Nov. 25, Thurs. Parish meeting. Voted me £1,500 for

the present year.

Dec. 1, Wed. At Beverly. Drank tea at Andrew Cabot's. Brought home Captain Thorndike's Hadley's quadrant.

Dec. 6, Mon. Visited sick. Dined at Mrs. Dabney's. Borrowed her thermometer.

CHAPTER III.

DIARY FROM 1780-1785-STUDIES BOTANY-ESTABLISHES PRIVATE BOARDING SCHOOL-AMERICAN ACADEMY ARTS AND SCIENCES-FIRST AND SECOND JOURNEY TO WHITE HILLS.

Feb. 2, 1780. Completed a Meteorological Journal for January for the printer. Rode to Salem, and spent the evening at Mr. Andrew Cabot's, at the Club.

Feb. 19, Sat. Finished McBride's Practice of Physic, and the making extracts from him.

Mar. 10. Stormy. Engaged in the study of botany.

April 4. Went to town to prove Lieutenant Smith's will. A parish Committee came to make a computation of what was due to me for the years 1778 and 1779.

April 8. Topsfield.

April 26.

Attended the funeral of Captain Bowman, of

Continental Fast and Annual for this State. Preached. A full meeting.

May 18. Mr. Sewall, of Cambridge, and his wife, here. This morning endeavored to observe the eclipse of the moon, but could not before the moon set in a cloud.

May 19, Friday. This morning Mr. Lathrop, of Boston, called upon me. Soon after he came in, I observed a remarkable cloud coming up and it appeared dark. Mr. Sewall and Colonel Wigglesworth came in. The darkness increased, and by 11 o'clock it was so dark as to make it necessary to light candles. The cloud was unusually brassy, with little or no rain. About 12 it lighted up a little, then grew more dark, and at 1 o'clock very dark. In a room with three large windows took profiles, by candle, as well as in the night. Could not read a word in large print close to the window. Dined with two candles on the table. At 4 o'clock it grew more light. A smell was observed much resembling that of burning turf. This continued till 10 o'clock at night. (For more particular account, see my Place Book for remarkable phe

CHAPTER III.

DIARY FROM 1780-1785-STUDIES BOTANY-ESTABLISHES PRIVATE BOARDING SCHOOL-AMERICAN ACADEMY ARTS AND SCIENCES-FIRST AND SECOND JOURNEY TO WHITE HILLS.

Feb. 2, 1780. Completed a Meteorological Journal for January for the printer. Rode to Salem, and spent the evening at Mr. Andrew Cabot's, at the Club.

Feb. 19, Sat. Finished McBride's Practice of Physic, and the making extracts from him.

Mar. 10. Stormy. Engaged in the study of botany.

April 4. Went to town to prove Lieutenant Smith's will. A parish Committee came to make a computation of what was due to me for the years 1778 and 1779.

April 8. Topsfield.

April 26.

Attended the funeral of Captain Bowman, of

Continental Fast and Annual for this State. Preached. A full meeting.

May 18. Mr. Sewall, of Cambridge, and his wife, here. This morning endeavored to observe the eclipse of the moon, but could not before the moon set in a cloud.

May 19, Friday. This morning Mr. Lathrop, of Boston, called upon me. Soon after he came in, I observed a remarkable cloud coming up and it appeared dark. Mr. Sewall and Colonel Wigglesworth came in. The darkness increased, and by 11 o'clock it was so dark as to make it necessary to light candles. The cloud was unusually brassy, with little or no rain. About 12 it lighted up a little, then grew more dark, and at 1 o'clock very dark. In a room with three large windows took profiles, by candle, as well as in the night. Could not read a word in large print close to the window. Dined. with two candles on the table. At 4 o'clock it grew more light. A smell was observed much resembling that of burning turf. This continued till 10 o'clock at night. (For more particular account, see my Place Book for remarkable phe

nomena.) Mr. Guile here about 4 o'clock. Sent by him to Holland for Dr. White's History of Plants. Mr. Lathrop went to Salem. The night extremely dark.

May 20. This morning cloudy. Mr. Sewall set out for Newbury. Exchanged horses with Colonel Wigglesworth. Between 9 and 10 o'clock it cleared away. Observed the sun in the telescope-a large number of black spots visible. Mr. Jackson, Mr. Hilliard, and two other gentlemen stopped to look at it. In the afternoon Mr. Dana here. Studied very hard.

May 21, Lord's Day. Preached in the afternoon from Zechariah 14: 67.

May 24. Attended town-meeting for receiving the Consti

tution.

[The Constitution of Massachusetts was this year adopted by the people.]

May 29. A parish meeting. The parish sent to me to know if I would take the sum the Committee reported for the last two years, which, for the sake of peace, I consented to accept, if paid in three months.

May 21, Wednesday. General election. Mr. Everett, Mr. Chickering, and I rode over to Boston. The General Court was escorted to the Meeting House by the Independent Company, where an excellent sermon was delivered by the Rev. Mr. Howard. After the services a handsome entertainment was provided for the court and clergy in Faneuil Hall. After dinner we attended the Convention at the new court-house. But few ministers present. The Rev. Mr. McCarty chosen President. He to preach the next Convention Sermon. Mr. Mellen his second.

June 1. We all came to Boston again and attended Convention. Mr. Bridge preached the sermon. Dined with Mr. Lathrop, an agreeable company, and a fine entertainment. After dinner rode to Cambridge and lodged with Mr. Wigglesworth.

June 2. Spent the forenoon with Mr. Williams and Mr. Sewall in examining the apparatus and library-much entertained. Dined with Mr. Sewall, in company with Mr. Bar