colding when I heard they were coming; and the people
about him wondered at me, and said what a mighty content it would be on
both sides to die when they were with him! I knew the mother; she is the
greatest Overdo(3) upon earth; and the sister, they say, is worse; the
poor man will relapse again among them. Here was the scoundrel brother
always crying in the outer room till Sir Andrew was in danger; and
the dog was to have all his estate if he died; and it is an ignorant,
worthless, scoundrel-rake: and the nurses were comforting him, and
desiring he would not take on so. I dined to-day the first time with
Ophy Butler(4) and his wife; and you supped with the Dean, and lost
two-and-twenty pence at cards. And so Mrs. Walls is brought to bed of
a girl, who died two days after it was christened; and, betwixt you and
me, she is not very sorry: she loves her ease and diversions too well to
be troubled with children. I will go to bed.

6. Morning. I went last night to put some coals on my fire after Patrick
was gone to bed; and there I saw in a closet a poor linnet he has bought
to bring over to Dingley: it cost him sixpence, and is as tame as a
dormouse. I believe he does not know he is a bird: where you put him,
there he stands, and seems to have neither hope nor fear; I suppose in a
week he will die of the spleen. Patrick advised with me before he bought
him. I laid fairly before him the greatness of the sum, and the rashness
of the attempt; showed how impossible it was to carry him safe over the
salt sea: but he would not take my counsel; and he will repent it. 'Tis
very cold this morning in bed; and I hear there is a good fire in the
room without (what do you call it?), the dining-room. I hope it will be
good weather, and so let me rise, sirrahs, do so.--At night. I was this
morning to visit the Dean,(5) or Mr. Prolocutor, I think you call him,
don't you? Why should not I go to the Dean's as well as you? A little,
black man, of pretty near fifty? Ay, the same. A good, pleasant man? Ay,
the same. Cunning enough? Yes. One that understands his own interests?
As well as anybody. How comes it MD and I don't meet there sometimes? A
very good face, and abundance of wit? Do you know his lady? O Lord! whom
do you mean?(6) I mean Dr. Atterbury, Dean of Carlisle and Prolocutor.
Pshaw, Presto, you are a fool: I thought you had meant our Dean of St.
Patrick's.--Silly, silly, silly, you are silly, both are silly, every
kind of thing is