The pressure of letters grows on me all the time, so that I am beginning to throw the duty of answering them upon my son. I have likewise many person to visit me, some of them Americans and some English. Mr Forster came to enquire how matters stood now and to find out how much truth there was in the threatening reports from America. I did my best to quiet his uneasiness. Messr Aspinwall and Forbes to talk about the expediency of buying ships out of the hands of the rebels. I think if we do not need them, this is merely playing the game of the Englishman. The competition for arms at the outset of the war raised their price more than double, and so it would be with Steamers. Dined with Mrs Adams at Mrs Hay’s. She is a daughter of Mr Dinean who was also there354 All the rest were Scot country neighbors of Mr Hay. Sir David Baird, Mr and Mrs Murray, Mr and Mrs Campbell, and another lady whose name I do not know. Rather dull. The Scotch are not interesting. The wonder is how Walter Scott managed to them around them so brilliant a halo of pure imagination. Glad to get home