The Times and other presses abound in attacks upon me today, perverting as much as possible the facts to suit their purpose. This shows the extent to which the blow had told. The only position I had to make in order to meet it was to sit down and write a supplementary Despatch to Mr Seward to apprise him of the extent state of the case. This and an answer to a note of Lord Russell received yesterday absorbed pretty much all of my day. The holidays grow more and more rare. I had visits too. One from a Captain Higginson, a projector anxious to aid the United States as well in war as in finance. Besides this was a Mr Spalding and his friend from Boston, who came out of compliment. And Mr Bigelow, who returns to Paris. He thinks war with this country is in the end inevitable. Mr H. T. Parker came up, evidently frightened, and urging that some explanations of the case of the Peterhof should be made in the newspapers. This is the first time he has ventured to cross my path. I doubt if he will care to try it again. Took my usual walk, beyond my ordinary bounds, however, as the day was fine. For I went round over Primrose hill. In the evening finished reading to the family Mr Kinglake’s first volume. He is diffuse and repeats himself too much. But his power of analysis both of persons and events is considerable.342