31.  I thought to-day on Ppt when she told me she suppose[d] I was acquainted with the steward, when I was giving myself airs of being at some lord’s house.  Sir Andrew Fountaine invited the Bishop of Clogher and me, and some others, to dine where he did; and he carried us to the Duke of Kent’s,[19] who was gone out of town; but the steward treated us nobly, and showed us the fine pictures, etc.  I have not yet seen Miss Ashe.  I wait till she has been abroad, and taken the air.  This evening Lady Masham, Dr. Arbuthnot, and I, were contriving a lie for to-morrow, that Mr. Noble,[20] who was hanged last Saturday, was recovered by his friends, and then seized again by the sheriff, and is now in a messenger’s hands at the Black Swan in Holborn.  We are all to send to our friends, to know whether they have heard anything of it, and so we hope it will spread.  However, we shall do our endeavours; nothing shall be wanting on our parts, and leave the rest to fortune.  Nite MD.

April 1.  We had no success in our story, though I sent my man to several houses, to inquire among the footmen, without letting him into the secret; but I doubt my colleagues did not contribute as they ought.  Parnell and I dined with Darteneuf[21] to-day.  You have heard of Darteneuf:  I have told you of Darteneuf.  After dinner we all went to Lord Bolingbroke’s, who had desired me to dine with him; but I would not, because I heard it was to look over a dull poem of one parson Trapp[22] upon the peace.  The Swedish Envoy told me to-day at Court that he was in great apprehensions about his master;[23] and indeed we are afraid that prince has[24] died among those Turkish dogs.  I prevailed on Lord Bolingbroke to invite Mr. Addison to dine with him on Good Friday.  I suppose we shall be mighty mannerly.  Addison is to have a play of his acted on Friday in Easter Week:  ’tis a tragedy, called Cato; I saw it unfinished some years ago.[25] Did I tell you that Steele has begun a new daily paper, called the Guardian?[26] they say good for nothing.  I have not seen it.  Nite dee MD.

2.  I was this morning with Lord Bolingbroke, and he tells me a Spanish courier is just come, with the news that the King of Spain has agreed to everything that the Queen desires; and the Duke d’Ossuna has left Paris in order to his journey to Utrecht.  I was prevailed on to come home with Trapp, and read his poem and correct it; but it was good for nothing.  While I was thus employed, Sir Thomas Hanmer came up to my chamber, and balked me of a journey he and I intended this week to Lord Orkney’s at Cliffden;[27] but he is not well, and his physician will not let him undertake such a journey.  I intended to dine with Lord Treasurer; but going to see Colonel Disney, who lives with General Withers,[28] I liked the General’s little dinner so well, that I stayed and took share of it, and did not go to Lord Treasurer till six, where I found Dr. Sacheverell, who told us that the bookseller had given him 100 pounds for his sermon,[29] preached last Sunday, and intended to print 30,000:  I believe he will be confoundedly bit, and will hardly sell above half.  I have fires still, though April has begun, against my old maxim; but the weather is wet and cold.  I never saw such a long run of ill weather in my life.  Nite dee logues MD.