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On the rising price of potatoes in London, and the unjustness of the response to the Irish Famine. Public indifference to important questions - so, no disapprobation has been expressed at the House of Commons voting to remove some disabilities experienced by Catholics. HMC says that some (not all) Catholics can buy absolution at confession and then return to their criminality.

Pulteney (see 24) has visited three times. Westminster on the up, but will never attain its former grandeur because of rival schools and Eton (see 3). Remarks on the potato blight and the new Houses of Parliament. The rising price of provisions - the Queen is making all this 'into ridicule' by limiting her household to one pound brown bread per day, but placing no limit on beef and venison; compare also the sums thrown away each week at the French and Italian Theatres.

On the flu epidemic - all the household are suffering, and one of the servants has died.

On deaths from flu and various remedies he has been taking, and the suicide of St John Mildmay (financial difficulties). His grandson (son of his deceased son Rawden) has been staying. The school performed an extra night of the Play for Prince Albert, on his return to London...who gave them a extra week's holiday.

Two remedies (with recipes) to cure loss of appetite and want of sleep. The school has been sent home because of a fever - Dean Buckland, fancying himself a chemist, devised a remedy (which only combated bad smells), but has succumbed himself. London full of foreigners fleeing the troubles in Europe - they need less to live on, and so native workers are priced out of employment.

On the family of Charles Trevelyon, a civil servant recently knighted for services in Ireland - son of George Trevelyon, an old friend of HMC and JB.

On a particularly bad attack of indigestion. Received 2 tickets to the Phormio, which he gave to his doctor and his amanuensis. The Epilogue, a satire on the Chartists of the day, was received with much applause - will be published in The Times on the 19th. The last time he and JB saw the play was in 1779 - 2 lead characters, Dickens and Kelly, went to Oxford the following spring. Quotes a line referring to a set of gamblers known as blacklegs. Refers to Welch's List of the Scholars of Westminster School. Does JB exercise on horseback or on shanks' pony, as their schoolboy expression had it (NB very early use of this phrase)?

On ways to cure hams (smoking in chimneys, or the Wiltshire Cure). Recommends the 1st two volumes of Macaulay's History of England (the rest not published until 1855). On the fake assassination attempt on Victoria by William Hamilton. If Macaculay does not appeal, recommends a life of Lord Eldon.

Has read in The Times of the death of John Fawcett aka Pultenay (see 14 & 17). He used to strut up the school always on the forepart of his feet, as if to add an inch to his height.

On the afflictions of growing old. He can only sit and read (presumably, be read to). All modern publications are 'trash' - going through for the second time Sir Robert Ker Porter's Journey to Baghdad. On the arrival of some artefacts from Ninevah in the British Museum. Steam navigation has brought so many countries within reach. Corn Laws to be discussed again in Parliament. If the price of bread can be kept down for the lower orders, the Chartists and other disaffected characters will have less to work with. On the price of meat and fish.