Cloudy with light rain towards night. My time almost all of it devoted to the preparations of despatches. As these involved a report of the conversation of the two preceding days they were longer and more elaborate than usual. Yet I accomplished them in season to be able to go out with Mrs Adams and pay some visits. At M de Bille’s, Baron Brunnows and M de Flahaults we left cards. We saw Lord and Lady Lyndhurst. The former looks a great deal better than when I last saw him. As much interested as ever in American affairs. Whilst we were there Lord Chelsea came in with the news of the declaration by Napoleon of his surrender of the power of supplementary credits as a condition of the acceptance by M Achille Fould of the direction of his finances. This letter beings by announcing a deficit of two hundred millions of dollars in the last ten years. So that the condition of France is scarcely promising. Lord Chelsea, who is a tory, seemed to be sanguine of a change in consequence here. He thought there would be a deficit here too, and the struggle that would ensue might unhorse Lord Palmerston. Lord Lyndhurst was complimentary to my speech. We afterwards went to see Sir Henry and Lady Holland. Found only the former at home. He alluded to Lord Palmerston and to the effect of my conversation with him on Tuesday. I asked him no questions how he got his information. Mrs Adams and I went out to dinner, by invitation from Sir John and Lady Hardyng. A small company of rather interesting men. Mr Roundel Palmer, the Solicitor General and Mr Palmer, Dr and Mrs Phillimore, Mr and Mrs Hammond, of the Foreign office, and Mr Arthur Stelps Clerk to the privy council and a lady whose name I did not catch. The conversation was better than usual, as they were all educated, and active men, Dr Phillimore is much reputed as a canon and civil lawyer. Mrs Phillimore, who sat next to me told me that she was a sister of the speaker, Mr Denison, whom we go to visit on Saturday.284