The weather was rainy and unsettled during the morning and cleared off in the afternoon. My morning was not spent profitably. I wasted part at home, and at the Office found it much cut up. Deposited more money to the credit of my father, and gave orders for the binding of some of his books, after which I called at Hilliards in consequence of my father’s telling me he was the Author of the Chapters upon Greece in the Annual Register.1 Tried to read the first part of it upon the domestic History but progressed very little.

Gave orders today for the purchase of a quantity of Shingles in order to begin upon the repair of my Father’s Tenements which I have been meditating. I know of no time more favourable than the present, when I have funds which it is not likely I shall have again. I ordered the Nails and the lead and in this way expect I shall get through with this business very quickly.

After dinner I again began Aeschines for a final reading, and passed an hour in pasting my father’s Crest into his books, a necessary though not profitable work. Evening wasted doing nothing until nine when I read Logic, a little of Sir Joshua Reynolds and my continuation of Catalogue. A bright Aurora Borealis such as I never saw before.