him to serve it in to the office for the King. So home to
dinner, and after talk with my wife, she in bed and pain all day, I to
my office most of the evening, and then home to my wife. This day Mrs.
Russell did give my wife a very fine St. George, in alabaster, which
will set out my wife's closett mightily. This evening at the office,
after I had wrote my day's passages, there came to me my cozen Angier
of Cambridge, poor man, making his moan, and obtained of me that I would
send his son to sea as a Reformado, which I will take care to do. But to
see how apt every man is to forget friendship in time of adversity. How
glad was I when he was gone, for fear he should ask me to be bond for
him, or to borrow money of me.

10th. Up, pretty well, the weather being become pretty warm again,
and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and I confess having
received so lately a token from Mrs. Russell, I did find myself
concerned for our not buying some tallow of her (which she bought on
purpose yesterday most unadvisedly to her great losse upon confidence of
putting it off to us). So hard it is for a man not to be warped against
his duty and master's interest that receives any bribe or present,
though not as a bribe, from any body else. But she must be contented,
and I to do her a good turn when I can without wrong to the King's
service. Then home to dinner (and did drink a glass of wine and beer,
the more for joy that this is the shortest day in the year,--[Old
Style]--which is a pleasant consideration) with my wife. She in bed but
pretty well, and having a messenger from my brother, that he is not well
nor stirs out of doors, I went forth to see him, and found him below,
he has not been well, but is not ill. I found him taking order for the
distribution of Mrs. Ramsey's coals, a thing my father for many years
did, and now he after him, which I was glad to see, as also to hear that
Mr. Wheatly begins to look after him. I hope it is about his daughter.
Thence to St. Paul's Church Yard, to my bookseller's, and having gained
this day in the office by my stationer's bill to the King about 40s. or
L3, I did here sit two or three hours calling for twenty books to lay
this money out upon, and found myself at a great losse where to choose,
and do see how my nature would gladly return to laying out money in
this trade. I could not tell whether to lay out my money for books of
pleasure, as plays, which my nature was most earnest in;