Mr. Sheridan did very well; he said a very (few) words in answer to Mr. Courtenay, each word being exactly placed where it ought to be—­quasi tesserata emblemate—­as if he had studied them a week beforehand, and had read them instead of speaking them.  His harvest at the Opera House is likely to be very successful, for his Saturdays and Tuesdays are so full, that he is going even to attempt the Thursdays.  Vestris’ Ballet people think too long.  “It is impossible that an English audience should be satisfied.  They don’t know when they have got a good spectacle, and think that finding fault is the only way to pass for judges.”  Such are the words of his Honour, the prophet Brudenell.  John St. John says that the Baccelli is thrown away in the part of Nannette; au lieu d’etre danseuse, elle n’est que la Columbine.  This he takes from the Baccelli, and the Duke of Dorset.  John acts a strange underpart at the theatre.  Mademoiselle Baccelli’s runner is not so honourable an employment as being Lord North’s.

Selwyn lost within this week a large sum of money.  He was so larmoyant the other morning, that I did not dare to ask him any questions about it.  Delme has sold all his hunters, and sold them at very extraordinary prices; his hounds too sold excessively well; it was fortunate at all events to part with them, but the people who bought them, according to all accounts, were as mad as he had been in keeping them. . . .

In Monday night’s debate neither Dunning (n)or Barry was in the House; that looks very like a measure; it is impossible that should be mere accident.  Opposition were without several of their plumpers that evening, either from their being ill or their being out of town.  Lord Robert and Lord Edward for instance were ill; Ned Foley and his brother-in-law, out of town; Lord Howe and Doily not in the House, with more that do not occur to me.  Burke acted with his usual bad judgment in not letting Sir Fletcher Norton speak before him, but rather pressing his privilege of bringing in the Bill, to speak before him; consequently Sir Fletcher did not speak at all.  It was a debate of young members entirely.  Neither Charles Fox or Lord N(orth) spoke.  There is a Select Committee upon East India affairs sitting, at which there is a great deal of curious evidence given relating to the manners, customs, and religion of the Gentoos.  I was there one morning, and was very much entertained with the accounts of the witnesses.  A Brammin, who is now in England, was examined on Monday.  Voici, milord, assez de details.

(1781,) March 24, Saturday.—. . .  Mr. Potts has just left me.  I have been freer from pain these last 29 (or 24?) hours.  I am now to bathe three times a week, take opiate going to bed for some nights, and begin a course of bark.  I take nothing after my coffee, besides, except Orgeat.  I have quite relinquished nasty Brooks’s, as Lady C(arlisle) calls it.  I am with the sexagenary of White’s, et de cette maniere je passe le temps assez tranquillement.