23 October 1865 – 29 October 1865

To London. At E. B. J.'s, 41 Kensington Square. Rain. In driving from Waterloo past Westminster Abbey saw crowd of people with umbrellas — Lord Palmerston's funeral.

41 Kensington Square — two studios. ' Zephyr carrying Psyche ' — delightful — precipice, green valley, Love's curly little castle below. Designs of' St. George and Dragon.' Drawings of Heads. Circe (a-doing), she stretching her arm across. Go to see Chang the Chinese Giant, and meet Lord Houghton there, always friendly, invites me to come with him on Sunday to Westminster Abbey to hear funeral sermon on Palmerston — to call for him at the Athenaeum Club. Mrs. Chang. The Dwarf, queer little toad. Dine at Bertolini's.

With Lord Houghton to Westminster Abbey. He took me to the Deanery and introduced me to Dean Stanley and Lady Augusta ; three or four others were present. After a few minutes we moved to the Abbey, entering by a special door ; the Dean went his own way, and our party was taken in charge by a special verger, who marched before us with his silver staif and ushered us to seats in front of the pulpit. I imagined myself for the time Marquis of Ballyshannon. Dean S., looking in his skull-cap a hundred years old, preached his funeral sermon on Lord Palmerston. He made no pretence of giving any religious colour to it, praised P.'s honour, courage, cheerful good sense, ' In trying circumstances he never took fright,' said the Dean, ' never was flurried, never desponded,' and so on. We went out by one of the public doors, like ordinary minor Christians.