3.  This was our Society day:  Lord Dupplin was President; we choose every week; the last President treats and chooses his successor.  I believe our dinner cost fifteen pounds beside wine.  The Secretary grew brisk, and would not let me go, nor Lord Lansdowne,[6] who would fain have gone home to his lady, being newly married to Lady Mary Thynne.  It was near one when we parted, so you must think I cannot write much to-night.  The adjourning of the House of Lords yesterday, as the Queen desired, was just carried by the twelve new lords, and one more.  Lord Radnor was not there:  I hope I have cured him.  Did I tell you that I have brought Dr. King in to be Gazetteer?  It will be worth above two hundred pounds a year to him:  I believe I told you so before, but I am forgetful.  Go, get you gone to ombre, and claret, and toasted oranges.  I’ll go sleep.

4.  I cannot get rid of the leavings of my cold.  I was in the City to-day, and dined with my printer, and gave him a ballad made by several hands, I know not whom.  I believe Lord Treasurer had a finger in it; I added three stanzas; I suppose Dr. Arbuthnot had the greatest share.  I had been overseeing some other little prints, and a pamphlet made by one of my under-strappers.  Somerset is not out yet.  I doubt not but you will have the Prophecy in Ireland, although it is not published here, only printed copies given to friends.  Tell me, do you understand it?  No, faith, not without help.  Tell me what you stick at, and I’ll explain.  We turned out a member of our Society yesterday for gross neglect and non-attendance.  I writ to him by order to give him notice of it.  It is Tom Harley,[7] secretary to the Treasurer, and cousin-german to Lord Treasurer.  He is going to Hanover from the Queen.  I am to give the Duke of Ormond notice of his election as soon as I can see him.

5.  I went this morning with a parishioner of mine, one Nuttal, who came over here for a legacy of one hundred pounds, and a roguish lawyer had refused to pay him, and would not believe he was the man.  I writ to the lawyer a sharp letter, that I had taken Nuttal into my protection, and was resolved to stand by him, and the next news was, that the lawyer desired I would meet him, and attest he was the man, which I did, and his money was paid upon the spot.  I then visited Lord Treasurer, who is now right again, and all well, only that the Somerset family is not out yet.  I hate that; I don’t like it, as the man said, by, etc.  Then I went and visited poor Will Congreve, who had a French fellow tampering with one of his eyes; he is almost blind of both.  I dined with some merchants in the City, but could not see Stratford, with whom I had business.  Presto, leave off your impertinence, and answer our letter, saith MD.  Yes, yes, one of these days, when I have nothing else to do.  O, faith, this letter is a week written, and not one side done yet.  These ugly spots are not tobacco,