“The King said in council, ’That the magistrates had not done their duty, but that he would do his own;’ and a proclamation was published, directing us to keep our servants within doors, as the peace was now to be preserved by force.  The soldiers were sent out to different parts, and the town is now at quiet.

What has happened at your house(131) you will know:  the harm is only a few butts of beer; and, I think, you may be sure that the danger is over.”

10th June, 1780.  The soldiers are stationed so as to be everywhere within call.  There is no longer any body of rioters, and the individuals are hunted to their holes, and led to prison.  Lord George was last night sent to the Tower. . . .

Government now acts again with its proper force — and we are all under the protection of the King and the law."-Ed.)

When we came home our newspaper accounts of the tumults In town with Lord George Gordon and his mob, alarmed us very much ; but we had still no notion of the real danger you were all in.

Next day we drank tea with the Dowdlers.  At our return

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home we were informed a mob was surrounding a new Roman Catholic chapel.  At first we disbelieved it, but presently one of the servants came and told us they were knocking it to pieces; and in half an hour, looking out of our windows, we saw it in flames:  and listening, we heard loud and violent shouts!

I shall write no particulars — the horrible subject you have had more than your share of.  Mrs. Thrale and I sat up till four o’clock, and walked about the parades, and at two we went with a large party to the spot, and saw the beautiful new building consuming; the mob then were all quiet—­all still and silent, and everybody seemed but as spectators.

Saturday morning, to my inexpressible concern, brought me no letters from town, and my uneasiness to hear from you made me quite wretched.  Mrs. Thrale had letters from Sir Philip Clerke and Mr. Perkins, to acquaint her that her town-house had been three times attacked, but was at last saved by guards; her children, plate, money, and valuables all removed.  Streatham also threatened, and emptied of all its furniture.

The same morning also we saw a Bath and Bristol paper, in which Mr. Thrale was asserted to be a papist.  This villanous falsehood terrified us even for his personal safety, and Mrs. Thrale and I agreed it was best to leave Bath directly, and travel about the country.

She left to me the task of acquainting Mr. Thrale with these particulars, being herself too much disturbed to be capable of such a task.  I did it as well as I could, and succeeded so far that, by being lightly told of it, he treated it lightly, and bore it with much steadiness and composure.  We then soon settled to decamp.

We had no time nor spirits pour prendre cong`e stuff, but determined to call upon the Bowdlers and Miss Cooper.  They were all sorry to part, and Miss Cooper, to my equal surprise and pleasure, fairly made a declaration of her passion for me, assuring me she had never before taken so great a fancy to a new acquaintance, and beginning warmly the request I meant to make myself, of continuing our intimacy in town.