e of wit and spirit; about thirty-three
years old; handsome and airy, and seldom spared anybody that gave her
the least provocation; by which she had many enemies and few friends.
Lady Orkney, her sister-in-law, is come to town on this occasion, and
has been to see her, and behaved herself with great humanity. They
have been always very ill together, and the poor Duchess could not have
patience when people told her I went often to Lady Orkney's. But I am
resolved to make them friends; for the Duchess is now no more the object
of envy, and must learn humility from the severest master, Affliction.
I design to make the Ministry put out a proclamation (if it can be found
proper) against that villain Maccartney. What shall we do with these
murderers? I cannot end this letter to-night, and there is no occasion;
for I cannot send it till Tuesday, and the crowner's inquest on the
Duke's body is to be to-morrow, and I shall know more. But what care oo
for all this? Iss, poo MD im sorry for poo Pdfr's(14) friends; and this
is a very surprising event. 'Tis late, and I'll go to bed. This looks
like journals. Nite.

17. I was to-day at noon with the Duchess of Hamilton again, after I had
been with Lady Orkney, and charged her to be kind to her sister in her
affliction. The Duchess told me Lady Orkney had been with her, and that
she did not treat her as gently as she ought. They hate one another, but
I will try to patch it up. I have been drawing up a paragraph for the
Postboy, to be out to-morrow, and as malicious as possible, and
very proper for Abel Roper,(15) the printer of it. I dined at Lord
Treasurer's at six in the evening, which is his usual hour of returning
from Windsor: he promises to visit the Duchess to-morrow, and says he
has a message to her from the Queen. Thank God. I have stayed till past
one with him. So nite deelest MD.(16)

18. The Committee of Council is to sit this afternoon upon the affair
of the Duke of Hamilton's murder, and I hope a proclamation will be out
against Maccartney. I was just now ('tis now noon) with the Duchess, to
let her know Lord Treasurer will see her. She is mightily out of order.
The jury have not yet brought in their verdict upon the crowner's
inquest. We suspect Maccartney stabbed the Duke while he was fighting.
The Queen and Lord Treasurer are in great concern at this event. I dine
to-day again with Lord Treasurer; but must send this to the post-office
before, because else I shall no