This house is much like Mr Denison’s, large and somewhat ancient, but no effort has been made to modernize it. On the right of the hall in the library, which is also used as a breakfast room, on the left a spacious Drawing room, whilst the Dining room which is likewise large is reached through a narrow passage to the rear. It seems to accommodate all the guests with ease. The bedrooms have a dressing room attached in which every provision is made for a gentleman’s comfort. This I have met with uniformly. At breakfast the company as broken up at two tables, which did away with much of295 the formality. Lord and Lady Wensleydale are great favorites of mine. They are a curious but very worthy pair. He is an excellent lawyer, though now far advanced in life, and retired from the bench. Mr Froude is a pleasant though slightly artificial person. Mr Venables is very intelligent and well informed but crusty in the bad style of his country. Mr Forster is no courtier, but an honest and independent man. My morning was passed in writing letters, and in reading. After luncheon we were invited by Mr Milnes to drive over and see Sir John Ramsden’s place, Byrane Hall. He was out, but his mother received us very courteously. Another spacious country house architecturally poor, but made comfortable and elegant by wealth. We walked around his place. It is a dead flat without any beauty, but he is laying it out and introducing water in such a manner that he may with time and much outlay raise it into grace and dignity. Having made the tour we took our leave and returned home. This is the same Sir John Ramsden whom I heard in the House of Commons exult in the bursting of the republican bubble. Well he might, for has not he sixty or seventy thousand pounds per annum? The rain had been so heavy in the night that we found the river up much of the country, and covering the road in places. There was another guest tonight, a Mr Ledyard. The usual array at dinner. Afterwards, cards.