As a general thing the company were more plainly dressed than I had expected.  I am really glad that there is a movement being made to carry the doctrine of plain dress into our diplomatic representation.  Even older nations are becoming tired of mere shows; and, certainly, the representatives of a republic ought not to begin to put on the finery which monarchies are beginning to cast off.

The present lord mayor is a member of the House of Commons—­a most liberal-minded man; very simple, but pleasing in his appearance and address; one who seems to think more of essentials than of show.

He is a dissenter, being a member of Rev. Mr. Binney’s church, a man warmly interested in the promotion of Sabbath schools, and every worthy and benevolent object.

The ceremonies of the dinner were long and weary, and, I thought, seemed to be more fully entered into by a flourishing official, who stood at the mayor’s back, than by any other person present.

The business of toast-drinking is reduced to the nicest system.  A regular official, called a toast master, stood behind the lord mayor with a paper, from which he read the toasts in their order.  Every one, according to his several rank, pretensions, and station, must be toasted in his gradation; and every person toasted must have his name announced by the official,—­the larger dignitaries being proposed alone in their glory, while the smaller fry are read out by the dozen,—­and to each toast somebody must get up and make a speech.

First, after the usual loyal toasts, the lord mayor proposed the health of the American minister, expressing himself in the warmest terms of friendship towards our country; to which Mr. Ingersoll responded very handsomely.  Among the speakers I was particularly pleased with Lord Chief Baron Pollock, who, in the absence of Lord Chief Justice Campbell, was toasted as the highest representative of the legal profession.  He spoke with great dignity, simplicity, and courtesy, taking occasion to pay very flattering compliments to the American legal profession, speaking particularly of Judge Story.  The compliment gave me great pleasure, because it seemed a just and noble-minded appreciation, and not a mere civil fiction.  We are always better pleased with appreciation than flattery, though perhaps he strained a point when he said, “Our brethren on the other side of the Atlantic, with whom we are now exchanging legal authorities, I fear largely surpass us in the production of philosophic and comprehensive forms.”

Speaking of the two countries he said, “God forbid that, with a common language, with common laws which we are materially improving for the benefit of mankind, with one common literature, with one common religion, and above all with one common love of liberty, God forbid that any feeling should arise between the two countries but the desire to carry through the world these advantages.”