21.  Mrs. Van would have me dine with her again to-day, and so I did, though Lady Mountjoy has sent two or three times to have me see and dine with her, and she is a little body I love very well.  My head has ached a little in the evenings these three or four days, but it is not of the giddy sort, so I do not much value it.  I was to see Lord Harley to-day, but Lord Treasurer took physic; and I could not see him.  He has voided much gravel, and is better, but not well:  he talks of going on Tuesday to see the Queen at Hampton Court; I wish he may be able.  I never saw so fine a summer day as this was:  how is it with you, pray? and can’t you remember, naughty packs?  I han’t seen Lord Pembroke yet.  He will be sorry to miss Dilly:  I wonder you say nothing of Dilly’s being got to Ireland; if he be not there soon, I shall have some certain odd thoughts:  guess them if you can.

22.  I dined in the City to-day with Dr. Freind, at one of my printers:  I inquired for Leigh, but could not find him:  I have forgot what sort of apron you want.  I must rout among your letters, a needle in a bottle of hay.  I gave Sterne directions, but where to find him Lord knows.  I have bespoken the spectacles; got a set of Examiners, and five pamphlets, which I have either written or contributed to, except the best, which is the vindication of the Duke of Marlborough, and is entirely of the author of the Atalantis.[17] I have settled Dingley’s affair with Tooke, who has undertaken it, and understands it.  I have bespoken a Miscellany:  what would you have me do more?  It cost me a shilling coming home; it rains terribly, and did so in the morning.  Lord Treasurer has had an ill day, in much pain.  He writes and does business in his chamber now he is ill:  the man is bewitched:  he desires to see me, and I’ll maul him, but he will not value it a rush.  I am half weary of them all.  I often burst out into these thoughts, and will certainly steal away as soon as I decently can.  I have many friends, and many enemies; and the last are more constant in their nature.  I have no shuddering at all to think of retiring to my old circumstances, if you can be easy; but I will always live in Ireland as I did the last time; I will not hunt for dinners there, nor converse with more than a very few.

23.  Morning.  This goes to-day, and shall be sealed by and by.  Lord Treasurer takes physic again to-day:  I believe I shall dine with Lord Dupplin.  Mr. Tooke brought me a letter directed for me at Morphew’s the bookseller.  I suppose, by the postage, it came from Ireland.  It is a woman’s hand, and seems false spelt on purpose:  it is in such sort of verse as Harris’s petition;[18] rallies me for writing merry things, and not upon divinity; and is like the subject of the Archbishop’s last letter, as I told you.  Can you guess whom it came from?  It is not ill written; pray find it out.  There is a Latin verse at the end of it all rightly spelt; yet the