Mild, fine morning. I went by invitation to breakfast with Mr Munchton Milnes. A company of about a dozen, of whom I knew Mr Twisleton, Mr Venables, Mr Forster,and made the acquaintance of Messr Morris, Brown, and several more whose names I cannot recall. The conversation turned upon the withdrawal by the Ministry of their plan of revising the code of education last night. It is regarded as the last degree of weakness. Yet there will be no change. Such is the remarkable condition of things in this island! Some talk about the late action of the Monitor which is making a prodigious stir here. The revolution in opinion concerning the formidable character of the United States is marvellous. It neutralizes all desire to meddle with the struggle. I was obliged to leave before noon, in order to meet a gentleman who sought an appointment at that hour, but did not finally come. The day was much wasted. In the evening, Mrs Adams, my son Henry and I went to Lady Palmerston’s reception. It was quite large. Lord Palmerston had his hands in a sling, as he suffers with gout. He certainly looks badly. Sir George Lewis and Lord Cranworth attacked me about the old doctrine of subjection and the impossibility of reconstruction. I replied that the desire here to see the Union divided furnished me the strongest argument there against permitting it to be done. This rather closed the conversation. The feeling of jealousy is all pervading here, and scarcely covered with a decent veil. It convinces me more of the wisdom of our own policy than nay domestic view of it. I saw so many acquaintances tonight that I really begin to feel as if I was getting into society. We remained about an hour, and get home at midnight. Mr Morse here for an hour after dinner.60