I had a brief visit from Mr Bowles, who has returned from Paris apparently for the purpose of trying to set up once more the ricketty organization of the sanitary commission He said that Mr Lampson was now encouraged to go on, and behind the recalcitrant people would come in so that they might do nicely. I said I hoped for the best, but my confidence was not strong. He said the Paris committee was zealous and active. They had set him back to communicate their opinions and expectations. Wrote some letters home in advance of the customary time, as there seems more work than common. The great world is much stirred with the gossip respecting an incident that took place at the Christening of the young prince on the 10th at Marlborough House. After the ceremony came a Banquet at which several toasts were drunk. When it came to that of the Princess’s father, the King of Denmark, it seems that Count Benstorf remained sitting and covering his glass with his hand. The incident was noticed by one of the Prince’s sisters and caused some feeling. The next sentiment was to the Queen. Upon which Count B. remarked to the Princess Mary of Cambridge who was next to him, that that was a toast which all could drink. That evening the Princess of Wales on their return from table turned her back upon him, and the Prince wrote him a note demanding an explanation. This is said to have drawn from him a lame apology disavowing offence and laying his abstaining from wine to illness and the effect of a dose of opium. Flimsy as the excuse was, it could not be refused. But as the sympathy runs high for the Danes Count Berstorff’s position is not enviable. There are other stories afloat about discussing in the royal family, and difficulties between the Prince and his mother that do not seem so authentic. Mrs Adams and I dined with Lady Waldegrave and Mr C. Fortescue. A large company of whom I knew the Duke d’Aurnale, Lord and Lady Clanricard, Lord and Lady Castlerosse, Mr and Mrs Harcourt Vernon, Mr and Mrs Law, Lord and Lady Besborough, Lord and Lady Sydney, Lord Besborough, Lord and Lady Sydney, Lord Abingdon, Sir David Dundas and Baron Beck Fries. I sat between Lady Clanricard and Lady Castlerosse. The former604 is the sole surviving child of George Canning, and a very intelligent and informed woman. I do not like the expression of her face better than that of her husband, who took down Mrs Adams, as the Duchess of Somerset was taken by Mr Fortescue. Mr Love amused me a good deal with her talk. She is not much relished here, but I think her much better than some whose higher breeding makes them more artificial. She said they were much elated by the result of a division in the House. A few evenings since things had looked pretty dark, but they would now get along. All which shows how feeble is the ministerial stand. The lion of the evening reception was Mr Stansfeld, who has been marked out by the French government as a person connected with Mazini in instigating some Italians to dancing party at Lady Palmerston’s, to which my wife and daughter were not invited. This is a spice of the old feeling. Mr Speaker Denison spoke to me of Mr Roebuck’s insolence of the other night, much as he did on the former occasion. He regretted that no power existed to stop it as a violation of International courtesy.