Events of September 1878

Thirty-one years after his diary was written, Paine finds a blank page and records the major events of his life that have since occurred, including his marriage and birth of his children, the death of his parents and brothers, his relocation to Lexington Massachusetts, and the loss of his old family homestead.

Events of April 1847

Paine’s first entry of this month is a reflection on the monotony of human life. In a manner of thinking that is almost existential, he writes “Days succeeds days with nearly the same routine of cares... years advance in this way, & though friends are dropping off, & society changing around us, yet with us there is little change, except that we grow older by and by old age approaches, & finally death closes the scene.” He concludes the entry with the wish that his existence has in some way improved the world. Later he writes about his favorable view of leisure time and socializing with females.

Events of May 1847

The month of May kept Paine quite busy with farm work and gardening. He happily comments of the beauty of the spring season and the pleasant weather. Though he enjoys the company and musical talent of family and friends, he still mourns the loss of his sister Laura.

Events of June 1847

Paine’s entries in June sing the praises of nature, the summer weather, and the beautiful world in which man lives. These happy sentiments are manifested in a poem he writes and a subsequent entry in which he urges mankind to “learn how to live & enjoy life.”

Events of early July 1847

Paine begins the month with a social retreat with five other couples. After having such a pleasant, social time, he expresses his longing for the system of society to change so that man can better “exercise his natural desires.” July also brings his twenty-third birthday, which inspires him to recollect his family history and trace the progression of his schooling and his past teachers.

Events of late July 1847

In late July, Paine is still very much occupied with his farm work and writes how he has hired someone to help with it for half the month. He also comments on the musical talents and physical beauty of two female visitors.

Events of August 1847

Months after his sister Laura’s death, Paine still writes about how much he misses her. Now a family of six brothers, he recognizes that the last time he had seen all his siblings together there were seven children in the family. He wonders about his family’s future in this “changing world,” as the death of Laura has deeply affected him. Still fully consumed with farm work, and having been so for several months, Paine reflects on his desire for and the agreeableness of leisure time. Echoing sentiments written in earlier entries, Pain writes “This is indeed a lovely world & we all ought to enjoy as best we can, & we should. But can we if engaged in incessant toil?”

Events of July 1848

Having left several blank pages in the middle of his diary, Paine writes an entry on his twenty-fourth birthday. This entry comes directly after his entry written in July 1847 on the day of his twenty-third birthday. With exactly one year passed, Paine comments on how quickly time goes by. Thinking about the uncertainty of the future, he wills himself and all men to “press with vigor on.”