Gray. No rain: & a shimmering of sun.

All the morning, looked over, & destroyed letters.

At 1.30 called on the Percys ― out, Brights ― where was Ogle. Grenfell, & Chapman, ― seeing R. Cholmondeley & Gibbs: ― Lady James, seeing Sir Walter; ― then home. Poi, Mrs. Leake, out: ― Cockerells, seeing the old gentleman & Fred: ― Miss C. to be Mrs. Benson. Then Mrs. Martineau: ― after all which I returned by 5.30 to Stratford Place.

At 6½ to Lady Bethell’s ― (Sir R. away at Hackwood. ―) Wally there, apparently gentle & gentlemanly. ― I say, apparently for I tremble for his youth. ― And, Gussie, ― always the same, good & real. ― Then came “Baptiste Metaξà ―” & 2 sons ― & it is not possible to say what a disgusting slaverer this man is: how lying, ― false, ― vulgar, ― odious. ― Nothing would be more irritating. ― But the disclosures made by poor Lady B. about Dick, the blackguard, ― were frightful. ― I do not put them down ― but keep them to shudder at. ―

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]