…I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. At home all day, but not very busy. In the evening wrote my London letters.
I think I never in my life knew any place so much is gone off for trade as is this place since I have lived in it. Most of the principal inhabitants, as we esteemed them, being dead and the remaining reduced, trade is got to be very trifling.
The occasion of poverty’s being so frequent proceeds from luxury and imprudence, I fear, too often. For custom has brought tea and spiritous liquors so much in fashion that I dare be bold to say they often, too often, prove our ruin. For by the frequent and continual use of them we increase our expenses, bring on idleness and render ourselves less capable to struggle with the world and above all hurt our health and I doubt often, by the too frequent use of both, entail a weakness upon our progeny.