I was to see Jack Hill this morning, who made that unfortunate expedition; and there is still more misfortune; for that ship, which was admiral of his fleet,[12] is blown up in the Thames, by an accident and carelessness of some rogue, who was going, as they think, to steal some gunpowder:  five hundred men are lost.  We don’t yet know the particulars.  I am got home by seven, and am going to be busy, and you are going to play and supper; you live ten times happier than I; but I should live ten times happier than you if I were with MD.  I saw Jemmy Leigh to-day in the street, who tells me that Sterne has not lain above once these three weeks in his lodgings, and he doubts he takes ill courses; he stays only till he can find Sterne to go along with him, and he cannot hear of him.  I begged him to inquire about the box when he comes to Chester, which he promises.

17.  The Secretary and I dined to-day with Brigadier Britton,[13] a great friend of his.  The lady of the house is very gallant, about thirty-five; she is said to have a great deal of wit; but I see nothing among any of them that equals MD by a bar’s length, as hope saved.  My Lord Treasurer is much out of order; he has a sore throat, and the gravel, and a pain in his breast where the wound was:  pray God preserve him.  The Queen comes to Hampton Court on Tuesday next; people are coming fast to town, and I must answer MD’s letter, which I can hardly find time to do, though I am at home the greatest part of the day.  Lady Betty Germaine and I were disputing Whig and Tory to death this morning.  She is grown very fat, and looks mighty well.  Biddy Floyd was there, and she is, I think, very much spoiled with the smallpox.

18.  Lord Treasurer is still out of order, and that breaks our method of dining there to-day.  He is often subject to a sore throat, and some time or other it will kill him, unless he takes more care than he is apt to do.  It was said about the town that poor Lord Peterborow was dead at Frankfort; but he is something better, and the Queen is sending him to Italy, where I hope the warm climate will recover him:  he has abundance of excellent qualities, and we love one another mightily.  I was this afternoon in the City, ate a bit of meat, and settled some things with a printer.  I will answer your letter on Saturday, if possible, and then send away this; so to fetch up the odd days I lost at Windsor, and keep constant to my fortnight.  Ombre time is now coming on, and we shall have nothing but Manley, and Walls, and Stoytes, and the Dean.  Have you got no new acquaintance?  Poor girls; nobody knows MD’s good qualities.—­’Tis very cold; but I will not have a fire till November, that’s pozz.—­Well, but coming home to-night, I found on my table a letter from MD; faith, I was angry, that is, with myself; and I was afraid too to see MD’s hand so soon, for fear of something, I don’t know what:  at last I opened it, and it was over well, and a bill for the two hundred guineas.  However, ’tis a sad thing that this letter is not gone, nor your twenty-first answered yet.