11.  I was this morning to visit the Duke and Duchess of Ormond, and the Duchess of Hamilton, and went with the Provost to an auction of pictures, and laid out fourteen shillings.  I am in for it, if I had money; but I doubt I shall be undone; for Sir Andrew Fountaine invited the Provost and me to dine with him, and play at ombre, when I fairly lost fourteen shillings.  Fais, it won’t do; and I shall be out of conceit with play this good while.  I am come home; and it is late, and my puppy let out my fire, and I am gone to bed and writing there, and it is past twelve a good while.  Went out four matadores and a trump in black, and was bested.  Vely bad, fais!  Nite my deelest logues MD.

12.  I was at another auction of pictures to-day, and a great auction it was.  I made Lord Masham lay out forty pounds.  There were pictures sold of twice as much value apiece.  Our Society met to-day at the Duke of Beaufort’s:  a prodigious fine dinner, which I hate; but we did some business.  Our printer was to attend us, as usual; and the Chancellor of the Exchequer sent the author of the Examiner[20] twenty guineas.  He is an ingenious fellow, but the most confounded vain coxcomb in the world, so that I dare not let him see me, nor am acquainted with him.  I had much discourse with the Duke of Ormond this morning, and am driving some points to secure us all in case of accidents, etc.[21] I left the Society at seven.  I can’t drink now at all with any pleasure.  I love white Portugal wine better than claret, champagne, or burgundy.  I have a sad vulgar appetite.  I remember Ppt used to maunder, when I came from a great dinner, and DD had but a bit of mutton.  I cannot endure above one dish; nor ever could since I was a boy, and loved stuffing.  It was a fine day, which is a rarity with us, I assure [you].  Never fair two days together.  Nite dee MD.

13.  I had a rabble of Irish parsons this morning drinking my chocolate.  I cannot remember appointments.  I was to have supped last night with the Swedish Envoy at his house, and some other company, but forgot it; and he rallied me to-day at Lord Bolingbroke’s, who excused me, saying, the Envoy ought not to be angry, because I serve Lord Treasurer and him the same way.  For that reason, I very seldom promise to go anywhere.  I dined with Lord Treasurer, who chid me for being absent so long, as he always does if I miss a day.  I sat three hours this evening with Lady Jersey; but the first two hours she was at ombre with some company.  I left Lord Treasurer at eight:  I fancied he was a little thoughtful, for he was playing with an orange by fits, which, I told him, among common men looked like the spleen.  This letter shall not go to-morrow; no haste, ung oomens; nothing that presses.  I promised but once in three weeks, and I am better than my word.  I wish the peace may be ready, I mean that we have notice it is signed, before Tuesday; otherwise the grumbling will much increase.  Nite logues.