I went alone to Mrs.
Heywood's; afterwards with Mr. ------ to the American minister's, whom we
found at home; and I requested of him, on the part of the Americans at
Liverpool, to tell me the facts about the American gentleman being
refused admittance to the Levee. The ambassador did not seem to me to
make his point good for having withdrawn with the rejected guest.
July 9th. (Our wedding-day.)--We were invited yesterday evening to Mrs.
S. C. Hall's, where Jenny Lind was to sing; so we left Blackheath at
about eight o'clock in a brougham, and reached Ashley Place, as the dusk
was gathering, after nine. The Halls reside in a handsome suite of
apartments, arranged on the new system of flats, each story constituting
a separate tenement, and the various families having an entrance-hall in
common. The plan is borrowed from the Continent, and seems rather alien
to the traditionary habits of the English; though, no doubt, a good
degree of seclusion is compatible with it. Mr. Hall received us with the
greatest cordiality before we entered the drawing-room. Mrs. Hall, too,
greeted us with most kindly warmth. Jenny Lind had not yet arrived; but
I found Dr. Mackay there, and I was introduced to Miss Catherine
Sinclair, who is a literary lady, though none of her works happen to be
known to me. Soon the servant announced Madam Goldschmidt, and this
famous lady made her appearance, looking quite different from what I
expected.
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