Fine, clear day. Busy in writing answer to letters and notes of all kinds. Not many persons to see me for a wonder. Mr Parkes came to offer to show the ladies some private galleries of pictures, but they are leaving town for a week or more. Shortly after three I accompanied Mrs Adams to pay the last formal visit of enquiry at Buckingham palace, and from thence we went to the Waterloo station to start at half past four for Mr Sturgis’s at Walton. Our trip was without incident, and Mr Sturgis’s carriage was in waiting to bring us to his house. Here we found Mrs Sturgis and the children; Colonel Hawley, Mr and Mrs Blackwood of Edinburgh and Major Blackwood constituting the guests. The dinner followed as sumptuous as ever, after which we had cards. Mr Sturgis and Colonel Hawley against Mr Blackwood and myself, at whist. Afterwards in the billiard room until midnight.