The smoke vanished in the night, giving way to a cold, clear atmosphere. Went to the city and groped my way into a Church which I found to be St Michael’s, College hill, Vintry. A curious incident connected with this happened. I asked a police man standing near it, and two other persons from the neighboring houses what the name of it was. Neither of them knew any thing about it. This may be no183 just cause of surprise, if the attendance be commonly as it was today. I counted exactly twelve worshippers in the pews. It is one of Sir Christopher’s designs, but with little of his characteristic manner. A plain parallelogram with a simple though not absolutely flat ceiling. Plenty of windows long and rather, narrow. No galleries excepting that for the organ. The dark oak lining and pews took off the baldness, and the Pulpit as well as other prominent objects had rich carving. The service was read more defectively than is common. The preacher seemed to overrun his words in such a way as to enunciate only the principal ones. I found much difficulty in following him in the sermon which was on the text of 2 Peter 3, last verse “Grow in grace.” He assumed this to be synonimous with faith, and proceeded in exhorting to the cultivation of the latter. The topic of grace is the most fruitful of all in theology, but it seems to me to be regarded as involving a different idea from faith. It is commonly maintained to be a divine gift, whilst the other is a human effort. Returned home to luncheon. Mrs Adams had a bad night until near three o’clock, but slept quietly afterwards. She seemed better today. A visit from Mr Bentzen, and a walk around the Regent’s Park. The bag came from America tonight, but again brought me no letter from Mr Seward. This is a little unkind, and puts me to the most serious inconvenience. If it were not for my sense of duty to my country which overrides all other considerations I would thence up my commission at once. Mr J. C Bates paid us a visit in the evening. Read more of Dr Palfrey’s book.