here:  I called to see her, but found she had already engaged every lord I knew, and that there was no great difficulty in the matter; and it rained like a dog; so I took coach, for want of better exercise, and dined privately with a hang-dog in the City, and walked back in the evening.  The days are now long enough to walk in the Park after dinner; and so I do whenever it is fair.  This walking is a strange remedy:  Mr. Prior walks, to make himself fat, and I to bring myself down; he has generally a cough, which he only calls a cold; we often walk round the Park together.  So I’ll go sleep.

22.  It snowed all this morning prodigiously, and was some inches thick in three or four hours.  I dined with Mr. Lewis of the Secretary’s office at his lodgings:  the chairmen that carried me squeezed a great fellow against a wall, who wisely turned his back, and broke one of the side-glasses in a thousand pieces.  I fell a scolding, pretended I was like to be cut to pieces, and made them set down the chair in the Park, while they picked out the bits of glasses; and, when I paid them, I quarrelled still; so they dared not grumble, and I came off for my fare; but I was plaguily afraid they would have said, “God bless your honour, won’t you give us something for our glass?” Lewis and I were forming a project how I might get three or four hundred pounds,[22] which I suppose may come to nothing.  I hope Smyth has brought you your palsy-drops.  How does Stella do?  I begin more and more to desire to know.  The three weeks since I had your last is over within two days, and I will allow three for accidents.

23.  The snow is gone every bit, except the remainder of some great balls made by the boys.  Mr. Sterne was with me this morning about an affair he has before the Treasury.  That drab Mrs. Edgworth is not yet set out, but will infallibly next Monday:  and this is the third infallible Monday, and pox take her!  So you will have this letter first; and this shall go to-morrow; and, if I have one from MD in that time, I will not answer it till my next; only I will say, “Madam, I received your letter, and so, and so.”  I dined to-day with my Mistress Butler,[23] who grows very disagreeable.

24.  Morning.  This letter certainly goes this evening, sure as you’re alive, young women, and then you will be so shamed that I have had none from you; and, if I was to reckon like you, I would say, I were six letters before you, for this is N.16, and I have had your N.10.  But I reckon you have received but fourteen, and have sent eleven.  I think to go to-day a Minister-of-State-hunting in the Court of Requests; for I have something to say to Mr. Harley.  And it is fine, cold, sunshiny weather; I wish dear MD would walk this morning in your Stephen’s Green; ’tis as good as our Park, but not so large.[24] Faith, this summer we’ll take a coach for sixpence[25] to the Green Well, the two walks, and thence all the way to Stoyte’s.[26]