Has difficulty in providing Mr. Loyd with a pew; would she object if he moves the pew occupied by her servants to a different part of the church? Hopes JH did not catch a chill yesterday.

Was in London last week, but was unable to see JH as he had returned to Collingwood.

Will always remember the happy day he spent at Collingwood. Spent the evening with Mr. Grant. Has ordered a sea picture for JH. Has obtained the remainder of the Griffith papers.

Postpones trip to Collingwood to dine with [Elizabeth] Baily on Thursday. Send coach to Cranbrook on Friday instead. Queen is going to Ireland. Annual revenue is good. Thick gloom and darkness over London today.

Received formal notice that MH will be voted to membership in Royal Institution on 3 Mar. John Barlow will reserve seats for daughters Caroline and Isabella. JH has tickets to Institution lectures. Son William's exams with W. T. Hooper [at Haileybury College] yesterday. Family finances.

Will try to get away tomorrow in time to join Gordons for trip to Collingwood [for Christmas]. Request from MH's milliner. Happy that MH patched things over with Stevensons. MH's letter to Mrs. Maclear was returned.

No other 'letter of agents' here. MH is right about son William's camera. JH longs for Collingwood.

Distressing train trip back to London. JH protested at Tunbridge Wells and had third class passengers removed from second class carriage. MH's medicine works well for JH. Will go to Charley Street this evening.

JH and daughters attended German minister C. C. J. Bunsen's dinner, met distinguished guests. Describes delicate Etruscan vases at Bunsen's. Has MH received money from [Thomas] Ayern for timber? James [C. Stewart] was in London yesterday. Mr. M [Murchison?] says that 'G. is in very bad hands,' but JH's daughters report that she was well yesterday. Encloses note from G. B. Airy, who was not impressed by [?]'s test results. Bills for [son William's] tuition at Haileybury.

Home remedies for JH's insomnia. Mr. Gibsone returned from Berlin and visited JH last night, causing JH to miss seeing comet again. It is not J. R. Hind's missing comet.

Mint business. W. T. Brande now has two jobs. Lyells are back. Mr. Newham reports legal problem determining who will pay for construction at 204 'OHd' Street. Bank balance is low; check records to see when [Jesse] Piper's rent is due. Alexander Herschel's artistic ability. Urges MH to read Margaret Oliphant's Adam Graeme of Mossgray.

Describes 'First Dinner' at Billingsgate. Adjourned to [Richard] Jones's rooms on Suffolk Street for tea and herrings. Charles Trevelyan is out of town.

Family finances. Plans to let Charlotte go on Friday, to keep peace with regular cook. Will go to Naish on Saturday and bring daughters back on Monday. Will dine on Tuesday with new Chancellor of Exchequer [W. E. Gladstone]. Concern for daughter Amelia; with good nursing, she will grow new skin. Leonhard Schmitz's new Roman History is probably reproduction of B. G. Niebuhr's lectures.

Helped son William board ship to France. Instructions for sending mail to William in India. Recipe for croton pills. Letter from Matilda [Grahame Stewart]. What shall JH tell J. E. Mayall about 'J. S.'s photographs'?

Tell Miss [Rufeneals?] that JH will take care of money owned by Miss Brandon. JH and son William will come to Collingwood for weekend. Will write to Colonial Office on behalf of [William?] Mann. Thomas Maclear will rejoice to have daughter return to Cape.

Thank daughter Isabella for account of Amelia Herschel's condition. Bank [of England] is in trouble again. Lists [Christmas] cards received. Attended Michael Faraday's wonderful lecture last night.

Thanks for MH's New Year's blessings. Divine help is sustaining JH in adversity. Family finances. Summary of 1852 accounts. Grandma [Mrs. Stewart] is ill. Mint business includes opening two Australian branches, large order for copper coinage, and decision about Mint's relationship to Bank of England. H. D. Harness is doing well.

Encloses note from W. H. B. Hamilton. Request for extension of leave for J. F. L. P. Maclear should go to captain of Meander, but JH does not know where it is, so JH wrote to captain of Victory. If Maclear receives no word by tomorrow, tell him to report to commanding officer to whom he thinks he is assigned. Problems arranging instructions in assaying for Mr. Wooley. JH and assay master H. W. Field are not on good terms. More likely that Thomas Graham and [W. A.] Miller will permit a visitor, but neither has time to train apprentices.

Went to meet Lord John Russell. JH considers [Mastership of Mint] settled, but do not speak openly of it yet. Carried out MBH's errands in London. Encloses note for daughter Louisa from Miss A. Bryant.

Cannot determine if mastership of Royal Mint will be vacant. R. L. Sheil is in Dublin. Rumors about Sheil's new appointment. Will attend Cambridge University Commission meeting today. [G. G.] Gordon congratulated JH on Mint position. JH's host, Eneas Mackintosh, suggests that JH's son John enter Addiscombe College at age 16, but JH prefers 17. Searching for house in London. P.S.: Mr. Stroud had not heard of Mrs. Jeffrey's notice. Tell JH what to wear for 'Royal presence.'