Harry St. John has been here to ask me to hold a bank to-night at his wife’s, and I had an invitation from Mrs. Crewe(158) also this morning to come to her, and I suppose for the same purpose.  Je rename a tout cela; les inconveniens en sont innombrables; all my play at present is confined to a rubber at whist, and a little Pharo with Ailsford, and perhaps two or three more.  Le grand evenement c’est la perte or la gain de 50 or 80 guineas.

4 o’clock.—­Come home to dinner.  No letters as yet come from Ireland.  Lord Egremont tells me that Digby is sent after La Motte Piquet.(159) I went to Miss Gunning’s to carry her a parcel of francs, but I did not find her at home.  I expect to see Mitchel back in a few days; the wind, as I am told, is favourable for his return.

The post has brought me letters from Holyhead, but no other, so what kind of passage my dear little boy has had over the sea I am still to know.  But he was, I doubt not, safe with you on Friday, and will I hope in God remain so.  I met Sir N. Thomas to-day, with whom I had some conversation about him.  I do not perceive that he has a very favourable opinion of the Irish climate, for those whose lungs are not very strong.  I hope to hear that Louisa is better.  My love to them all most cordially, and to Lady Carlisle with my best respects at the same time.  What a cursed affair to me is this Lieutenancy of Ireland, and a damned sea between us!  Lord Buckingham shewed me last night an infernal ugly gold box which he had received from the town of Cork, and such another I understood that you would have.  Adieu; I have heard no news to-day.

Our club at White’s commence a tomber; la grande presse n’y (est?) pas; c’est un asyle toujours pour les caducs, et pour ceux qui n’ont pas une passion decidee pour le jeu.

(158) The fashionable beauty, “whose mind kept the promise was made by her face,” as Fox sang; the woman whom he said he preferred to any living.  She was the daughter of Sir Everard Falkener, and was married to Mr. Crewe in the same year (1764) as her sister who became the celebrated Mrs. Bouverie.

(159) Commander of the French fleet.

(1781, May 29.)—­You must know that for these two days past, all passengers in St. James’ Street have been amused with seeing two carts at Charles’s door filling, by the Jews, with his goods, clothes, books, and pictures.  He was waked by Basilico yesterday, and Hare afterwards by his valet de chambre, they bein(g) told at the same time that the execution was begun, and the carts were drawn up against the door.  Such furniture I never saw.

Betty and Jack Manners are perpetually in a survey of this operation, and Charles, with all Brooks’s on his behalf, in the highest spirits.  And while this execution is going on in one part of the street, Charles, Richard, and Hare are alternatively holding a bank of 3,000 pounds ostensible, and by which they must have got among them near 2,000.  Lord Robert since his bankruptcy, and in consideration of his party principles, is admitted, as I am told, to some small share in this.