otherwise, disliking both the thing and the manner, and it has heartily vexed me, and all I have said is truth, though it looks like jest; and I absolutely refused to submit to his intended favour, and expect further satisfaction.  Mr. Ford and I dined with Mr. Lewis.  We have a monstrous deal of snow, and it has cost me two shillings to-day in chair and coach, and walked till I was dirty besides.  I know not what it is now to read or write after I am in bed.  The last thing I do up is to write something to our MD, and then get into bed, and put out my candle, and so go sleep as fast as ever I can.  But in the mornings I do write sometimes in bed, as you know.

8.  Morning.  I have desired APRONIA to be always careful, especially about the legs.  Pray, do you see any such great wit in that sentence?  I must freely own that I do not.  But party carries everything nowadays, and what a splutter have I heard about the wit of that saying, repeated with admiration above a hundred times in half an hour!  Pray read it over again this moment, and consider it.  I think the word is advised, and not desired. I should not have remembered it if I had not heard it so often.  Why—­ay—­You must know I dreamed it just now, and waked with it in my mouth.  Are you bit, or are you not, sirrahs?  I met Mr. Harley in the Court of Requests, and he asked me how long I had learnt the trick of writing to myself?  He had seen your letter through the glass case at the Coffee-house, and would swear it was my hand; and Mr. Ford, who took and sent it me, was of the same mind.  I remember others have formerly said so too.  I think I was little MD’s writing-master.[10]—­But come, what is here to do, writing to young women in a morning?  I have other fish to fry; so good-morrow, my ladies all, good-morrow.  Perhaps I’ll answer your letter to-night, perhaps I won’t; that’s as saucy little Presto takes the humour.—­At night.  I walked in the Park to-day in spite of the weather, as I do always when it does not actually rain.  Do you know what it has gone and done?  We had a thaw for three days, then a monstrous dirt and snow, and now it freezes, like a pot-lid, upon our snow.  I dined with Lady Betty Germaine, the first time since I came for England; and there did I sit, like a booby, till eight, looking over her and another lady at piquet, when I had other business enough to do.  It was the coldest day I felt this year.

9.  Morning.  After I had been abed an hour last night, I was forced to rise and call to the landlady and maid to have the fire removed in a chimney below stairs, which made my bed-chamber smoke, though I had no fire in it.  I have been twice served so.  I never lay so miserable an hour in my life.  Is it not plaguy vexatious?—­It has snowed all night, and rains this morning.—­Come, where’s MD’s letter?  Come, Mrs. Letter, make your appearance.  Here am I, says she, answer