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Got up early, wrote Mrs Coates’s bill, and delivered it, to this day, amount 0.15.9½. Paid Francis Smith in cash 20/-. At home all day. In the evening read Othello Moor of Venice.

At home all day. Wrote out bills. After supper read the remainder of Gay’s poems.

At home all day a-writing. After supper read part of Milton’s Paradise Lost.

At home all day. Balanced accounts with Mr John Vine Sr and there remains due to me 19.10.7, for which sum I have received his note of hand dated this day. Spent the evening at Jones’s with Coyfe and Moses. Came home in liquor. Spent 12d.

At home all day. Nothing material. Read part of the 6th volume Universal Magazine wherein I find the following reason for the causes of apoplexies:

“An apoplexy is produced by an overcharge of the small blood vessels in the head, which breaking, and, in the course of the circulation the blood making repeated pushes through the fractured pipe, the brain at length becomes to be so compressed by its extravasation as to be no longer able to perform the due secretions of the animal spirits, when immediate death ensues, except any relief can be Given by opening a vein.”

In the evening read the second book of Paradise Lost.

At home all day writing. In the evening read The Universal Magazine for December; think the following observations worth notice:

1st. He who is vexed at a reproach may thereby know that he would be proud if he were commended.

2dly. Pride upon the account of preferment shows that it is not deserved, for he who values himself upon his outward character acknowledges thereby that he wants intrinsic worth. But the greatest men are valued more for their abilities than for their fortunes; and if virtue were esteemed above all things, no favor or advancement would change men in their temper.

3dly. We should often blush for our best actions if we saw all the motives upon which they were grounded.

4thly. It is idleness which induces men to be guilty of bad actions, but whatsoever art is able to busy the minds of men with a constant source of innocent labor will certainly have its effect in composing and purifying their thoughts, surer than all the precepts of the moralists.

5thly. There can be no arguing with an obstinate man, for when he has once contradicted you all conviction is excluded from his mind. None but manly souls can acknowledge themselves mistaken and forsake an error when they find themselves in the wrong.

6thly. We should not measure men by Sundays without regarding what they do all the week after, for devotion does not necessarily make men virtuous.

At church in the morning. The text in the 2nd chapter, 1st Epistle to Corinthians, verses 7 and 8; the subject: on the advantages that accrue to mankind from divine revelation. No churching in the afternoon.

Charles Diggens here. Lent Edward Smith at Halland in cash 3.3.0. In the evening read the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6^th books of Milton’s Paradise Lost.

Sent William in the morning to Framfield with £8 for Mr John Smith of Hempstead [a small manor in Framfield], being money in full for returns due to him. Paid Francis Smith eight shillings more in part for carriage and gave him 4.16.0 to pay Mr John Levy, potter, in full on my account.

At home all day and busy. After supper read the 7th and 8th books of Paradise Lost. Thomas Fowler paid me 10/- in full to this day.

My wife very bad.

Paid Dame Vinal for washing and paid for odd things together 12d. Paid Joseph Haines in goods 6/- for chairs.

Gave Thomas Mepham 6d for going to Dr Stone’s. At home all day. In the evening read the 9th book of Paradise Lost.
 

At home all day. My wife and little boy both very bad.

Read the 10th book of Paradise Lost in the evening.