A website from the Massachusetts Historical Society; founded 1791.

Diary of Charles Francis Adams, 1863

Wednesday 4th

4 February 1863

Friday 6th

6 February 1863
5 February 1863
286
Thursday 5th
London
CFA

1863-02-05

AM

We left out kind hosts after breakfast to return to town. Mr Howard went in the earlier train, and Mr and Mrs Wortley went with us. So that Sir Henry Rawlinson and his Wife were the only person left. Nowhere has our reception been more kind and genial. Lord Wensleydale is entirely selfmade, in that particular line of a profession through which any man with the requisite powers and favoring circumstance may command success. His long career as a lawyer, and afterwards as a Judge of the King’s Buck and of the Exchequer ultimately opened to him a seat in the House of Lords, and a fortune to support him in his old age with dignity and comfort. He and his Wife are now far advanced in years, but they retain all the simplicity and kindliness of their primitive condition. I have not met a more estimable pair in England. They have survived two out of three daughters, of whom they still manifest the severity of their privation. Mr Howard, the husband of one, still remains with them and with his only son serves in part to supply the void. The surveying daughter is married to Mr Lurther, in the Diplomatic service at Berlin. We reached home safely at two o’clock. and I immediately plunged into the usual work of this day of the week. My Despatches were to be read, and answered at once. Quiet dinner. In the evening. Messr Brooks and Hunnewell with a certain Dr Bates, (I think,) passed a couple of hours.

Cite web page as:

Charles Francis Adams, Sr., [date of entry], diary, in Charles Francis Adams, Sr.: The Civil War Diaries (Unverified Transcriptions). Boston: Massachusetts Historical Society, 2015. http://www.masshist.org/publications/cfa-civil-war/view?id=DCA63d036