“Queer ceremony that same of marriage—­saw many abroad, Greek and Catholic—­one, at home, many years ago.  There be some strange phrases in the prologue (the exhortation), which made me turn away, not to laugh in the face of the surpliceman.  Made one blunder, when I joined the hands of the happy—­rammed their left hands, by mistake, into one another.  Corrected it—­bustled back to the altar-rail, and said ‘Amen.’  Portsmouth responded as if he had got the whole by heart; and, if any thing, was rather before the priest.  It is now midnight, and * * *.

“March 10.  Thor’s Day.

“On Tuesday dined with Rogers,—­Mackintosh, Sheridan, Sharpe,—­much talk, and good,—­all, except my own little prattlement.  Much of old times—­Horne Tooke—­the Trials—­evidence of Sheridan, and anecdotes of those times, when I, alas! was an infant.  If I had been a man, I would have made an English Lord Edward Fitzgerald.

“Set down Sheridan at Brookes’s,—­where, by the by, he could not have well set down himself, as he and I were the only drinkers.  Sherry means to stand for Westminster, as Cochrane (the stock-jobbing hoaxer) must vacate.  Brougham is a candidate.  I fear for poor dear Sherry.  Both have talents of the highest order, but the youngster has yet a character.  We shall see, if he lives to Sherry’s age, how he will pass over the redhot ploughshares of public life.  I don’t know why, but I hate to see the old ones lose; particularly Sheridan, notwithstanding all his mechancete.

“Received many, and the kindest, thanks from Lady Portsmouth, pere and mere, for my match-making.  I don’t regret it, as she looks the countess well, and is a very good girl.  It is odd how well she carries her new honours.  She looks a different woman, and high-bred, too.  I had no idea that I could make so good a peeress.

“Went to the play with Hobhouse.  Mrs. Jordan superlative in Hoyden, and Jones well enough in Foppington. What plays! what wit!—­helas!  Congreve and Vanbrugh are your only comedy.  Our society is too insipid now for the like copy.  Would not go to Lady Keith’s.  Hobhouse thought it odd.  I wonder he should like parties.  If one is in love, and wants to break a commandment and covet any thing that is there, they do very well.  But to go out amongst the mere herd, without a motive, pleasure, or pursuit—­’sdeath!  ‘I’ll none of it.’  He told me an odd report,—­that I am the actual Conrad, the veritable Corsair, and that part of my travels are supposed to have passed in privacy.  Um!—­people sometimes hit near the truth; but never the whole truth.  H. don’t know what I was about the year after he left the Levant; nor does any one—­nor—­nor—­nor—­however, it is a lie—­but, ’I doubt the equivocation of the fiend that lies like truth!’

“I shall have letters of importance to-morrow.  Which, * *, * *, or * *? heigho!—­* * is in my heart, * * in my head, * * in my eye, and the single one, Heaven knows where.  All write, and will be answered.  ‘Since I have crept in favour with myself, I must maintain it;’ but I never ‘mistook my person,’ though I think others have.