Late yesterday Mrs Morse called to invite me to breakfast this morning. Through an Italian instructor of her daughter, connected with Garibaldi an invitation had been accepted by him for nine o’clock, and she was endeavouring to collect the Americans for the occasion. The morning was fine, and I drove there in season. The usual assemblage about the door even at an early hour indicated the close watch kept by the populace on this proceedings. There were but a small number present, but they embraced pretty much all the Americans in London. Garibaldi came a few minutes after his hour, attended by three or four of his Italian friends. He seemed fatigued, but quiet and easy as usual. He spoke of his visit to New York in 1849–50 and his return to Boston in 1834, and reaffirmed his being a naturalized citizen. He also spoke of his interest in the slave question, and his willingness to have gone to America, if he could have been of any service in the field. But the advancement of General Grant seemed to him likely to accomplish the object of the war. He complained a little of swimming in the head, the consequence of the great pressure of the successive popular demonstrations. This is the assigned course for his sudden departure today. But as there636 has been much question made respecting this, and a rumor has been generally spread that this decision had been prompted by the Ministry, in consequence of the dissatisfaction of Napoleon, I enquired of one of the suite whether there was any foundation for it. He replied that as it respected France it was not true. But intimations had been received that the proceedings of the conference on the Danish war were stopped by the refusal of the German sovereigns to send their delegates whilst Garibaldi was here— So this had had its effect. Mr Gladstone has then in his possessions in the cannons of his exclusive devotion to the welfare of the guest, been playing the Jesuit, according to his wont. And the Germans have been following up their game of delays and equivocations with less and less of a pretence of disguise. After a regular presentation of Americans Garibaldi left at about ten, and I immediately returned home where I completed my private letters in season for a drive with Mrs Adams, to return some formal visits. Quiet evening at home.