At four p. m., Newel K. Whitney brought in a letter from R. S. Blennarhassett, Esq., St. Louis, dated 7th instant, concerning Orrin Porter Rockwell; which I immediately answered. [Sidenote: Renewal of Old Missouri Charges.] Reports reached us that new indictments had been found against myself, Brother Hyrum, and some hundred others, on the old Missouri troubles, and that John C. Bennett was making desperate threats. The Island of Hong-Kong was ceded to Great Britain by the Emperor of China, who opened five ports to the English trade by treaty. _Saturday, 18_.--I was most of the forenoon in the office, in cheerful conversation with Dr. Willard Richards and others. Finishing writing a letter to Arlington Bennett. [Sidenote: The Prophet "Studying" Law!] About noon, I lay down on the writing table, with my head on a pile of law books, saying, "Write and tell the world I acknowledge myself a very great lawyer; I am going to study law, and this is the way I study it;" and then fell asleep. Rode out in the afternoon with William Clayton, looking at lots for Bishop Newel K. Whitney, and afterwards played ball with the boys. The French seized upon the Society group of Pacific Isles. _Sunday, 19_.--Rode out with Emma and visited my farm; returned about eleven, a. m., and spent the remainder of the day at home. {308} Dimick B. Huntington started for Chicago, with a letter to Mr. Justin Butterfield, U.S. Attorney, concerning Orrin Porter Rockwell. [Sidenote: The Work of Elder Parley P. Pratt in England.] Received a letter from Elder Parley P. Pratt, giving a synopsis of his mission to England since August, 1839, in which I find he has published, since April, 1841, (at which time the remainder of the Twelve returned home,) 1,500 "Hymn Books," 2,500 "Voice of Warning," 3,000 Tracts, entitled "Heaven on Earth," 3,000 copies of "Elder Hyde's Mission to Jerusalem," 10,000 copies of "A Letter to the Queen," and some other works, and continued the _Star_ monthly. He left England October 20, 1842, and, after a voyage of ten weeks, arrived in New Orleans, being ice-bound on the river; and having a dislike to the outlaws who govern Missouri, he wintered at Chester, Illinois. On the news of his arrival, he was warmly pressed to preach, which he did several times, and baptized two men in that place. [Sidenote: Scientists on the Comet.] Sir James South, Sir John Herschel, and other astronomers in Europe have published notices of the sword seen in the heavens on the eve of the 10th and several successive evenings. They represent it as the stray tail of a comet, as no nucleus could be discovered with the most powerful instruments. At Paris, M. Arago communicated to the Academy of Sciences, on the subject of the comet, that the observations of the astronomers were not complete, the nucleus not being discovered.