Variable weather. Very busy writing my private letters to America which absorbed all my time until five o’clock. The accounts were rather better today from France Mr Weed writes with more confidence, but I entertain none in Napoleon. The tendencies look better here likewise. The army will have time to determine the question. I had one or two visits, from Sir Henry Holland to bring in a letter to Mr Everett for the mail bag, and from the Duke of Argyll in response to my despatch to him. He asked about Mr Sumner’s speech and I gave him a copy of it. It is a strong effort, and made almost entirely out of the substance of my Dispatch of the 3d of December which he must have seen. But it will cost him all of his popularity in England. Walk with bothy my younger children. Mr W S. Everett dined with us and spent the evening. We had a little Whist.