Madame de Boufflers is ill of a fever, and the Duchess de Biron(806) goes next week to Switzerland:—­mais qu’est que cela vous fait?  I must eke out this with a few passages that I think will divert you, from the heaviest of all books, Mr. Malone’s Shakspeare, in ten thick octavos, with notes, that are an extract of all the opium that is spread through the works of all the bad playwrights of that age.  Mercy on the poor gentleman’s patience!  Amongst his other indefatigable researches he has discovered some lists of effects in the custody of the property-man to the Lord Admiral’s company of players, in 1598.  Of those effects he has given eight pages-you shall be off for a few items; viz.  “My Lord Caffe’s [Caiaphas’s] gercheri [jerkin] and his hoose [hose]; one rocke, one tombe, one Hellemought [Hell-mouth], two stepelles and one chyme of belles, one chaine of Dragons, two coffines, one bulle’s head, one vylter, one goste’s crown, and one frame for the heading of black Jone; one payer of stayers for Fayeton, and bowght a robe for to goo invisabell.”  The pair of stairs for Phaeton reminds one of Hogarth’s Strollers dressing in a barn, where Cupid on a ladder is reaching Apollo’s stockings, that are hanging to dry on the clouds; as the steeples do of a story in L’Histoire du Th`eatre Fran`cois:  Jodelet, who not only wrote plays, but invented the decorations, was to exhibit of both before Henry the Third.  One scene was to represent a view of the sea, and Jodelet had bespoken two rochers; but not having time to rehearse, what did he behold enter on either side of the stage, instead of two rochers, but two clochers!  Who knows but my Lord Admiral bought them?

Berkeley Square, Thursday, 16th.

I am come to town for one night, having promised to be at Mrs. Buller’s this evening with Mrs. Damer, and I believe your friend, Mrs. Cholmeley, whom I have seen two or three times lately and like much.  Three persons have called on me since I came, but have not contributed a tittle of news to my journal.  If I hear nothing to-night, this must depart, empty as it is, to-morrow morning, as I shall for Strawberry; I hope without finding a new mortification, as I did last time.  Two companies had been to see my house last week; and one of the parties, as vulgar people always see with the ends of their fingers, had broken off the end of my invaluable Eagle’s bill, and to conceal their mischief, had pocketed the piece.  It is true it had been restored at Rome, and my comfort is, that Mrs. Damer can repair the damage—­but did the fools know that?  It almost provokes one to shut up one’s house, when obliging begets injury!

Friday noon.

This moment I receive your 35th, to which I have nothing to answer, but that I believe Fox and Burke are not very cordial; though I do not know whether there has been any formal reconciliation or not.  The Parliament is prorogued; and we shall hear no more of them, I suppose, for some months; nor have I learnt any thing new, and am returning to Strawberry, and must finish.