03Mar1866, A Party During Lent

LONDON, March 3rd, 1866.
—Had to go, as an inevitable civility, to a party at Lady de Grey's as we had refused 3 other invitations of hers. I had the Lentums, and didn't like it at all ! Dinners feel much less frivolous to me : connected quiet talk, saving of trouble (and expense !) at home, and early getting away, and no squash or roar, or crowd of footmen, linkmen, and unwashed, gaping and shouting outside. I am glad to say we saved Sunday by ½ a minute.