18.  I was this morning with Mr. Secretary, who just came from Hampton Court.  He was telling me more particulars about this business of burning the Pope.  It cost a great deal of money, and had it gone on, would have cost three times as much; but the town is full of it, and half a dozen Grub Street papers already.  The Secretary and I dined at Brigadier Britton’s, but I left them at six, upon an appointment with some sober company of men and ladies, to drink punch at Sir Andrew Fountaine’s.  We were not very merry; and I don’t love rack punch, I love it better with brandy; are you of my opinion?  Why then, twelvepenny weather; sirrahs, why don’t you play at shuttlecock?  I have thought of it a hundred times; faith, Presto will come over after Christmas, and will play with Stella before the cold weather is gone.  Do you read the Spectators?  I never do; they never come in my way; I go to no coffee-houses.  They say abundance of them are very pretty; they are going to be printed in small volumes; I’ll bring them over with me.  I shall be out of my hurry in a week, and if Leigh be not gone over, I will send you by him what I am now finishing.  I don’t know where Leigh is; I have not seen him this good while, though he promised to call:  I shall send to him.  The Queen comes to town on Thursday for good and all.

19.  I was this morning at Lord Dartmouth’s office, and sent out for him from the Committee of Council, about some business.  I was asking him more concerning this bustle about the figures in wax-work of the Pope, and Devil, etc.  He was not at leisure, or he would have seen them.  I hear the owners are so impudent, that they design to replevin them by law.  I am assured that the figure of the Devil is made as like Lord Treasurer as they could.  Why, I dined with a friend in St. James’s Street.  Lord Treasurer, I am told, was abroad to-day; I will know to-morrow how he does after it.  The Duke of Marlborough is come, and was yesterday at Hampton Court with the Queen; no, it was t’other day; no, it was yesterday; for to-day I remember Mr. Secretary was going to see him, when I was there, not at the Duke of Marlborough’s, but at the Secretary’s; the Duke is not so fond of me.  What care I?  I won seven shillings to-night at picquet:  I play twice a year or so.

20.  I have been so teased with Whiggish discourse by Mrs. Barton and Lady Betty Germaine, never saw the like.  They turn all this affair of the Pope-burning into ridicule; and, indeed, they have made too great a clutter about it, if they had no real reason to apprehend some tumults.  I dined with Lady Betty.  I hear Prior’s commission is passed to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary for the peace; my Lord Privy Seal, who you know is Bishop of Bristol, is the other; and Lord Strafford, already Ambassador at The Hague, the third:  I am forced to tell you, ignorant sluts, who is who.  I was punning scurvily with Sir Andrew Fountaine and Lord Pembroke