Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft.

Sunday Dec. 20^th 1863.

Went to the Capitol this morning at 11 o’ck and heard Rev John Lord (the Lecturer) preach, subject the “Sorrows of Knowledge,” took his text from Solomon, or Ecclesiastes, 1 chapter last verse, “For in much wisdom is much grief and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” He dwelt upon the imperfections of men dissecting every Class, laying bare their motives of action, their pride, Selfishness, dishonesty, ingratitude, hypocracy, &c, remarking that he who pandered to popular sentiment without reference to principle would be most popular. That the meanest and most dishonest men made the most money. And showing that the more knowledge a man got of the world the more he became disgusted with it. What we call science was but unsettled opinions, and the deeper we got the more we saw our own ignorance and discovered how unsatisfactory were our deepest studies. Knowing all this of the world and its pursuits, knowing its sorrows, its bereavements, its disappointments, the inference was that nothing but a higher life, a higher aim, could satisfy the mind. A knowledge of the world led to sorrow of the heart. A knowledge of God only led to happiness. I do not quote his language. The discourse was the most powerful I ever heard. Gen^l John Buford US Cavalry was buried today, he died of Typhoid fever in this City. His funeral was largely attended and was a great Military display reaching at least ½ mile on the Avenue with 12 men in abreast. Six Major Gen^ls were pall bearers, Gen^ls Casey, Sickels, Augur, Hancock, Heintzelman, and Gen^l Schofield. The coffin was bourne to the Hearse by Six cavalry men. His Horse with boots in the Stirrups was let behind the Hearse by two Soldiers. His mullato waiter or bodyservant walked directly behind his dead master and seemed to grieve very much. Gen^l Buford was considered the best Cavalry Gen^l we had. He was a Kentuckyan, thirty eight years of age and graduated at West Point in 1848. We have Tea sundays at Doctor Munsons at six o’clock. I called at Cha^s and staid an hour, then came to my room, wrote a letter to my wife. Tomorrow I must send some books to the Boys for Christmas presents. Julia went yesterday up to Co^l Wellings Camp, 9^th Artillery, Fort Sumner. Mrs W. sent for her, she will stay a week or so.