26.  I was this morning with Mr. Secretary about some business, and he tells me that Colonel Fielding is now going to make Bernage his captain-lieutenant, that is, a captain by commission, and the perquisites of the company; but not captain’s pay, only the first step to it.  I suppose he will like it; and the recommendation to the Duke of Argyle goes on.  And so trouble me no more about your Bernage; the jackanapes understands what fair solicitors he has got, I warrant you.  Sir Andrew Fountaine and I dined, by invitation, with Mrs. Vanhomrigh.  You say they are of no consequence:  why, they keep as good female company as I do male; I see all the drabs of quality at this end of the town with them:  I saw two Lady Bettys[2] there this afternoon; the beauty of one, the good-breeding and nature of t’other, and the wit of neither, would have made a fine woman.  Rare walking in the Park now:  why don’t you walk in the Green of St. Stephen?  The walks there are finer gravelled than the Mall.  What beasts the Irish women are, never to walk!

27.  Darteneuf and I, and little Harrison the new Tatler, and Jervas the painter, dined to-day with James,[3] I know not his other name, but it is one of Darteneuf’s dining-places, who is a true epicure.  James is clerk of the kitchen to the Queen, and has a little snug house at St. James’s; and we had the Queen’s wine, and such very fine victuals that I could not eat it.  Three weeks and three days since my last letter from MD; rare doings! why, truly we were so busy with poor Mrs. Walls, that indeed, Presto, we could not write, we were afraid the poor woman would have died; and it pitied us to see the Archdeacon, how concerned he was.  The Dean never came to see her but once; but now she is up again, and we go and sit with her in the evenings.  The child died the next day after it was born; and I believe, between friends, she is not very sorry for it.—­Indeed, Presto, you are plaguy silly tonight, and han’t guessed one word right; for she and the child are both well, and it is a fine girl, likely to live; and the Dean was godfather, and Mrs. Catherine and I were godmothers; I was going to say Stoyte, but I think I have heard they don’t put maids and married women together; though I know not why I think so, nor I don’t care; what care I? but I must prate, etc.

28.  I walked to-day into the City for my health, and there dined; which I always do when the weather is fair, and business permits, that I may be under a necessity of taking a good walk, which is the best thing I can do at present for my health.  Some bookseller has raked up everything I writ, and published it t’other day in one volume; but I know nothing of it, ’twas without my knowledge or consent:  it makes a four-shilling book, and is called Miscellanies in Prose and Verse.[4] Tooke pretends he knows nothing of it; but I doubt he is at the bottom.  One must have patience with these things; the best of it is, I shall be plagued no more.  However, I will bring a couple of them over with me for MD; perhaps you may desire to see them.  I hear they sell mightily.