well, I dare not study much:  so I let company come in a morning, and the afternoon pass in dining and sitting somewhere.  Lord Treasurer is angry if I don’t dine with him every second day, and I cannot part with him till late:  he kept me last night till near twelve.  Our weather is constant rain above these two months, which hinders walking, so that our spring is not like yours.  I have not seen Fanny Manley[21] yet; I cannot find time.  I am in rebellion with all my acquaintance, but I will mend with my health and the weather.  Clogher make a figure!  Clogher make a ——.  Colds! why, we have been all dying with colds; but now they are a little over, and my second is almost off.  I can do nothing for Swanton indeed.  It is a thing impossible, and wholly out of my way.  If he buys, he must buy.  So now I have answered oo rettle; and there’s an end of that now; and I’ll say no more, but bid oo nite, dee MD.

8.(9) It was terrible rainy to-day from morning till night.  I intended to have dined with Lord Treasurer, but went to see Sir Andrew Fountaine, and he kept me to dinner, which saved coach-hire; and I stayed with him all the afternoon, and lost thirteen shillings and sixpence at ombre.  There was management! and Lord Treasurer will chide; but I’ll dine with him to-morrow.  The Bishop of Clogher’s daughter has been ill some days,[22] and it proves the smallpox.  She is very full; but it comes out well, and they apprehend no danger.  Lady Orkney has given me her picture; a very fine original of Sir Godfrey Kneller’s; it is now a mending.  He has favoured her squint admirably; and you know I love a cast in the eye.  I was to see Lady Worsley[23] to-day, who is just come to town; she is full of rheumatic pains.  All my acquaintance grow old and sickly.  She lodges in the very house in King Street, between St. James’s Street and St. James’s Square, where DD’s brother bought the sweetbread, when I lodged there, and MD came to see me.  Short sighs.[24] Nite MD.

9.(10) I thought to have dined with Lord Treasurer to-day, but he dined abroad at Tom Harley’s; so I dined at Lord Masham’s, and was winning all I had lost playing with Lady Masham at crown picquet, when we went to pools, and I lost it again.  Lord Treasurer came in to us, and chid me for not following him to Tom Harley’s.  Miss Ashe is still the same, and they think her not in danger; my man calls there daily after I am gone out, and tells me at night.  I was this morning to see Lady Jersey, and we have made twenty parties about dining together, and I shall hardly keep one of them.  She is reduced after all her greatness to seven servants, and a small house, and no coach.[25] I like her tolerably as yet.  Nite MD.