usiness
in my chamber I to bed, after teaching Barker a little of my song.

12th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning, with several
things (among others) discoursed relating to our two new assistant
controllers, but especially Sir W. Pen, who is mighty troublesome in it.
At noon home to dinner, and then to the office again, and there did much
business, and by and by comes Mr. Moore, who in discourse did almost
convince me that it is necessary for my Lord Sandwich to come home end
take his command at sea this year, for that a peace is like to be. Many
considerations he did give me hereupon, which were very good both in
reference to the publick and his private condition. By and by with Lord
Bruncker by coach to his house, there to hear some Italian musique: and
here we met Tom Killigrew, Sir Robert Murray, and the Italian Signor
Baptista, who hath composed a play in Italian for the Opera, which T.
Killigrew do intend to have up; and here he did sing one of the acts. He
himself is the poet as well as the musician; which is very much, and did
sing the whole from the words without any musique prickt, and played all
along upon a harpsicon most admirably, and the composition most excellent.
The words I did not understand, and so know not how they are fitted, but
believe very well, and all in the recitativo very fine. But I perceive
there is a proper accent in every country's discourse, and that do reach
in their setting of notes to words, which, therefore, cannot be natural to
any body else but them; so that I am not so much smitten with it as, it
may be, I should be, if I were acquainted with their accent. But the
whole composition is certainly most excellent; and the poetry, T.
Killigrew and Sir R. Murray, who understood the words, did say was
excellent. I confess I was mightily pleased with the musique. He
pretends not to voice, though it be good, but not excellent. This done, T.
Killigrew and I to talk: and he tells me how the audience at his house is
not above half so much as it used to be before the late fire. That Knipp
is like to make the best actor that ever come upon the stage, she
understanding so well: that they are going to give her L30 a-year more.
That the stage is now by his pains a thousand times better and more
glorious than ever heretofore. Now, wax-candles, and many of them; then,
not above 3 lbs. of tallow: now, all things civil, no rudeness anywhere;
then, as in a bear-garden then,