The tide permitted a surf bath this morning, but the wind was wrong and I had nothing but a little paddling in very shallow water. Yet it was bracing. After breakfast I took a walk in company with Mr Kuhn to see the castle at Rhuddlan. Until we reached this point, the country was flat and uninteresting. The castle is one of the smaller class. It was faced with red stone which has worn away, thus showing its antiquity. It stands on a relatively high point, from which the land slopes rapidly down to the edge of a small stream. There was a wall and a moat with a square guard tower100 making the angle towards the river. Its origin and history are little known, but its fate is clear. The redoubtable General Mytton deprived it of its fangs. I walked back but finding my face to have suffered to a most unusual degree by the effect of the sun and air of some days past, I declined to go out again. Had a visit from Mr H A Hayward who is here moralizing. He had no news however. That which came from America today was however very favorable. We certainly have distinguished naval officer in Farragut. The evening was calm and clear and very lovely.