y telling you where I dined; but that will not be above
seven lines in all, half a line to a dinner. Your Ingoldsby(2) is going
over, and they say here he is to be made a lord.--Here was I staying in
my room till two this afternoon for that puppy Sir Andrew Fountaine, who
was to go with me into the City, and never came; and if I had not shot
a dinner flying, with one Mr. Murray, I might have fasted, or gone to an
alehouse.--You never said one word of Goody Stoyte in your letter; but
I suppose these winter nights we shall hear more of her. Does the
Provost(3) laugh as much as he used to do? We reckon him here a
good-for-nothing fellow.--I design to write to your Dean one of these
days, but I can never find time, nor what to say.--I will think of
something: but if DD(4) were not in Ireland I believe seriously I
should not think of the place twice a year. Nothing there ever makes the
subject of talk in any company where I am.

7. I went to-day to the City on business; but stopped at a printer's,
and stayed there: it was a most delicious day. I hear the Parliament is
to be prorogued for a fortnight longer; I suppose, either because the
Queen has the gout, or that Lord Treasurer is not well, or that they
would do something more towards a peace. I called at Lord Treasurer's
at noon, and sat a while with Lord Harley, but his father was asleep.
A bookseller has reprinted or new-titled a sermon of Tom Swift's,(5)
printed last year, and publishes an advertisement calling it Dr. Swift's
Sermon. Some friend of Lord Galway(6) has, by his directions, published
a four-shilling book about his conduct in Spain, to defend him; I
have but just seen it. But what care you for books, except Presto's
Miscellanies? Leigh promised to call and see me, but has not yet; I hope
he will take care of his cargo, and get your Chester box. A murrain take
that box! everything is spoiled that is in it. How does the strong box
do? You say nothing of Raymond: is his wife brought to bed again; or
how? has he finished his house; paid his debts; and put out the rest
of the money to use? I am glad to hear poor Joe is like to get his two
hundred pounds. I suppose Trim is now reduced to slavery again. I am
glad of it; the people were as great rascals as the gentlemen. But I
must go to bed, sirrahs: the Secretary is still at Hampton Court with my
papers, or is come only to-night. They plague me with attending them.

8. I was with the Secretary this morning, and we