14.
Jan’y 9th
Sunday morning here is a sorry time. I have
bowed to Miss Livingston & to Mrs Clarkson once since
I became a locum tenens in this house and except
three ladies I have not even the face of a woman
in the house. Yes, I must except also Amy the
housekeeper as they describe her. Who is old, and
cleverer than old and after a fortnights absence
from all others of the sex seems to be not very
ill looking. It snows this morning, and all
around is so cheerless that I should have gone
vapours.

15.
After I had finished writing to you yesterday
Mr Tracy called upon me, and sat about
two hours, then I went with him to call on
Mr Senator Cary & his lady from Batavia.
I took tea with them, dropped in to Tracy's
room where I am most at home. I very
much like them, they are so free from all
affectation. He is one of the most agreeable
men in conversation I ever knew & she is
a very independent little body despising
all the mock pretensions of our would be
great folks. Then I adjourned to the
Theatre for the purpose of meeting some of
my friends from abroad, who had
arrived in the afternoon. The play was
the 8th of January, or the battle of New Orleans.
The Heroes of the play were the two opposing
Generals, Jackson and Packenham . The
only incident of any originality was not
in the play as written. It was that just
as Gen. Packenham was to appear on the stage
he was arrested and carried off by a
constable. Weed came home with me &
we discussed matters and things in general
over a cold supper and hot punch. I was
surprised to find when he left me it was
one o'clock. J's letter is all in character,
Sunday Schools and Anti Masonry figure in
every paragraph. I should think the advance-
ment of the former must be somewhat retarded
by the connection with the latter.