1) a
Frenchman, prebendary of Westminster, who has a delicious house and
garden; yet I thought it was a sort of monastic life in those cloisters,
and I liked Laracor better. Addison's sister is a sort of a wit, very
like him. I am not fond of her, etc.
26. I was to-day to see Mr. Congreve,(12) who is almost blind with
cataracts growing on his eyes; and his case is, that he must wait two or
three years, until the cataracts are riper, and till he is quite blind,
and then he must have them couched; and, besides, he is never rid of the
gout, yet he looks young and fresh, and is as cheerful as ever. He is
younger by three years or more than I; and I am twenty years younger
than he. He gave me a pain in the great toe, by mentioning the gout. I
find such suspicions frequently, but they go off again. I had a second
letter from Mr. Morgan,(13) for which I thank you: I wish you were
whipped, for forgetting to send him that answer I desired you in one of
my former, that I could do nothing for him of what he desired, having
no credit at all, etc. Go, be far enough, you negligent baggages. I have
had also a letter from Parvisol, with an account how my livings are set;
and that they are fallen, since last year, sixty pounds. A comfortable
piece of news! He tells me plainly that he finds you have no mind to
part with the horse, because you sent for him at the same time you sent
him my letter; so that I know not what must be done. It is a sad thing
that Stella must have her own horse, whether Parvisol will or no. So now
to answer your letter that I had three or four days ago. I am not now in
bed, but am come home by eight; and, it being warm, I write up. I never
writ to the Bishop of Killala, which, I suppose, was the reason he had
not my letter. I have not time, there is the short of it.--As fond as
the Dean(14) is of my letter, he has not written to me. I would only
know whether Dean Bolton(15) paid him the twenty pounds; and for the
rest, he may kiss--And that you may ask him, because I am in pain about
it, that Dean Bolton is such a whipster. 'Tis the most obliging thing
in the world in Dean Sterne to be so kind to you. I believe he knows it
will please me, and makes up, that way, his other usage.(16) No, we
have had none of your snow, but a little one morning; yet I think it
was great snow for an hour or so, but no longer. I had heard of Will
Crowe's(17) death before, but not the foolish circumstance that hastened
his end. No, I
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