May 22d. [1824] ----After a call on Flaxman, dined with Captain Franklin. A small but interesting party. Several friends of Franklin's--travellers, or persons interested in his journeys,--all gentlemen and men of sense. They talked of the Captain's travels with vivacity, and he was in good spirits; he appeared quite the man for the perilous enterprise he has undertaken. Mr. Palgrave (formerly Cohen), a well-known antiquary, was there, and his wife, the daughter of Dawson Turner. She has more beauty, elegance, sense, and taste united than I have seen for a long time.

This evening we have been sitting in the pretty little schoolroom abovestairs that overlooks the park, enjoying the lovely view of a sunset behind the waving screen of fine trees and watching the varying tints of the brilliant sky, more particularly gorgeous than in the purer and more transparent air of the country, whilst the now serpentine canal, seen only in glimpses through the stems of the trees, looks like a pretty river rippled by the ruffling breeze that followed the diappearance of the sun. The pleasantness of these objects was much increased by the sweet sounds that rose also, the gay chirping of the birds close by us in the trees, with the more distant evening song of the tooks from the Carlton Palace gardens, and in fits, there came, brought by the wind, the fine sweet tones of St. Margaret's chimes.