The Duke of Ormond will go in a week for Flanders, they say.  Our Mohocks go on still, and cut people’s faces every night; fais, they shan’t cut mine, I like it better as it is.  The dogs will cost me at least a crown a week in chairs.  I believe the souls of your houghers of cattle have got into them, and now they don’t distinguish between a cow and a Christian.  I forgot to wish you yesterday a happy New Year.  You know the twenty-fifth of March is the first day of the year, and now you must leave off cards, and put out your fire.  I’ll put out mine the first of April, cold or not cold.  I believe I shall lose credit with you by not coming over at the beginning of April; but I hoped the session would be ended, and I must stay till then; yet I would fain be at the beginning of my willows growing.  Perceval tells me that the quicksets upon the flat in the garden do not grow so well as those famous ones on the ditch.  They want digging about them.  The cherry-trees, by the river-side, my heart is set upon.  Nite MD.

27.  Society day.  You know that, I suppose.  Dr. Arthburnett[7] was President.  His dinner was dressed in the Queen’s kitchen, and was mighty fine.  We ate it at Ozinda’s Chocolate-house,[8] just by St. James’s.  We were never merrier, nor better company, and did not part till after eleven.  I did not summon Lord Lansdowne:  he and I are fallen out.  There was something in an Examiner a fortnight ago that he thought reflected on the abuses in his office (he is Secretary at War), and he writ to the Secretary that he heard I had inserted that paragraph.  This I resented highly, that he should complain of me before he spoke to me.  I sent him a peppering letter, and would not summon him by a note, as I did the rest; nor ever will have anything to say to him, till he begs my pardon.  I met Lord Treasurer to-day at Lady Masham’s.  He would fain have carried me home to dinner, but I begged his pardon.  What! upon a Society day!  No, no.  ’Tis rate, sollahs.  I an’t dlunk.  Nite MD.

28.  I was with my friend Lewis to-day, getting materials for a little mischief; and I dined with Lord Treasurer, and three or four fellows I never saw before.  I left them at seven, and came home, and have been writing to the Archbishop of Dublin, and cousin Deane,[9] in answer to one of his of four months old, that I spied by chance, routing among my papers.  I have a pain these two days exactly upon the top of my left shoulder.  I fear it is something rheumatic; it winches[10] now and then.  Shall I put flannel to it?  Domville is going to Ireland; he came here this morning to take leave of me, but I shall dine with him to-morrow.  Does the Bishop of Clogher talk of coming for England this summer?  I think Lord Molesworth told me so about two months ago.  The weather is bad again; rainy and very cold this evening.  Do you know what the longitude is?  A projector[11] has been applying himself to me, to recommend him to the Ministry, because he pretends to have found out the longitude.  I believe he has no more found it out than he has found out mine. . .[12] However, I will gravely hear what he says, and discover him a knave or fool.  Nite MD.