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1829 I find myself alone more than half my time. . . . I sit from morning to night, not living in the present, but in that dear past, which is surrounded by a halo of whatever is precious to memory. The flower has faded, but I strive to keep its perfume. Saturday night Janu­ ary 3 1829 The new year has set in amidst the most delightful weather I ever saw—mild, clear and sunny. Many good resolutions have been made, which the next new year’s day will, in all probability come and find forgotten or broken. One I will endeavor to preserve faithfully—the vow I made against going in debt again. Ann and I have lived in years “gone by,” since she came up. [Wash­ ing­ ton] Irving’s works, especially his “Sketch book,” [which includes essays and short stories,] have employed us all. There is too much sweetness too read all at once; but nothing can compare with them, to take them singly. He touches so many feelings—and he is master of all the melancholy, melting tendernesses of the human heart—that all I can do is to read, and then weep over it, as I did tonight. Twice I have attempted to read aloud to my friends, and when half through, relinquished it. “Rural Funerals,” was one. I have been told that Irving lost the object of his early attachment, just as they were about to be united; and that accounts for the pervading spirit of pensiveness thro’ his last productions. Mrs. Hall has been busily engaged in moving from the Red House to Mr. All­ ston’s. Mr. Cluis occupies the latter. I saw Mrs. Hurtell walking over the yard this evening. She is a very pretty woman, so pretty, it looks strange to see two girls, the size of her daughters, around her. Margaret Harell sat the afternoon with us. Mrs. Buchanan came early, & remained ’till after coffee. Mr. Chapman bought the lot Mr. Garrett occupied, close to us. Judge [William] Kelly has impeached Judge [Anderson ] Crenshaw, [John] White & [Reuben] Saffold [of the Alabama ­Supreme Court, but they were cleared of the accusations]. Supreme Court begins on Monday, to which, I suppose, Mr. Gayle will go; and perhaps his lawyer, Mr. Bagby, will be 86 1829 there also. The idea of this meeting gives me infinite uneasiness—inflamed as they are, towards each other, will be of no peaceable character. I was much concerned to hear of Mrs. Seth Barton’s death. It was very sudden to me, never having heard of her being ill. She left two children. Sunday 4 Janu­ ary 1829 Mr. Hillhouse preached to a full house from Exodus, “remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” After dinner, Mr. Gayle proposed to walk to the grave-­ yard. It was a melancholy trip, the pathway thro’ briars, and the place itself, surrounded by rotting timber, loose bricks and fence rails. Affection seemed to have suggested no art for concealing the coldness and desolation of the grave—no creeping vine, or blooming rose, or weeping willow lent its sad beauty to the scene. I sat on the rough fence which protects the dust of my father and baby, and dropt bitter, bitter tears upon it. There is some thing affecting in the circumstance of his having an infant on each side of him; his own grandchild which he never saw, and Billups Gayles’s little boy—babes of a day, their angel bodies are mouldering with that of the man of years; and oh! may we not hope that the trio have formed a band of angel spirits, gathered into the household above? Monday 12 Janu­ ary [1829] Ann and I have been making laughable efforts to force into John’s and Matt’s heads the sense of their respective lessons. It will be some time before they begin to study regularly. I am sure Matt will learn well, when he advances a little. I always observed he dragg’d on heavily while it was merely a mechanical business; but as soon as his curiosity or heart becomes awakened, he treads a path of flowers. I attended most unwillingly the celebration of the 8th at Mrs. Allston’s. The evening was extremely disagreable; making a fire at home far more desirable than shivering thro’ the cold, to an unfinished room. I sat in the fire-­place almost, and wrapping my mantle around me, look’d, with the utmost indifference on the...

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