25.  It rained this morning, and I went to town by water; and Ford and I dined with Mr. Lewis by appointment.  I ordered Patrick to bring my gown and periwig to Mr. Lewis, because I designed to go to see Lord Oxford, and so I told the dog; but he never came, though I stayed an hour longer than I appointed; so I went in my old gown, and sat with him two hours, but could not talk over some business I had with him; so he has desired me to dine with him on Sunday, and I must disappoint the Secretary.  My lord set me down at a coffee-house, where I waited for the Dean of Carlisle’s chariot to bring me to Chelsea; for it has rained prodigiously all this afternoon.  The Dean did not come himself, but sent me his chariot, which has cost me two shillings to the coachman; and so I am got home, and Lord knows what is become of Patrick.  I think I must send him over to you; for he is an intolerable rascal.  If I had come without a gown, he would have served me so, though my life and preferment should have lain upon it:  and I am making a livery for him will cost me four pounds; but I will order the tailor to-morrow to stop till further orders.  My Lord Oxford can’t yet abide to be called “my lord”; and when I called him “my lord,” he called me “Dr. Thomas Swift,"[2] which he always does when he has a mind to tease me.  By a second hand, he proposed my being his chaplain, which I by a second hand excused; but we had no talk of it to-day:  but I will be no man’s chaplain alive.  But I must go and be busy.

26.  I never saw Patrick till this morning, and that only once, for I dressed myself without him; and when I went to town he was out of the way.  I immediately sent for the tailor, and ordered him to stop his hand in Patrick’s clothes till further orders.  Oh, if it were in Ireland, I should have turned him off ten times ago; and it is no regard to him, but myself, that has made me keep him so long.  Now I am afraid to give the rogue his clothes.  What shall I do?  I wish MD were here to entreat for him, just here at the bed’s side.  Lady Ashburnham[3] has been engaging me this long time to dine with her, and I set to-day apart for it; and whatever was the mistake, she sent me word she was at dinner and undressed, but would be glad to see me in the afternoon:  so I dined with Mrs. Vanhomrigh, and would not go to see her at all, in a huff.  My fine Florence is turning sour with a vengeance, and I have not drunk half of it.  As I was coming home to-night, Sir Thomas Mansel and Tom Harley[4] met me in the Park, and made me walk with them till nine, like unreasonable whelps; so I got not here till ten:  but it was a fine evening, and the foot-path clean enough already after this hard rain.