A warm day and cloudy but cleared before sunset. I occupied myself in copying the remainder of the MS Journal which I wished to execute but did not quite finish it. Attended divine service and heard Mr. Briggs1 preach from Ecclesiastes 9. 2. “All things come alike to all.” Rather a peculiar view of this text as applied to the moral discriminations of life, the inequalities of character resulting from the inequalities of condition, all which vanish whenever the artificial necessities of life cease to control. He illustrated by the case of the late Steamer Pulaski in a striking and quite eloquent manner.2 Though not generally animated he had passages of great power. Afternoon, Matthew 18. 2.3. “And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven.”

Afternoon, read a sermon of Buckminster’s being the 24th and last of the volume. 2 Peter 1. 5.7. “And to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness, charity.” The meaning of these terms and the combination required of knowledge with godliness and charity. Perhaps lit-79tle can be said beyond the text itself. Evening at home. Thomas, my mother’s man came today with the luggage and informed us he had left the family at Providence detained by Louisa’s sickness.3

A pleasant day. I was occupied most of my morning in finishing the copy of the Fragmentary Journal and in correcting what was already copied. I have now supplied the interval which was not copied and propose to turn my attention to a collateral branch of investigation in reviewing Grahame’s two last volumes.

I have formed a somewhat extensive plan but doubt my energy in execution. The little success corresponding to all my exertion has the effect of damping my ardor in undertaking. I go about a plan with a sense of the pressure of a resisting medium.

The Carriage went in for the family and brought them out before noon, the remainder of the morning spent with them. My father remains behind a few days, to correct and publish his last Speech. My Mother looks better but fatigued. Afternoon, divided between Pliny and the superintendence of my ground, which requires constant care to look well. Evening at my Mother’s.

Weather fair. I went to town this morning and passed my time in the variety of avocations usual with me. These Accounts are very tedious things but it is better to be rid of them punctually or they grow to be most annoying. Home at one, bringing out with me Miss Smith, who is to spend the summer with my Mother.

Afternoon passed in reading Pliny whose ninth book I finished. This finishes the miscellaneous letters. They are thrown together without any order or attempt to settle the dates, which might be partially done. On the whole they give a pretty good view of Pliny’s character. His main spring seems to have been his vanity, but it impelled him into actions not often the result of this cause. He was fond of the praise for 80doing noble things. Yet we must remember we have his own Account only. Evening down to see my Mother. Nothing of interest.