ix months, and then steal over
to Laracor; and I had in my mouth a thousand times two lines of
Shakespeare, where Cardinal Wolsey says,

"A weak old man, battered with storms of state,
Is come to lay his weary bones among you."(15)

I beg your pardon; I have cheated you all this margin, I did not
perceive it; and I went on wider and wider like Stella; awkward sluts;
SHE WRITES SO SO, THERE:(16) that's as like as two eggs a penny.--"A
weak old man," now I am saying it, and shall till to-morrow.--The
Duke of Marlborough says there is nothing he now desires so much as to
contrive some way how to soften Dr. Swift. He is mistaken; for those
things that have been hardest against him were not written by me. Mr.
Secretary told me this from a friend of the Duke's; and I'm sure now he
is down, I shall not trample on him; although I love him not, I dislike
his being out.--Bernage was to see me this morning, and gave some very
indifferent excuses for not calling here so long. I care not twopence.
Prince Eugene did not dine with the Duke of Marlborough on Sunday, but
was last night at Lady Betty Germaine's assemblee, and a vast number of
ladies to see him. Mr. Lewis and I dined with a private friend. I was
this morning to see the Duke of Ormond, who appointed me to meet him
at the Cockpit at one, but never came. I sat too some time with the
Duchess. We don't like things very well yet. I am come home early, and
going to be busy. I'll go write.

9. I could not go sleep last night till past two, and was waked before
three by a noise of people endeavouring to break open my window. For a
while I would not stir, thinking it might be my imagination; but hearing
the noise continued, I rose and went to the window, and then it ceased.
I went to bed again, and heard it repeated more violently; then I rose
and called up the house, and got a candle: the rogues had lifted up
the sash a yard; there are great sheds before my windows, although
my lodgings be a storey high; and if they get upon the sheds they are
almost even with my window. We observed their track, and panes of glass
fresh broken. The watchmen told us to-day they saw them, but could not
catch them. They attacked others in the neighbourhood about the same
time, and actually robbed a house in Suffolk Street, which is the
next street but one to us. It is said they are seamen discharged from
service. I went up to call my man, and found his bed empty; it seems he
often lies