Ballstown, Morning, ride to Saratoga, heat and dust, my Mother, return, evening, billiards and quiet.

On Sunday the 13th we left it Ballstown on our return to Albany and stopped at Troy for the night. Almost all the pleasant company left Ballstown the same day. Among others I should not omit to mention the amiable and handsome family of the Powels of Philadelphia.2 Our regret was not very great therefore, at turning our backs upon Ballstown, excepting that I felt a little distress least it might only open a new scene of adventure. We stopped at Troy that evening and making a mistake as to the Hotel, we got wretched accommodations. In the evening we went to Mr. Dickinson’s where we had a horribly dull evening.3 But these minutiae tease and disgust me. My spirits were sinking lower every day, with the consciousness that I was to be dragged about from place to place with all my woes about me.

We went to Lebanon and passed ten horrible days there. My birth day among them which we celebrated as usual with Champagne. I believe however that no man in the world ever suffered more mentally than I did. But my Mother was inflexible. She was fixed upon wandering about the country with no fixed purpose and with no intent. She has since suffered severely for it. The recollection of the time is beyond measure painful as it made me think what I dare not express even to myself. There are times when dejection goes with me to such a length that I would gladly be released from all the turmoil of this miserable world. I will spare my feelings the recital of the forced gaiety I was obliged to assume, of the misery I suffered, and finally come to the time when I had prevailed upon my Mother to return home.

Lebanon. Morning, billiards and bath, afternoon, ride to Shaker village, singular settlement, return, Livingstons, dull evening.