(1789, Aug. 21?) Friday night, Richmond.—­I did not come hither till to-day, because I was resolved to stay to see the Duke(260) set out, which he did this morning for Newmarket, from whence he goes with his doctor to York.  He said that he should not go to Castle Howard, which I looked upon as certain as that the Princes will be there.  It would have been in vain to have held out to him the temptation of seeing his goddaughter, and I know that, if I had suggested it, he would have laughed at me, which would have made me angry, who think Gertrude(261) an object worth going at least sixteen miles to see.

He was in very good spirits when he left London; and in extraordinary good humour with me.  But he would not have me depend, he said, upon his going to Scotland, although he has, sent as many servants in different equipages as if he intended to stay there a twelvemonth.  It was quite unnecessary to prepare me against any kind of irresolution of his.  After all, I hope that he will go to Castle Howard.  I believe it is just five and thirty years since we were there together, and all I know is, that I did not think then that I should ever see it so well furnished as I have since, and I will maintain that Gertrude is not the least pretty meuble that is there.

I was so unsettled while I was in London that I did not even send to make enquiries about your brother or Lady Southerland.  I could not have made their party if I had been sure of their being in town.  Sir R. and Lady Payne are at Lambeth.  They propose coming to dine here in a few days.

I dined with Crowle and the younger Mr. Fawkner yesterday at the Duke’s, and asked them many questions about poor Delme’s affairs, and concerning Lady Betty.  I hear that Lady Julia has been much affected with this accident.  He had persuaded himself that he should die, although either Dr. Warren saw no immediate danger, or thought proper not to say so.  The French, as I said before, have good reason to say that il n’est permis qu’aux medecins de mentir, and Delme certainly justified the deception, if there was any; but he had at last more fortitude or resolution as I hear than was expected.  I hope that Lady Betty will be reconciled to her change of life; there must have been one inevitably, and, perhaps, that not less disagreeable.

I am unhappy that I have not yet received any account of Caroline.  Mr. Woodhouse has returned my visit.  I did not conceive it to be proper that Mie Mie should wait upon Mrs. Bacon till an opportunity had been offered of her being presented to her, but I shall be desirous of bringing about that acquaintance.  Mrs. Webb is now with us, which is a piece of furniture here, not without its use, and which I am in a habit of seeing with more satisfaction than perhaps Mie Mie, who begins to think naturally a gouvernante to have a mauvais air.  I am not quite of that opinion dans les circonstances actuelles.