3.  Lord Peterborow yesterday called me into a barber’s shop, and there we talked deep politics:  he desired me to dine with him to-day at the Globe in the Strand; he said he would show me so clearly how to get Spain, that I could not possibly doubt it.  I went to-day accordingly, and saw him among half a dozen lawyers and attorneys and hang-dogs, signing of deeds and stuff before his journey; for he goes to-morrow to Vienna.  I sat among that scurvy company till after four, but heard nothing of Spain; only I find, by what he told me before, that he fears he shall do no good in his present journey.[20] We are to be mighty constant correspondents.  So I took my leave of him, and called at Sir Andrew Fountaine’s, who mends much.  I came home, an’t please you, at six, and have been studying till now past eleven.

4.  Morning.  Morrow, little dears.  O, faith, I have been dreaming; I was to be put in prison.  I do not know why, and I was so afraid of a black dungeon; and then all I had been inquiring yesterday of Sir Andrew Fountaine’s sickness I thought was of poor Stella.  The worst of dreams is, that one wakes just in the humour they leave one.  Shall I send this to-day?  With all my heart:  it is two days within the fortnight; but may be MD are in haste to have a round dozen:  and then how are you come up to me with your eighth, young women?  But you indeed ought to write twice slower than I, because there are two of you; I own that.  Well then, I will seal up this letter by my morning candle, and carry it into the city with me, where I go to dine, and put it into the post-office with my own fair hands.  So, let me see whether I have any news to tell MD.  They say they will very soon make some inquiries into the corruptions of the late Ministry; and they must do it, to justify their turning them out.  Atterbury,[21] we think, is to be Dean of Christ Church in Oxford; but the College would rather have Smalridge—­What’s all this to you?  What care you for Atterburys and Smalridges?  No, you care for nothing but Presto, faith.  So I will rise, and bid you farewell; yet I am loth to do so, because there is a great bit of paper yet to talk upon; but Dingley will have it so:  “Yes,” says she, “make your journals shorter, and send them oftener;” and so I will.  And I have cheated you another way too; for this is clipped paper, and holds at least six lines less than the former ones.  I will tell you a good thing I said to my Lord Carteret.[22] “So,” says he, “my Lord came up to me, and asked me,” etc.  “No,” said I, “my Lord never did, nor ever can come up to you.”  We all pun here sometimes.  Lord Carteret set down Prior t’other day in his chariot; and Prior thanked him for his charity; that was fit for Dilly.[23] I do not remember I heard one good one from the Ministry; which is really a shame.  Henley is gone to the country for Christmas.  The puppy comes here without his wife,[24] and keeps no house, and would