6.  I went to dine at Lord Masham’s at three, and met all the company just coming out of Court; a mighty crowd:  they stayed long for their coaches:  I had an opportunity of seeing several lords and ladies of my acquaintance in their fineries.  Lady Ashburnham[18] looked the best in my eyes.  They say the Court was never fuller nor finer.  Lord Treasurer, his lady, and two daughters and Mrs. Hill, dined with Lord and Lady Masham; the five ladies were monstrous fine.  The Queen gave Prince Eugene the diamond sword to-day; but nobody was by when she gave it except my Lord Chamberlain.  There was an entertainment of opera songs at night, and the Queen was at all the entertainment, and is very well after it.  I saw Lady Wharton,[19] as ugly as the devil, coming out in the crowd all in an undress; she has been with the Marlborough daughters[20] and Lady Bridgewater[21] in St. James’s, looking out of the window all undressed to see the sight.  I do not hear that one Whig lady was there, except those of the bed-chamber.  Nothing has made so great a noise as one Kelson’s chariot, that cost nine hundred and thirty pounds, the finest was ever seen.  The rabble huzzaed him as much as they did Prince Eugene.  This is Birthday chat.

7.  Our Society met to-day:  the Duke of Ormond was not with us; we have lessened our dinners, which were grown so extravagant that Lord Treasurer and everybody else cried shame.  I left them at seven, visited for an hour, and then came home, like a good boy.  The Queen is much better after yesterday’s exercise:  her friends wish she would use a little more.  I opposed Lord Jersey’s[22] election into our Society, and he is refused:  I likewise opposed the Duke of Beaufort; but I believe he will be chosen in spite of me:  I don’t much care; I shall not be with them above two months; for I resolve to set out for Ireland the beginning of April next (before I treat them again), and see my willows.

8.  I dined to-day in the City.  This morning a scoundrel dog, one of the Queen’s music, a German, whom I had never seen, got access to me in my chamber by Patrick’s folly, and gravely desired me to get an employment in the Customs for a friend of his, who would be very grateful; and likewise to forward a project of his own, for raising ten thousand pounds a year upon operas:  I used him civiller than he deserved; but it vexed me to the pluck.[23] He was told I had a mighty interest with Lord Treasurer, and one word of mine, etc.  Well; I got home early on purpose to answer MD’s letter, N.26; for this goes to-morrow.—­Well; I never saw such a letter in all my life; so saucy, so journalish, so sanguine, so pretending, so everything.  I satisfied all your fears in my last:  all is gone well, as you say; yet you are an impudent slut to be so positive; you will swagger so upon your sagacity that we shall never have done.  Pray don’t mislay your reply; I would certainly print it, if I