A very fine summer’s day. I went out in the morning for the purpose of making an excursion into the country to look at a place to stay at for the summer months, but on consultation with the house agents I concluded to put off doing so and look a little further. Much time absorbed in reading accounts of the affairs at Richmond in the New York newspapers. The do not much change the aspect of the earlier news. General McClellan’s army appears to have escaped utter disorganization, and to be now in a condition of comparative safety. But he has retreated twenty miles and he is rather on the defensive than aggressing. Of course the war must be prolonged. And the encouragement to158 farther resistance is proportionately great. The difficulties and trials which surround us are thickening, and we have only to pray that they will not be beyond our strength. In the evening Mrs Adams had her usual reception. About the average attendance, but composed of different people for the most part. In the midst of it I was called out to see Mr Dudley, the consul at Liverpool who had come to tell me of his progress in the case of the vessel fitting out against us at that post. He thinks the evidence decisive. It was after midnight when the company was cleared. It is the last but one of the season.