25Mar1878, A General Mad Hatter's Tea-party

LONDON, March 25th-31st, 1878.
—Ld. Salisbury succeeds Ld. Derby, Mr. Hardy goes to the Lords, and is succeeded at the War Office by Col. Stanley (very skilful of Dizzy, to keep on good terms with the Stanleys!), and there is a general Mad Hatter's Tea-party — everybody moving up (or down) one. We went to the Foreign Office on Wednesday, little thinking what was brewing! but I thought Ld. Derby looked absent and odd. Dined with the Rallis on Thursday, and had nice music afterwards. Santley sang "Revenge! Timotheus cries" grandly, and I thought fit to say to Ly. Salisbury that the song was sadly appropriate to the state of things between Russia and England—no less a person than Schouvaloff (whom I did not know by sight) being in my pocket! His keen, handsome old face remained quite impassive, however.