A heavy rain in the night and thick to day. Went to town and found the week’s Despatches and letters just arrived. They were not very material, and did not call for many replies. Practically the difficult questions between the two countries no longer multiply. I also wrote to my son John an answer to his letter so as to lighten the work of tomorrow. The American news a little ambiguous as to the result of the Pennsylvania election. Here there is profound repose. The funeral of the Duke of Newcastle marks the fourth instance of vacancy in the cabinet as it stood when I came here, less than four years ago. This a change of a quarter part. Yet on the whole, there is little perceptible effect on its substance. The average of ability and capacity is sustained, at its original not very high level. Home in the dark— Found Mr Taylor here to dinner, and back to London in the evening.