we have des Princes, God knows, a foison.  The Princess Royal seems a very agreeable young woman, but I had only a transient glance of her.  Her air and manner seemed good.  One coach came by after another in their liveries, and each stuffed with royal children, like a cornucopia with fruit and flowers.  Bory got I do not (know) how many of my servants, by some escalier derobe, to see the ball-room and some of the dances; he has a back stairs interest through that of Lord Trentham’s nurse, and being himself the State Trumpeter in a neighbouring kingdom, is of some note and importance, and all is at my use and service.  He is a very honest good creature.  I wish that I had room for him here in this house instead of in Chesterfield Street.  Bob grows every day more and more attached to him, but I cannot dawdle him as Horry Walpole does Tonton, for Me du Deffand’s sake, nor does he seem to expect it.  He has the accueil of a respectable old suisse in my hall, where I meet him on coming home in a posture couchante.  Adieu; till I have letters, remember me kindly to all, but to the dear children in particular.  It is a great grievance to me not to see them.  Je vieillis, et je m’en appercois.

(165) The Prince of Wales.

(1781,) June 11, Monday evening.—. . . .  The Duke of Q(ueensberry) dined here to-day, and, by an accident, the Duke of Dorset.  I had also Mr. Selwin who was a banker in Paris, a worthy man, but a more splenetic one I never knew, with an extreme good understanding.  We are of the same family, by his account, although I do not know the degree of affinity in which we stand to each other.

To-morrow I find a Motion(165) is to come from Fox concerning America, to which he may, contrary to his expectation or wishes, find in the friends of Government an assent.  People now seem by their discourse to despair more of that cause than ever.  There has been wretched management, disgraceful politics, I am sure; where the principal blame is, the Lord only knows; in many places, I am afraid.

The Duke of Gloucester is going to-morrow, as I hear, to Brussels, to meet the Emperor.  I hope for our sake that they will be deux tetes dans le meme bonnet, but la difference en est trop evidente.  That between our master and his son is not less, if report says true.  They have great reason to be uneasy, I believe, but they must, when they reflect, think, that their own conduct has been very much the cause of it, and that they either have not read history, or forgot it.

The Pharo bank goes on, and winning; cela s’entend.  The winnings are computed to be 30,000.  Each of the bankers, to encourage him in his application and to make him as much amends as possible for the waste of his constitution, is entitled to a guinea for every deal from the bank; and so our Trusty is in a way of honest industry, dealing at the pay of a guinea every ten minutes.  There is also an insurance against cards coming up on the losing side, which is no inconsiderable profit to the underwriters.