3.  Windsor still.  The Council was held so late to-day that I do not go back to town till to-morrow.  The Bishop was sworn Privy Councillor, and had the Privy Seal given him:  and now the patents are passed for those who were this long time to be made lords or earls.  Lord Raby,[13] who is Earl of Strafford, is on Thursday to marry a namesake of Stella’s; the daughter of Sir H. Johnson in the City; he has three-score thousand pounds with her, ready money; besides the rest at the father’s death.  I have got my friend Stratford to be one of the directors of the South Sea Company, who were named to-day.  My Lord Treasurer did it for me a month ago; and one of those whom I got to be printer of the Gazette I am recommending to be printer to the same company.  He treated Mr. Lewis and me to-day at dinner.  I supped last night and this with Lord Treasurer, Keeper, etc., and took occasion to mention the printer.  I said it was the same printer whom my Lord Treasurer has appointed to print for the South Sea Company.  He denied, and I insisted on it; and I got the laugh on my side.

London, 4.  I came as far as Brentford in Lord Rivers’s chariot, who had business with Lord Treasurer; then I went into Lord Treasurer’s.  We stopped at Kensington, where Lord Treasurer went to see Mrs. Masham, who is now what they call in the straw.  We got to town by three, and I lighted at Lord Treasurer’s, who commanded me not to stir:  but I was not well; and when he went up, I begged the young lord to excuse me, and so went into the City by water, where I could be easier, and dined with the printer, and dictated to him some part of Prior’s Journey to France.  I walked from the City, for I take all occasions of exercise.  Our journey was horridly dusty.

5.  When I went out to-day, I found it had rained mightily in the night, and the streets were as dirty as winter:  it is very refreshing after ten days dry.—­I went into the City, and dined with Stratford, thanked him for his books, gave him joy of his being director, of which he had the first notice by a letter from me.  I ate sturgeon, and it lies on my stomach.  I almost finished Prior’s Journey at the printer’s; and came home pretty late, with Patrick at my heels.

7.  Morning.  But what shall we do about this letter of MD’s, N.19?  Not a word answered yet, and so much paper spent!  I cannot do anything in it, sweethearts, till night.—­At night.  O Lord, O Lord! the greatest disgrace that ever was has happened to Presto.  What do you think? but, when I was going out this forenoon a letter came from MD, N.20, dated Dublin.  O dear, O dear!  O sad, O sad!—­Now I have two letters together to answer:  here they are, lying together.  But I will only answer the first; for I came in late.  I dined with my friend Lewis at his lodgings, and walked at six to Kensington to Mrs. Masham’s son’s christening.  It was very private; nobody there but my Lord Treasurer,