The mail and newspapers came in, which somewhat occupied us. At noon I went down to attend the coin sale of Captain Murchison. The usual set of dealers, with the addition of two or three gentlemen who made a great difference in operations. The gold penny of Henry the 3d brought a hundred and forty pounds, and the quarter florin of Edward the 3d, one hundred and seventy pounds. It strikes me that this is making a mere fancy of numismatics. The truth is that a number of wealthy people with much leisure here compete with each other to see which shall have the rarest and the most beautiful specimens. I purchased a few of the commoner lots, which evidently stirred the temper of one of these gentlemen, who not knowing me wondered who Mr Adams was that laid the cheap ones. They did not seem to me relatively cheap, to other sales that I have attended. This is however a wonderful English series, and I should be glad to buy more, were the times propitious. We dined at Lord and Lady Wensleydale’s. Company the Duke and Duchess of Argyll, Lord and Lady, Dufferin, Lord and Lady Allwyn Compton, Mr and Mrs Lawther, Mr Trevelyan, Mr Charles Howard and his son George, and one more whom I did not know. Rather lively. The announcement was made of the engagement of Mr George who is not yet of age, to the youngest daughter of Lady Stanley of Alderley. She and her daughters came in after dinner. We left this early to attend a reception at the Archbishop of Canterbury’s at Lambeth. A great crowd, but I knew only four persons. From here we went to a ball at the Admiralty, where there was a likewise a crowd. As Mary was unwell with a cold and remained at home, we got away by midnight. The ministers have made their exposition in Parliament, and the issue is to do nothing. There is a delay in the debate. But the feeling of mortification at the situation in which Great Britain has been placed is very general. A Ministry of good intentions, which interferes to give advice, now and then coaxing, or threatening, but never ready to act brings us back to the days of Henry Pelham and the Duke of Newcastle.58