Arrival from Boston on December 31st in a snowstorm, stayed with Mr Riley the entomologist until a suitable room available, will stay at the Hamilton for next two or three months; instructions re. ARW's pension; Williams now has applications for many ARW lectures; meeting with Prof Coues; accounts from MacMillan can be signed by Annie.

Her letter about snow in England and damage to garden; Hampden (John Hampden of the Flat Earth Society) not a threat as few American papers would print anything by him; flattery becoming "quite painful", quotes remarks by dinner host, Mr Nordhoff, Washington representative of New York Herald, describes dinner in detail including settings (guests names in gold on rose leaves), dining etiquette; J A Allen, father of Grant Allen staying nearby with his family; magnificence of Washington, street layout and houses; details of city's tram system; approval of American methods of warming houses and trains; superiority of American railway system; details of hotel room including heater and gas lamp; amazing experiences of spiritualist General Lippitt, materialisations and slate-writing; séances attended; visit to millionaire spiritualist Senator Stanford and his wife, Stanford to spend 20 million dollars to found a university in memory of his son; sending press cuttings on weather and on Garibaldi; no lectures recently but two arranged in Canada in March; has sent an article to Harris and written reviews for some American papers.