l be full of your
quarrel between the two Houses, all which I know already. Where shall
I dine to-morrow? can you tell? Mrs. Vanhomrigh boards now, and cannot
invite one; and there I used to dine when I was at a loss: and all my
friends are gone out of town, and your town is now at the fullest, with
your Parliament and Convocation. But let me alone, sirrahs; for Presto
is going to be very busy; not Presto, but the other I.

26. People have so left the town that I am at a loss for a dinner. It is
a long time since I have been at London upon a Sunday; and the Ministers
are all at Windsor. It cost me eighteenpence in coach-hire before I
could find a place to dine in. I went to Frankland's,(1) and he was
abroad, and the drab his wife looked out at window, and bowed to
me without inviting me up: so I dined with Mr. Coote,(2) my Lord
Mountrath's brother; my lord is with you in Ireland. This morning at
five my Lord Jersey(3) died of the gout in his stomach, or apoplexy,
or both: he was abroad yesterday, and his death was sudden. He was
Chamberlain to King William, and a great favourite, turned out by the
Queen as a Tory, and stood now fair to be Privy Seal; and by his death
will, I suppose, make that matter easier, which has been a very stubborn
business at Court, as I have been informed. I never remember so many
people of quality to have died in so short a time.

27. I went to-day into the City, to thank Stratford for my books,
and dine with him, and settle my affairs of my money in the Bank, and
receive a bill for Mrs. Wesley for some things I am to buy for her; and
the d---- a one of all these could I do. The merchants were all out of
town, and I was forced to go to a little hedge place for my dinner. May
my enemies live here in summer! and yet I am so unlucky that I cannot
possibly be out of the way at this juncture. People leave the town so
late in summer, and return so late in winter, that they have almost
inverted the seasons. It is autumn this good while in St. James's Park;
the limes have been losing their leaves, and those remaining on the
trees are all parched: I hate this season, where everything grows worse
and worse. The only good thing of it is the fruit, and that I dare not
eat. Had you any fruit at Wexford? A few cherries, and durst not eat
them. I do not hear we have yet got a new Privy Seal. The Whigs whisper
that our new Ministry differ among themselves, and they begin to talk
out Mr. Secretary: they have