On reaching London, Dr. Livingstone took tip his quarters at the Tavistock Hotel; but he had hardly swallowed dinner, when he was off to call on Sir Roderick and Lady Murchison.

“Sir Roderick took me off with him, just as I was, to Lady Palmerston’s reception.  My lady very gracious—­gave me tea herself.  Lord Palmerston looking well.  Had two conversations with him about slave-trade.  Sir Roderick says that he is more intent on maintaining his policy on that than on any other thing.  And so is she—­wonderfully fine, matronly lady.  Her daughters are grown up.  Lady Shaftesbury like her mother in beauty and grace.  Saw and spoke to Sir Charles Wood about India, ’his Eastern Empire,’ as he laughingly called it.  Spoke to Duke and Duchess of Somerset.  All say very polite things, and all wonderfully considerate.”

An invitation to dine with Lord Palmerston on the 29th detained him for a few days from going down to Scotland.

“Monday, 25_th July_.—­Went to Foreign Office....  Got a dress suit at Nicol & Co.’s, and dined with Lord and Lady Dunmore.  Very clever and intelligent man, and lady very sprightly.  Thence to Duchess of Wellington’s reception.  A grand company—­magnificent rooms.  Met Lord and Lady Colchester, Mrs. F. Peel, Lady Emily Peel, Lady de Redcliffe, Lord Broughton, Lord Houghton, and many more whose names escaped me.  Ladies wonderfully beautiful—­rich and rare were the gems they wore.

“26_th July.—­Go_ to Wimbledon with Mr. Murray, and see Sir Bartle Frere’s children....  See Lord Russell—­his manner is very cold, as all the Russells are.  Saw Mr. Layard too; he is warm and frank.  Received an invitation from the Lord Mayor to dine with Her Majesty’s Ministers.

“27_th July_.—­Hear the sad news that Robert is In the American army....  Went to Lord Mayor Lawrence’s to dinner....”

With reference to the “sad news” of Robert, which made his father very heavy-hearted during the first part of his visit home, it is right to state a few particulars, as the painful subject found its way into print, and was not always recorded accurately.  Robert had some promising qualities, and those who knew and understood him had good hopes of his turning out well.  But he was extremely restless, as if, to use Livingstone’s phrase, he had got “a deal of the vagabond nature from his father;” and school-life was very irksome to him.  With the view of joining his father, he was sent to Natal, but he found no opportunity of getting thence to the Zambesi.  Leaving Natal, he found his way to America, and at Boston he enlisted in the Federal army.  The service was as hot as could be.  In one battle, two men were killed close to him by shrapnel shell, a rifle bullet passed close to his head, and killed a man behind him; other two were wounded close by him.  His letters to his sister expressed his regret at the course of his life, and confessed that his troubles were due to his disobedience.  So