May 15.—­Dined at the Roxburghe Club.  Lord Spencer presided, but had a cold which limited his exertions.  Lord Clive, beside whom I sat, was deaf, though intelligent and good-humoured.  The Duke of Devonshire was still deafer.  There were many little chirruping men who might have talked but went into committee.  There was little general conversation.  I should have mentioned that I breakfasted with kind, good Mr. Hughes, and met the Bishop of Llandaff—­strongly intelligent.  I do not understand his politics about the Catholic question.  He seems disposed to concede, yet is Toryissimus.  Perhaps they wish the question ended, but the present opinions of the Sovereign are too much interested to permit them to quit it.

May 16.—­Breakfasted with Mr. Reynolds; a miscellaneous party.  Wordsworth, right welcome unto me was there.  I had also a sight of Godwin the philosopher, grown old and thin—­of Douglas Kinnaird, whom I asked about Byron’s statue, which is going forward—­of Luttrell, and others whom I knew not.  I stayed an instant at Pickering’s, a young publisher’s, and bought some dramatic reprints.  I love them very much, but I would [not] advise a young man to undertake them.  They are of course dear, and as they have not the dignity of scarcity, the bibliomaniacs pass them by as if they were plated candlesticks.  They may hold as good a light for all that as if they were real silver, and therefore I buy them when I can light on them.  But here I am spending money when I have more need to make it.  On Monday, the 26th, it shall be Northward ho!

Dined at Lady Georgiana and Mr. Agar Ellis’s.[201] There were Lord and Lady Stafford there, and others to whom I am sincerely attached.

May 17.—­A day of busy idleness.  Richardson came and breakfasted with me like a good fellow.  Then I went to Mr. Chantrey, and sat for an hour to finish the bust.[202] Thereafter, about twelve o’clock, I went to breakfast the second, at Lady Shelley’s, where there was a great morning party.  A young lady[203] begged a lock of my hair, which was not worth refusing.  I stipulated for a kiss, which I was permitted to take.  From this I went to the Duke of Wellington, who gave me some hints or rather details.  Afterwards I drove out to Chiswick, where I had never been before.  A numerous and gay party were assembled to walk and enjoy the beauties of that Palladian [dome?]; the place and highly ornamented gardens belonging to it resemble a picture of Watteau.  There is some affectation in the picture, but in the ensemble the original looked very well.  The Duke of Devonshire received every one with the best possible manners.  The scene was dignified by the presence of an immense elephant, who, under charge of a groom, wandered up and down, giving an air of Asiatic pageantry to the entertainment.  I was never before sensible of the dignity which largeness of size and freedom of movement give to this otherwise very ugly animal.