[363] you might expect. But beside this we had Wilde, a Queen's Counsel of eminence; Lord Monteagle, an excellent talker; Lord Burlington, a man of known ability, but shy; and Bouverie and his wife. . . . . The conversation was good and strong, chiefly in the hands of Lord Monteagle,—Spring Rice,—who continued it afterwards in the saloon, where we became so animated that I did not get home till half past 11. July 7.—. . . Ellen had a breakfast-party this morning; Senior, Merivale, Godley,—our old friend,1—Adderley, Trench,—Dean of Westminster in place of poor Buckland, one of the men I am most glad to meet,—and Sparks. . . . . The talk was excellent. Ellen was charming at the head of her own table. . . . . July 8.—The letters came this morning by the early post. Thank Heaven, everything was right on the 22d of June. I hope I feel grateful in some degree as I should, but it seems impossible. And now I must wait till I can hear from you, and that will be a long time; two passages across the unsociable ocean. But you have made two thirds of one of them . . . . Sir Edmund Head came in immediately after breakfast.2 . . . . He is looking very well, and says he is better than he has been for many years . . . . . He is to come again to-morrow morning, and I shall go with him to Lady Head, and he with me afterwards to the British Museum . I went to the Duchess of Argyll's party . . . . . There were a good many people there whom I knew, more than I expected, and I had a very good time. The Lyells, Lord Burlington,—who is to be Duke of Devonshire, and is fit to be,—Stirling, Lord and Lady Wensleydale, Mrs. Norton, and I suppose a dozen more. July 9.—We had a most delightful breakfast at Twisleton's this morning: Tocqueville, Sir Edmund Head, Senior, Stirling, Lord Glenelg, Lord Monteagle, Merivale,--again, and I was glad of it,—Sir George Lewis, and Lord Lansdowne,—a little older than he was last year. The talk was admirable, and I was struck anew with the abundance of Lewis's knowledge; but I have not time to tell you, and only see how many pages I have written. I went home with Head, and was most kindly, even affectionately, received by Lady. Head, who could not say too much of her regret at not seeing you . . . . . We then went to Stirling's, and looked over his pictures and things, very
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1 Mr. Godley, a man of most agreeable qualities and culture, had been in Boston a few years before this time.
Boston, J. R. Osgood and company, 1876.
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