but tomorrow I shall know farther.--O this dear rain, I
cannot forbear praising it: I never felt myself to be revived so in my
life. It lasted from three till five, hard as a horn, and mixed with
hail.

8. Morning. I am going to town, and will just finish this there, if I go
into the country with Lady Kerry and Lord Shelburne: so morrow, till an
hour or two hence.--In town. I met Cairnes, who, I suppose, will pay me
the money; though he says I must send him the bill first, and I will get
it done in absence. Farewell, etc. etc.

LETTER 25.

CHELSEA, June 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.

I have been all this time at Wycombe, between Oxford and London, with
Lord Shelburne, who has the squire's house at the town's end, and an
estate there in a delicious country. Lady Kerry and Mrs. Pratt were with
us, and we passed our time well enough; and there I wholly disengaged
myself from all public thoughts, and everything but MD, who had the
impudence to send me a letter there; but I'll be revenged: I will
answer it. This day, the 20th, I came from Wycombe with Lady Kerry after
dinner, lighted at Hyde Park Corner, and walked: it was twenty-seven
miles, and we came it in about five hours.

21. I went at noon to see Mr. Secretary at his office, and there was
Lord Treasurer: so I killed two birds, etc., and we were glad to see
one another, and so forth. And the Secretary and I dined at Sir William
Wyndham's,(1) who married Lady Catharine Seymour, your acquaintance, I
suppose. There were ten of us at dinner. It seems, in my absence, they
had erected a Club,(2) and made me one; and we made some laws to-day,
which I am to digest and add to, against next meeting. Our meetings
are to be every Thursday. We are yet but twelve: Lord Keeper and
Lord Treasurer were proposed; but I was against them, and so was Mr.
Secretary, though their sons are of it, and so they are excluded; but
we design to admit the Duke of Shrewsbury. The end of our Club is, to
advance conversation and friendship, and to reward deserving persons
with our interest and recommendation. We take in none but men of wit or
men of interest; and if we go on as we begin, no other Club in this town
will be worth talking of. The Solicitor-General, Sir Robert Raymond,
is one of our Club; and I ordered him immediately to write to your Lord
Chancellor in favour of Dr. Raymond: so tell Raymond, if you see him;
but I believe this will find you at Wexford. This le