A perfect summer day. My morning absorbed by persons visiting me. The arrival of the Persia has brought in a swarm of Americans. I had no time left to read the American newspapers. Captain Schultz come with the new treaty about the Slave trade, which is to be notified and exchanged here. At half past twelve I started with Mrs Adams in the carriage to drive to Pembroke Lodge where we had been invited to take luncheon with Lord and Lady Russell. The country is really lovely, for fewer than it was last year at this time. One year ago yesterday I went over this same ground on a very chilly day with the unpleasant task of stirring a difficulty as my first104 diplomatic task with a person whom I met for the first time. What a memorable year has passed in the interval. I hope that peruse experience may not be repeated. At least things are much changed at this moment. The government here has become better acquainted with ours, and more sensible of the energies of the nation. It is always alive to the development of power. Lord and Lady Russell are pleasanter as seen in their domestic life than elsewhere. No family is more throughly a home circle— We rambled over the place which does look most charmingly, and he opened the subject of our struggle. He said it seemed to be turning in our favour. The question yet remained what next? That would depend upon the pertinacity of the resistance. I replied, that this was what I did not believe in. I could give those people credit for some good qualities, but for moral power under great adversity I had no faith in them. He then referred to men, Mason, Slidell, Benjamin, Davis and I commented on them all. He betrayed acquaintance with their letters and their state of mind which made me draw my own inferences. I tried to give some general ideas of the nature and causes of the original rebellion which may modify his impressions. I think he means better than Mr Cobden gives him credit for. We had no company excepting Mr Parkes, the Consul in China, whom I heard discoursing at Mr Kinnaird’s. The latter gave me a letter of introduction for Mr Burlingame. At a little after four we returned home. In the evening Mrs Adams had her third reception. About forty or fifty people, a large share of them English. The Americans are few and far between.