(266) Afterwards married to Lady Caroline.

(267) William, Duke of Clarence.

(1789,) Oct. 22, Thursday, Matson.—­We arrived here yesterday at four in the afternoon from Crome.(268) We left there a very fine day, which grew worse every hour, and before we got to the garden gate it was as bad and uncomfortable as possible.  Mr. Bligh would have said unprofitable, and perhaps with truth, for I see no advantage in having come here, and shall be very glad to find no ill consequences from it.  We found to receive us, Dr. Warner, who had been here almost a week, and another gentleman who was come to dine with me, and both of them so hoarse that they could not be heard.  I was by no means elated with finding myself where I am, and it was well that, upon getting out of my coach, I had the honour of your Ladyship’s letter, which was some consolation to me.  But I find by it, what I have a long while dreaded, that Car’s going away would be attended with great uneasiness to you. . . .  It is well that you can meet it with so much reason and fortitude.  I have, I know, the smallest portion of either that any man ever had.

This day has cleared up.  I am as yet very well, and shall be very careful of myself, and I propose, as I told you, to set out from hence on Sunday sevennight, the first of the next month, and stay with George two days at Salt Hill.  I am sure that I should not have the pleasure I have in meeting him, if there were not some intervals when I cannot see him, and I am convinced, that a life must (be) chequered to have it really a plaisant one.  I am glad that he and W(illia)m were amused while they stayed in town.  I expect to hear from them some account of it.

The new Bishop is at Gloucester, as I am told, with his family; c’est une faible ressource, but it is one; they are represented to me as very agreeable people.  Other company we shall have none, I take for granted, and that Mie Mie, finding herself so much alone, will be glad to return to Richmond. ...  I am most excessively concerned for poor Lord Waldgrave.(269)

(268) Croome in Worcestershire Lord Coventry’s family seat.

(269) George, fourth Earl of Waldegrave (1751-1789).  He married his cousin, Lady Elizabeth Laura Waldegrave, daughter of James, second earl, in 1782.

(1789,) Nov. 6, Friday m(orning), Richmond.—­Lord C. will receive a letter from me this morning which will be sufficient to assure you that George is well.  He is so indeed, a tous egards.  I stayed with him all Wednesday, and yesterday about noon I left him, so that in reality his course of erudition had but one day’s interruption from me.  Mr. Roberts is au comble de sa joie, et de sa gloire, having gained the prize for a better copy of verses upon the Deluge than that of any of his competitors.  They are to be printed, so I shall see what I can at present have no idea of, and that is, how he will find matter from that event to furnish a hundred or two of blank verses.  I should think that no one, but one like our friend John St. J(ohn), who uses Helicon as habitually as others do a cold bath, is equal to it.  I only hope, for my part, that the argument will not be illustrated by any dkbordement of the Thames near this house; at present there is no appearance of it.