l the supper was
forgot, and I fell asleep.

I walked home, but called in at Brooks's as I passed by; Hare in the
chair; the General chief punter, who lost a 1,000 pounds. The bank
concluded early a winner, 12 or 1300. Charles, de cote ou d'autre,
told me that he had won 900. I said that I was informed from the
Emperor that he had lost lately 8,000. He said, in two days, at
various sports. I hinted to him that I had a suit to prefer. He
guessed what it was, and begged that I would not just then speak to
him about money. He was in the right. I meant to have dunned him for
yours.

I told him that I had been reading his character in the Public
Advertiser. The writer says that his figure is squalid and
disagreeable. I told him that my opinion coincided with half of that
account, that he was undoubtedly squalid, but if by his figure was
meant, as in French, his countenance, it was not a true picture. He
said he never cared what was said of his person. If he was
represented ugly, and was not so, those who knew him would do him
justice, and he did not care for what he passed in that respect with
those who did not. The qu'en dira-t-on? he certainly holds very
cheap, but he did (not?) explain to me exactly to what extent
proceeded his indifference towards it. I then went home.

To-day we have a late day in the House, but I shall go and dine
first at Lord Ashburnham's in the King's Road, and to-morrow to my
villa at Streatham. I have bought Johnson's Lives of the Poets,(173)
and repent of it already; but I have read but one, which is Prior's.
There are few anecdotes, and those not well authenticated; his
criticisms on his poems, false and absurd, and the prettiest things
which he has wrote passed over in silence. I told Lord
Loughborough(174) what I thought of it, and he had made the same
remarks. But he says that I had begun with the life the worst wrote
of them all.

Charles was yesterday very abusive upon Johns(t)on.(175) Lord
N(orth) said in his reply that the gentleman was at a great
distance; that if he had been on the spot, he would have given him
as good an answer then as he had done on other occasions. We shall
sit, I believe, till about the 11th of next month. John says, in
regard to the East India business, we are now all afloat. It is a
recommencer. I should, if I was the Minister, put (it?) into his
hands for dispatch.

Mr. Raikes has sent to me this morning to know how George does. I
sent him word that he w