d of the honourable
officiousness of his brother-in-law. He passed, however, that night with
tranquillity; but the next morning, being reduced to the necessity either
of bursting or giving vent to his sorrows and conjectures, he did nothing
but think and walk about the room until Park-time. He went to court,
seemed very busy, as if seeking for some person or other, imagining that
people guessed at the subject of his uneasiness: he avoided everybody,
but at length meeting with Hamilton, he thought he was the very man that
he wanted; and, having desired him to take an airing with him in Hyde
Park, he took him up in his coach, and they arrived at the Ring, without
a word having passed between them.

Hamilton, who saw him as yellow as jealousy itself, and particularly
thoughtful, imagined that he had just discovered what all the world had
perceived long before; when Chesterfield, after a broken, insignificant
preamble, asked him how he succeeded with Lady Castlemaine. Hamilton,
who very well saw that he meant nothing by this question, nevertheless
thanked him; and as he was thinking of an answer: "Your cousin," said the
earl, "is extremely coquettish, and I have some reason to suppose she is
not so prudent as she ought to be." Hamilton thought the last charge a
little too severe; and as he was endeavouring to refute it: "Good God!"
said my lord, "you see, as well as the whole court, what airs she gives
herself: husbands are always the last people that are spoken to about
those affairs that corcern them the most; but they are not always the
last to perceive it themselves: though you have made me your confidant
in other matters, yet I am not at all surprised you have concealed this
from me; but as I flatter myself with having some share in your esteem,
I should be sorry you should think me such a fool as to be incapable of
seeing, though I am so complaisant as not to express my sentiments:
nevertheless, I find that affairs are now carried on with such barefaced
boldness, that at length I find I shall be forced to take some course or
other. God forbid that I should act the ridiculous part of a jealous
husband: the character is odious; but then I do not intend, through an
excess of patience, to be made the jest of the town. Judge, therefore,
from what I am going to tell you, whether I ought to sit down
unconcerned, or whether I ought to take measures for the preservation
of my honour.

"His royal highness honoured me yesterday