Delayed very considerably by my father in order to copy certain letters which he wished me to dispatch. I then rode to town and passed the morning in looking over the accounts and Inventory of my brother’s effects to a final settlement. Mr. Joshua Coffin, a Client of mine1 called upon me to inform me that he could not pay me today, which is the universal cry. Boston is and has been in great distress, the pressure has been very great all round and it is difficult to collect debts for others or for one’s self.

At two, my father called and I drove his carriage to Medford to 405dine there. The Brooks family and Mr. Stetson composed the Company. The dinner was therefore large—Chardon, his wife and Mrs. Everett being the only absentees. It was also pleasant, more so than any I have had for my recollection of others was so little agreeable that I felt glad that during the last year I had been excepted. They were to me immense bores and ever since last winter when we silently came to an understanding about that, I have enjoyed myself infinitely more. But after dinner, I was suddenly seized with a violent pain apparently in the Kidney so far as I could judge from the effect it produced upon my urine. I felt alarmed for I have had some slight apprehensions of the gravel already. It made me sober for the remainder of the day. I felt in no humour to entertain a large panel of Company who came in the evening and so after only bowing to Miss Davis of New York and recognizing Mrs. Keating of Philadelphia, I left them to make the best of themselves, and even after they left, Abby complained heavily of my coldness.