A broken, uncomfortable kind of day. The newspapers and despatches not entirely satisfactory without at the same time being absolutely discouraging. A letter from Charles of the 19th and 20th of last month indicating some fatigue and over exertion by General Grant. I am now inclined to believe the attack must go into length. Visits from one or two persons, and several notes written in arrears. Afterward a walk with Brooks who came home from school. We had to dinner today Lord and Lady Belper and Miss Strutt, Mr and Mrs Peel, Sir Robert and Lady Collier and Miss Collier, Mr Mrs and Miss Story, Sir John and Miss Shaw-Lefevre, Mr and Mrs Sheridan, Baron Bentinck, Mr Laugel, and Mr Mather. In the midst of dinner, Mr and Mrs Kuhn arrived from Liverpool, though I did not see them until the company left the table. As Lady Palmerston had a reception, I went with my son Henry. A great crowd, full of congratulations. His Lordship received mine with complacency, but I could easily see the lady to be the most elated. The result was certainly unexpected. It seems to have been owing to a defection of seven of the opposition who voted for ministers, and to the absence of others neutralized by the supposed interference of the Pope with the Irish Catholics, eighteen of whom when over to the opposition. This defection was however less extensive than was at one time anticipated I learn that under this charged aspect of affairs there will be no dissolution this year—perhaps none until October of next year when the Parliament itself will be nearly at its end. Palmerston himself will scarcely run farther, at least as a premier.