April 1.  The Duke of Buckingham’s house fell down last night with an earthquake, and is half swallowed up; won’t you go and see it?—­An April fool, an April fool, oh ho, young women.  Well, don’t be angry.  I will make you an April fool no more till the next time; we had no sport here, because it is Sunday, and Easter Sunday.  I dined with the Secretary, who seemed terribly down and melancholy, which Mr. Prior and Lewis observed as well as I:  perhaps something is gone wrong; perhaps there is nothing in it.  God bless my own dearest MD, and all is well.

2.  We have such windy weather, ’tis troublesome walking, yet all the rabble have got into our Park these Easter holidays.  I am plagued with one Richardson, an Irish parson, and his project of printing Irish Bibles, etc., to make you Christians in that country:  I befriend him what I can, on account of the Archbishop and Bishop of Clogher.—­But what business have I to meddle, etc.  Do not you remember that, sirrah Stella? what was that about, when you thought I was meddling with something that was not my business?  O, faith, you are an impudent slut, I remember your doings, I’ll never forget you as long as I live.  Lewis and I dined together at his lodgings.  But where’s the answer to this letter of MD’s?  O, faith, Presto, you must think of that.  Time enough, says saucy Presto.

3.  I was this morning to see Mrs. Barton:  I love her better than anybody here, and see her seldomer.  Why, really now, so it often happens in the world, that where one loves a body best—­pshah, pshah, you are so silly with your moral observations.  Well, but she told me a very good story.  An old gentlewoman died here two months ago, and left in her will, to have eight men and eight maids bearers, who should have two guineas apiece, ten guineas to the parson for a sermon, and two guineas to the clerk.  But bearers, parson, and clerk must be all true virgins; and not to be admitted till they took their oaths of virginity:  so the poor woman still lies unburied, and so must do till the general resurrection.—­I called at Mr. Secretary’s, to see what the D——­ ailed him on Sunday.  I made him a very proper speech; told him I observed he was much out of temper; that I did not expect he would tell me the cause, but would be glad to see he was in better; and one thing I warned him of, never to appear cold to me, for I would not be treated like a schoolboy; that I had felt too much of that in my life already (meaning from Sir William Temple); that I expected every great Minister who honoured me with his acquaintance, if he heard or saw anything to my disadvantage, would let me know it in plain words, and not put me in pain to guess by the change or coldness of his countenance or behaviour; for it was what I would hardly bear from a crowned head, and I thought no subject’s favour was worth it; and that I designed to let my Lord Keeper[21] and Mr. Harley know the same thing, that they might use me accordingly.  He took all right; said I had reason; vowed nothing ailed him but sitting up whole nights at business, and one night at drinking; would have had me dine with him and Mrs. Masham’s brother, to make up matters; but I would not.  I don’t know, but I would not.  But indeed I was engaged with my old friend Rollinson;[22] you never heard of him before.