o Lord Wharton; but I fear with no
success. However, I will do all I can.
12. To-day I presented Mr. Ford(11) to the Duke of Ormond; and paid my
first visit to Lord President,(12) with whom I had much discourse; but
put him always off when he began to talk of Lord Wharton in relation
to me, till he urged it: then I said, he knew I never expected anything
from Lord Wharton, and that Lord Wharton knew that I understood it so.
He said that he had written twice to Lord Wharton about me, who both
times said nothing at all to that part of his letter. I am advised not
to meddle in the affair of the First-Fruits, till this hurry is a little
over, which still depends, and we are all in the dark. Lord President
told me he expects every day to be out, and has done so these two
months. I protest, upon my life, I am heartily weary of this town, and
wish I had never stirred.
13. I went this morning to the city, to see Mr. Stratford the Hamburg
merchant, my old schoolfellow;(13) but calling at Bull's(14) on Ludgate
Hill, he forced me to his house at Hampstead to dinner among a great
deal of ill company; among the rest Mr. Hoadley,(15) the Whig clergyman,
so famous for acting the contrary part to Sacheverell:(16) but
tomorrow I design again to see Stratford. I was glad, however, to be
at Hampstead, where I saw Lady Lucy(17) and Moll Stanhope. I hear very
unfortunate news of Mrs. Long;(18) she and her comrade(19) have broke up
house, and she is broke for good and all, and is gone to the country: I
should be extremely sorry if this be true.
14. To-day, I saw Patty Rolt,(20) who heard I was in town; and I dined
with Stratford at a merchant's in the city, where I drank the first
Tokay wine I ever saw; and it is admirable, yet not to the degree
I expected. Stratford is worth a plum,(21) and is now lending the
Government forty thousand pounds; yet we were educated together at the
same school and university.(22) We hear the Chancellor(23) is to be
suddenly out, and Sir Simon Harcourt(24) to succeed him: I am come early
home, not caring for the Coffee-house.
15. To-day Mr. Addison, Colonel Freind,(25) and I, went to see the
million lottery(26) drawn at Guildhall. The jackanapes of bluecoat boys
gave themselves such airs in pulling out the tickets, and showed white
hands open to the company, to let us see there was no cheat. We dined
at a country-house near Chelsea, where Mr. Addison often retires; and
to-night, at the Coffee-house, we
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