rly, and have been reading a foolish book for amusement. I
shall never have courage again to care for making anybody's fortune. The
Parliament meets to-morrow, and will be prorogued another fortnight,
at which several of both parties were angry; but it cannot be helped,
though everything about the peace is past all danger. I never saw such
a continuance of rainy weather. We have not had two fair days together
these ten weeks. I have not dined with Lord Treasurer these four days,
nor can I till Saturday; for I have several engagements till then,
and he will chide me to some purpose. I am perplexed with this hundred
pounds of poor Harrison's, what to do with it. I cannot pay his
relations till they administer, for he is much in debt;(5) but I will
have the staff in my own hands, and venture nothing. Nite poo dee MD.

17. Lady Jersey and I dined by appointment to-day with Lord Bolingbroke.
He is sending his brother(6) to succeed Mr.(7) Harrison. It is the
prettiest post in Europe for a young gentleman. I lose my money at ombre
sadly; I make a thousand blunders. I play but(8) threepenny ombre; but
it is what you call running ombre. Lady Clarges,(9) and a drab I hate,
won a dozen shillings of me last night. The Parliament was prorogued
to-day; and people grumble; and the good of it is the peace cannot be
finished by the time they meet, there are so many fiddling things to do.
Is Ppt an ombre lady yet? You know all the tricks of it now, I suppose.
I reckon you have all your cards from France, for ours pay sixpence a
pack taxes, which goes deep to the box. I have given away all my Spa
water, and take some nasty steel drops, and my head has been better this
week past. I send every day to see how Miss Ashe does: she is very full,
they say, but in no danger. I fear she will lose some of her beauty.
The son lies out of the house. I wish he had them too, while he is so
young.--Nite MD.

18. The Earl of Abingdon(10) has been teasing me these three months to
dine with him; and this day was appointed about a week ago, and I named
my company; Lord Stawel,(11) Colonel Disney,(12) and Dr. Arbuthnot; but
the two last slipped out their necks, and left Stawell and me to dine
there. We did not dine till seven, because it is Ash Wednesday. We had
nothing but fish, which Lord Stawell could not eat, and got a broiled
leg of a turkey. Our wine was poison; yet the puppy has twelve thousand
pound a year. His carps were raw, and his candles tallow.