Morning pleasant. Office, received a long letter from A. H. Everett at Washington,1 complains of not hearing from here and wishes me to write. He intimates that an undercurrent exists between here and Washington which produces the correspondence in statement between the Globe and the Morning Post. I am fully aware of this, and it is for that reason that I have no disposition to run a tilt with them for the sake of the reformers. I think the Custom House party has no better principles but it has more means of doing mischief. I accordingly sat down and wrote a long reply detailing the whole matter from beginning to end,2 bringing the date up to last night. The writing and copying of this took me the whole day until tea-time—And I condensed more than I should have done.

Walk which is becoming daily more absolutely necessary. I missed reading Livy to do it. Mrs. Kirk called also and gave me some money.

Evening, went again to the Opera and heard the Somnambula for the sixth time. The house was much thinner than usual and manifested a failing in the Interest. As a very natural consequence the performers and more especially the chorus were more languid. I relished the piece less and began to think it best that I should not see it again very soon. Mr. Brough sung his song well but not so well as he did the last time of my hearing, and Mrs. Wood did not bring me up until the very close when her singing is admirable. On the whole, I shall remember this play with delight.