apartments of Stafford House again.

. . . On Tuesday Mr. Hallam took us to the British Museum, and being
a director, he could enter on a private day, when we were not
annoyed by a crowd, and, moreover, we had the advantage of the best
interpreters and guides. We did not even enter the library, which
requires a day by itself, but confined ourselves to the Antiquity
rooms. . . . As I entered the room devoted to the Elgin marbles, the
works of the "divine Phidias," I stepped with awe, as if entering a
temple, and the Secretary, who was by my side, observing it, told me
that the Grand Duke Constantine, when he came a few days before,
made, as he entered, a most profound and reverential bow. This was
one of my most delightful mornings, and I left the Antiquities with
a stronger desire to see them again than before I had seen them at
all.


Sunday, June 27th


. . . I went on Wednesday to dine at Lord Monteagle's to meet Father
Mathew, and the Archbishop of Dublin (Dr. Whately) also dined there.
Father Mathew spoke with great interest of America and of American
liberality, and is very anxious to go to our country. He saw Mr.
Forbes at Cork and spoke of him with great regard. . . . On
[Saturday] Mr. Bancroft went to the palace to see the King of the
Belgians, with the rest of the Diplomatic Corps. After his return
we went to Westminster Hall to see the prize pictures, as Lord
Lansdowne had sent us tickets for the private view. The Commission
of Fine Arts have offered prizes for the best historical pictures