London, Dec. 18, 1712.

Our Society was to meet to-day; but Lord Harley, who was President this week, could not attend, being gone to Wimbledon with his new brother-in-law, the young Marquis of Caermarthen, who married Lady Betty Harley on Monday last; and Lord Treasurer is at Wimbledon too.  However, half a dozen of us met, and I propose our meetings should be once a fortnight; for, between you and me, we do no good.  It cost me nineteen shillings to-day for my Club at dinner; I don’t like it, fais.  We have terrible snowy slobbery weather.  Lord Abercorn is come to town, and will see me, whether I will or no.  You know he has a pretence to a dukedom in France, which the Duke of Hamilton was soliciting for; but Abercorn resolves to spoil their title, if they will not allow him a fourth part; and I have advised the Duchess to compound with him, and have made the Ministry of my opinion.  Night, dee sollahs, MD, MD.

19.  Ay mally zis is sumsing rike,[2] for Pdfr to write journals again!  ’Tis as natural as mother’s milk, now I am got into it.  Lord Treasurer is returned from Wimbledon (’tis not above eight miles off), and sent for me to dine with him at five; but I had the grace to be abroad, and dined with some others, with honest Ben Tooke, by invitation.  The Duchess of Ormond promised me her picture, and coming home tonight, I found hers and the Duke’s both in my chamber.  Was not that a pretty civil surprise?  Yes, and they are in fine gilded frames, too.  I am writing a letter to thank her, which I will send to-morrow morning.  I’ll tell her she is such a prude that she will not let so much as her picture be alone in a room with a man, unless the Duke’s be with it; and so forth.[3] We are full of snow, and dabbling.  Lady Masham has come abroad these three days, and seen the Queen.  I dined with her t’other day at her sister Hill’s.  I hope she will remove in a few days to her new lodgings at St. James’s from Kensington.  Nite, dee logues MD.

20.  I lodge [up] two pair of stairs, have but one room, and deny myself to everybody almost, yet I cannot be quiet; and all my mornings are lost with people, who will not take answers below stairs; such as Dilly, and the Bishop, and Provost, etc.  Lady Orkney invited me to dinner to-day, which hindered me from dining with Lord Treasurer.  This is his day that his chief friends in the Ministry dine with him.  However, I went there about six, and sat with them till past nine, when they all went off; but he kept me back, and told me the circumstances of Lady Betty’s match.  The young fellow has 60,000 pounds ready money, three great houses furnished, 7,000 pounds a year at present, and about five more after his father and mother die.  I think Lady Betty’s portion is not above 8,000 pounds.  I remember either Tisdall writ to me in somebody’s letter, or you did it for him, that I should mention him on occasion to Lord Anglesea, with whom, he said, he had some little acquaintance.