all contradiction.  But I forgot; I won’t tell you what I will do, nor what I will not do:  so let me alone, and go to Stoyte, and give Goody Stoyte and Catherine my humble service; I love Goody Stoyte better than Goody Walls.  Who’ll pay me for this green apron?  I will have the money; it cost ten shillings and sixpence.  I think it plaguy dear for a cheap thing; but they said that English silk would cockle,[9] and I know not what.  You have the making into the bargain.  ’Tis right Italian:  I have sent it and the pamphlets to Leigh, and will send the Miscellanies and spectacles in a day or two.  I would send more; but, faith, I’m plaguy poor at present.

31.  The devil’s in this Secretary:  when I went this morning he had people with him; but says he, “we are to dine with Prior to-day, and then will do all our business in the afternoon”:  at two, Prior sends word he is otherwise engaged; then the Secretary and I go and dine with Brigadier Britton, sit till eight, grow merry, no business done; he is in haste to see Lady Jersey;[10] we part, and appoint no time to meet again.  This is the fault of all the present Ministers, teasing me to death for my assistance, laying the whole weight of their affairs upon it, yet slipping opportunities.  Lord Treasurer mends every day, though slowly:  I hope he will take care of himself.  Pray, will you send to Parvisol to send me a bill of twenty pounds as soon as he can, for I want money.  I must have money; I will have money, sirrahs.

Nov. 1.  I went to-day into the City to settle some business with Stratford, and to dine with him; but he was engaged, and I was so angry I would not dine with any other merchant, but went to my printer, and ate a bit, and did business of mischief with him, and I shall have the spectacles and Miscellany to-morrow, and leave them with Leigh.  A fine day always makes me go into the City, if I can spare time, because it is exercise; and that does me more good than anything.  I have heard nothing since of my head, but a little, I don’t know how, sometimes:  but I am very temperate, especially now the Treasurer is ill, and the Ministers often at Hampton Court, and the Secretary not yet fixed in his house, and I hate dining with many of my old acquaintance.  Here has been a fellow discovered going out of the East India House with sixteen thousand pounds in money and bills; he would have escaped, if he had not been so uneasy with thirst, that he stole out before his time, and was caught.  But what is that to MD?  I wish we had the money, provided the East India Company was never the worse; you know we must not covet, etc.  Our weather, for this fortnight past, is chequered, a fair and a rainy day:  this was very fine, and I have walked four miles; wish MD would do so, lazy sluttikins.