Chilly, variable day with heavy showers. Attended Divine service, and heard Mr Martineau preach another sermon in his series upon the labors of Paul, the Apostle. This was devoted to an examination of his teaching as showing it based upon an illfounded expectation of the return of the Messiah to establish a new kingdom on this earth. The inference of such a doctrine is clearly against the notion of a plenary inspiration of the Apostle. Mr Martineau admitting the great force and durable impression of the doctrine rather leads one to believe that he did not himself rightly comprehend its superior excellence to that which he equally preached, without result. I can scarcely reconcile myself to this subtraction from the face of the Scriptures. At three o’clock, according to agreement I called on Mr Evarts, and we drove to Pembroke Lodge to pay a visit to Earl Russell. There was hardly any body there. Lady Russell was on a sopha evidently in a very invalid condition. though cheerful and friendly as she always is. As my object was mainly to present Mr Evarts, I did not interpose at all in the conversation with Lord Russell, but talked with her, and the daughter and a young foreigner belong to the Italian Legation, I think. We took our leave shortly after five and returned home by seven o’clock. Quiet evening. The American accounts today do not bring what I had hoped, the fall of Vicksburg, but on the contrary they announce the failure of an assault. The general news in however favorable, as General Grant’s previous successes have been great, and the place is closely invested. There are accounts of General Lee’s advance across the Rapahannock which I can scarcely yet comprehend. It must be an impulse of despair. My only fear of it is in the want of a chief adequate to the emergency. As yet the responsibility for the reversal of McClellan is not relieved. Little as I think of him, he yet shows capacity to manage an army, which is after all the great qualification in a campaign. Through all this my trust in the general result continues undiminished. Although my anxiety for the fate of my son rather increases. The fierceness of the struggle does not diminish as it works towards its end.383