praise of a liberall genius (as I take my own to be) to all
studies and pleasures, but it not proving to my mind I did reject it
and so proceeded not in it. At night my wife and I had a good supper by
ourselves of a pullet hashed, which pleased me much to see my condition
come to allow ourselves a dish like that, and so at night to bed.

4th. In the morning, being very rainy, by coach with Sir W. Pen and
my wife to Whitehall, and sent her to Mrs. Bunt's, and he and I to Mr.
Coventry's about business, and so sent for her again, and all three
home again, only I to the Mitre (Mr. Rawlinson's), where Mr. Pierce,
the Purser, had got us a most brave chine of beef, and a dish of
marrowbones. Our company my uncle Wight, Captain Lambert, one Captain
Davies, and purser Barter, Mr. Rawlinson, and ourselves; and very merry.
After dinner I took coach, and called my wife at my brother's, where I
left her, and to the Opera, where we saw "The Bondman," which of old we
both did so doat on, and do still; though to both our thinking not
so well acted here (having too great expectations), as formerly at
Salisbury-court. But for Betterton he is called by us both the best
actor in the world. So home by coach, I lighting by the way at my uncle
Wight's and staid there a little, and so home after my wife, and to bed.

5th. At the office all the morning. At noon comes my brother Tom and Mr.
Armiger to dine with me, and did, and we were very merry. After dinner,
I having drunk a great deal of wine, I went away, seeming to go about
business with Sir W. Pen, to my Lady Batten's (Sir William being at
Chatham), and there sat a good while, and then went away (before I went
I called at home to see whether they were gone, and found them there,
and Armiger inviting my wife to go to a play, and like a fool would be
courting her, but he is an ass, and lays out money with Tom, otherwise
I should not think him worth half this respect I shew him). To the
Dolphin, where he and I and Captain Cocke sat late and drank much,
seeing the boys in the streets flying their crackers, this day being
kept all the day very strictly in the City. At last broke up, and called
at my Lady Batten's again and would have gone to cards, but Sir W.
Pen was so fuddled that we could not try him to play, and therefore we
parted, and I home and to bed.

6th. Going forth this morning I met Mr. Davenport and a friend of his,
one Mr. Furbisher, to drink their morning draft with me, and I