[369] latter curious about the rich, large houses in New York. There were more people there that I knew than I expected to find in any London party of the sort. Tuesday, July 14.—Lizzie's letter of the 28th—30th was my morning benediction. Thank you for it, darling child. . . . . If I could now only get news of your safe and comfortable arrival at home, dearest wife, it seems as if I should be patient. But I do not suppose I shall be till I see you all. As soon as I had read your letter, dearest Lizzie, I took the rest, . . . . and set off on my travels into the city to breakfast with the Milmans. The rooms were not quite so dark as they were when we breakfasted there a year ago, for the weather is very bright and warm. But even if it had been dull and smoky outside, the company at table would have made everything cheerful, namely, the Lyells, the Heads, Elwin (editor of the ‘Quarterly’), and Macaulay, so that, with the family, we had just ten, which seems to be the general number. Macaulay, of course, did the talking, and certainly he did it well. He was more positively amusing than I have ever heard him, more nearly droll. . . . . By the time I reached home—four miles, I think—. . . . it was two o'clock, and very hot and close. Reeve, the editor of the ‘Edinburgh Review,’ came in soon afterwards, and I talked with him for nearly an hour. We all dined together, with Mrs. Stanley, a very agreeable, sensible old lady, mother of the Stanley who wrote Arnold's Life . . . . We had Mad. Mohl, Senior, and Grote, the historian, so that there were abundant materials for good talk, and we had it; Grote doing his part rather solemnly, but very well. In the evening Tocqueville came in, passing through London towards home, and so I took leave of him . . . . for the third time, and always sorry to do it. . . . . July 15.—I worked a good while at Stirling's this morning; but as he gives me leave, very liberally, to bring home with me such books as I want to examine, I did not stop so long as I otherwise should have done, but came home to rest a little. It was lucky I did, for I was but just stretched on the sofa when I was called to the Duc de Broglie and Albert. They have been, as you know, to visit the family of Louis Philippe. . . .. The Duc is one of their counsellors, or, as the Duc d'aumale called him, this afternoon at Lady Holland's, the patriarch in their politics. They are only in town for a part of the day, so that I was really touched with their kindness in coming to see me at all. But on Friday they will be here again for a few
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Boston, J. R. Osgood and company, 1876.
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