perhaps I do not express the thought strongly, for there is a thought in it. The awakening of the moral sense to a state of things until then unknown. Mr. Stetson is not a pleasing preacher but has talent.1 Afternoon. James 4. 7. “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Upon the performance of duty as a guard against sin. Mr. Stetson is not interesting and yet he thinks, so that after all mere thought is not sufficient to make an attractive speaker.

Sermon of Buckminster’s Luke 18. 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a pharisee and the other a publican.” Humility as exemplified in the text and parable connected with it. A very good discourse. Evening, we walked up and down the mall with T. K. Davis to witness the resort of people. Quite a lively scene. Home—heat intense.