occupation at
their country houses, one of the prettiest places in the world. The
houses are so many bijouzs made up for the occasion, so near the
place, so agreste, and the whole an air of such simplicity, that I
am delighted with it, as much as when my amusements were, as they
were formerly, at the Rooms and upon the Pantiles, which are now to
me detestable.

I was pressed much to stay there to-day to dine with Meynell upon a
haunch of venison, but I had solemnly engaged myself to Lady
Harrington, and to her party at Spring Garden, on the road to
Ranelagh. We had a very good turtle. Our company were, Lord and Lady
Harrington, Lady Harriot,(107) Lady A., Maria Ord, Mrs. Boothby,
Richard(108) from his quarters at Hampton Court, Crags, Lord
Barrington, Barker, Langlois, and myself.

March went yesterday to Newmarket, and left a letter behind for me,
to excuse him to the party; he returns on Thursday. Here is not one
single soul in this house, but I came here to write to you plus a
mon aise. Lady Mary Howard was at Tunbridge, and asked much after
you; Lady Powis, the Duke of Leeds, hardly anybody besides that I
knew. Gen. Smith came there yesterday, and I believe was in hopes of
making up a hazard table; at last Lord Killy (Kelly?) said that I
might have one if I pleased.

Charles and Ste, &c., are gone for the present to Red Rice. I was in
hopes of seeing Storer to-day, but this damned turtle party has kept
me so late that I doubt if I shall see him to-night. I met him on
the road, as I was going to Knowles, on his return from Tunbridge,
and he then told me that he should set out for Castle Howard
to-morrow, and would have set out to-day, but that I begged that I
might see him first.

They can find no will of Lord Thomond's as yet; so his poor nephew
will by his procrastination be the loser of a considerable estate;
for he certainly intended to have made him his heir, and the
attorney had left with him a will to be filled up. But we are never
sure of doing anything but what we have but one minute for doing;
what we think we may do any day, we put off so many days that we do
not do it all.

This reflection, and the experience which I have had in other
families of the consequences of these delays, determined me to lose
no time in settling, for my dear Mie Mie, that which may be the only
thing done for her, and only because we-may do it any day in the
week. But I thank God I've secured, as much as anything of that