My idea of marrying this season is reluctantly abandoned and I shall be compelled to pass another winter as I did the last. My mind is gloomy enough. I rode to town, and passed the morning at the Office, reading Saunders. Received a letter from my Mother dated on my birth day and written in her kindest and most affectionate tones.
{p. 272}
It touched me at a moment when I was sore. It gave me a balm when all else was irritation. Her kindness is that of affection, it calls forth one’s best feelings in return. Dined at Mr. Gardiner Greene’s.
1 Company large, consisting more particularly of the richest men in Boston. Lt. Govr. Winthrop, Genl. Morton, Mr. Quincy, Mr. Hubbard,
2 Appleton, Joy, Parker, Ritchie,
3 J. Russell,
4 Mr. Brooks and others. Edmund Quincy and I did very well. After a handsome dinner, I rode to Medford in a beautiful evening.