I have taken the liberty to talk a good deal to Lord Stavordale, partly for his own sake and partly for yours, and pressed him much to get out of town as soon as possible, and not quit Lord Ilchester any more.  His attention there cannot be of long duration, and his absence may be fatal to us all.  I painted it in very strong colours, and he has promised me to go, as soon as this Sedgmoor Bill is reported.  I moved to have Tuesday fixed for it.  We had a debate and division upon my motion, and this Bill will at last not go down so glibly as Bully hoped that it would.  It will meet with more opposition in the H(ouse) of Lords, and Lord North being adverse to it, does us no good.  Lord Ilchester gets, it is said, 5,000 pounds a year by it, and amongst others Sir C. Tynte something, who, for what reason I cannot yet comprehend, opposes it.

The comparison of me to Arlequin, I allow to be in a great measure just.  The events have frequently called his (sic) to my mind.  But I beseech you do not say that you do not desire to hinder me from a favourite amusement.  If it was an innocent one also, passe; but it is not only dangerous, but in its consequences criminal, and there is no dependence upon any one man breathing, who pursues it with the chaleur which I have done.  How can I expect another man to trust me, if I cannot trust myself?

Therefore, although March has dissolved the tie,(129) I beg that you will lay me under some sort of restriction about it.  I do not speak this from having now suffered, for I have not, as I told you before, since March last; that is, by the event.  But I have been susceptible (since?) then more than once, and it has been my good fortune and not my prudence which has kept me above water.

What I propose is, to receive a guinea, or two guineas, and to pay twenty, for every ten which I shall lose in the same day, above 50, at any game of chance.  I reserve the 50 for an unexpected necessity of playing in the country, or elsewhere, with women.  All things considered, it is the best tie, and the tax the easiest paid, and restrictive enough, and twenty guineas you will take; and if you tie me up, I beg my forfeitures may go to the children, and then perhaps I may forfeit for their sake, you’ll say.  I really think it will be a wise measure for me, and a safe one; and let this tie be for this year only, and then, if it is demonstrable that my fortune is impaired by not playing, the tie will be over, and not renewed the next.  In the mean time, and till I shall hear your sentiments upon this, I must avoid going to Almack’s, and so I will. . . .

I dine to-day at Harry St. John’s, and to-morrow at Eden’s(130); and on Monday all the St. Johns in the world, old and young, dine here.