9 February 1874 – 15 February 1874

Carlyle has received the German order Pour le Merite — black ribbon with silver line near each edge ; he dictates to Mary letters to the Ambassador and to Berlin, but cannot phrase them to his mind. We walked to Palace Gate : returning saw the red glare in the sky of a great fire. C. quoted — A little spark makes muckle wark. It was the Storehouse called Pantechnicon, near Belgrave Square, which had boasted itself fire-proof. 'Lord Salisbury's article in the Quarterly (" Difficulties of the Liberal Party ") is good, and so quietly worded ! I thought with shame how impossible it would have been for me to avoid bursting out into the most violent language.' C. — * Gordon Bennett, an Aberdeen man, pushed himself into notice by scurrility. Somebody once said to Daniel O'Connell in a London room, bringing forward a stranger, " May I introduce to you Mr. Gordon Bennett ^ " O'Connell replied " No, you may not. Neither you nor any man alive may introduce to me Mr. Gordon Bennett." Best thing I ever heard of Dan.' W. A. — ' The blossoms are coming out.' C. — ' Ah, yes, poor things ! '