his way in
the world by his abilities. But to give him credit for being very
extraordinary, upon what I heard yesterday, would be absurd. If the
oration had been pronounced equally well by a young man whose name
was not of the same renown, and if the matter and expression had
come without that prejudice, or wrote down, all which could have
been said was, that he was a sensible and promising young man. There
is no fairer way of judging.

Lord Cambden's son acquitted himself but very ill; however, Lord
Chatham did him the honour to say that he sees he will make a
speaker, so we must give him credit for what he may do by what Lord
Chatham has said.

If I wanted reputation, and to be puffed, and could afford to pay
for such nonsense, I would certainly be in Opposition, and sit in
the House in the places where Ossory and Lord Robert and young
Greenville sit. But the difficulty would be to extol my speaking
when I said nothing.

The guinea a deal is now deemed too much, so Charles has published a
new edict, and they have only five guineas an hour, by which Lord
Robert cannot earn in a day more than Brooks gets by furnishing
cards and candles. Pigott has found out that punting is not
advantageous, and has left it off. The General is not yet of the
same opinion. Lord Spencer, Mr. Heneage, Offley, &c., are des culs
de plomb, and the bankers' coaches are not ordered till about six in
the morning.

Lord Abergavenny's son is certainly to marry Robinson's daughter. He
gives her 25,000 pounds down, which does not pay all the young man's
debts. Lord A(bergavenny) gives them a thousand a year. He is a
weak, good-tempered young man, or, as the King of Prussia called an
acquaintance of mine, the Comte de Bohn, une belle bete.

Robinson seems rejoiced that he is to be allied to the Nevills, and
that his posterity is to have the bear and ragged staff, red roses,
and portcullises for their insignia. Malden, to console himself for
the infidelity of Mrs. Robinson, is gone to Bruxelles with his Royal
Highness.(169)

(169) The Duke of Gloucester.

(1781, June 13,) Wednesday, 4 o clock.--P.S.--I have been at Bedford
House, and performed my homage. I dine at Streatham on Sunday, and
in the course of the next week go to settle myself there. I met
Admiral Biron in my way back, and had some discourse with him on the
subject of his sister.(170) He spoke to me about her with great good
nature and reason, but said that the correspondence w