The preparation of my Quarterly accounts and of my letters to my sons absorbed my morning, so that I did not get out until quite late. The arrival of the Steamer from Boston does not confine the accounts of the capture of Petersburg, but on the contrary announces a failure to carry the inner line of intrenchments, attended with heavy loss. Such are the alternations of the campaign! Nevertheless the general result is steady gain of ground. The content for the possession of Richmond looks more in earnest than ever before. And though Lee defends himself well, it is the defence of intrenchments, which marks a decline of his confidence in his strength. Whilst I long for the end of the war, I see no occasion to change my opinion of its nature. Mrs Adams Mary and I dined with the Duke of Devonshire. The company consisted of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll, a sister of Lord Spencer, Lord and Lady Taunton, Lord Richard Grosvenor, which made up about all I knew. Lady Louisa Cavendish is a very modest, unassuming person who does the honors simply and without pretension. It was a little curious that Lord Hartington and Edward, the youngest son should dine out. For the first, I can readily account.61