Visitors this morning. Mr. Ogden of Chicago, or somewhere in the Western
States, who arrived in England a fortnight ago, and who called on me at
that time. He has since been in Scotland, and is now going to London and
the Continent; secondly, the Captain of the Collins steamer Pacific,
which sails to-day; thirdly, an American shipmaster, who complained that
he had never, in his heretofore voyages, been able to get sight of the
American Consul.

Mr. Pearce's customary matutinal visit was unusually agreeable to-day,
inasmuch as he laid on my desk nineteen golden sovereigns and thirteen
shillings. It being the day of the steamer's departure, an unusual
number of invoice certificates had been required,--my signature to each
of which brings me two dollars.

The autograph of a living author has seldom been so much in request at so
respectable a price. Colonel Crittenden told me that he had received as
much as fifty pounds on a single day. Heaven prosper the trade between
America and Liverpool!


August 15th.--Many scenes which I should have liked to record have
occurred; but the pressure of business has prevented me from recording
them from day to day.

On Thursday I went, on invitation from Mr. B., to the prodigious steamer
Great Britain, down the harbor, and some miles into the sea, to escort
her off a little way on her voyage to Australia. There is an immense
enthusiasm among the English people about this ship, on account of its
being the largest in the world. The shores were lined with people to see