14.  Our Society dined to-day at Mr. Secretary’s house.  I went there at four; but hearing the House of Commons would sit late upon the Barrier Treaty, I went for an hour to Kensington, to see Lord Masham’s children.  My young nephew,[20] his son of six months old, has got a swelling in his neck; I fear it is the evil.  We did not go to dinner till eight at night, and I left them at ten.  The Commons have been very severe on the Barrier Treaty, as you will find by their votes.  A Whig member took out the Conduct of the Allies, and read that passage about the succession with great resentment; but none seconded him.  The Church party carried every vote by a great majority.  The A.B.[21] Dublin is so railed at by all who come from Ireland that I can defend him no longer.  Lord Anglesea assured me that the story of applying Piso out of Tacitus[22] to Lord Treasurer’s being wounded is true.  I believe the Duke of Beaufort will be admitted to our Society next meeting.  To-day I published the Fable of Midas,[23] a poem, printed in a loose half-sheet of paper.  I know not how it will sell; but it passed wonderfully at our Society to-night; and Mr. Secretary read it before me the other night to Lord Treasurer, at Lord Masham’s, where they equally approved of it.  Tell me how it passes with you.  I think this paper is larger than ordinary; for here is six days’ journal, and no nearer the bottom.  I fear these journals are very dull.  Nite my deelest lives.

15.  Mr. Lewis and I dined by invitation with a Scotch acquaintance, after I had been very busy in my chamber till two afternoon.  My third cold is now very troublesome on my breast, especially in the morning.  This is a great revolution in my health; colds never used to return so soon with me, or last so long.  ’Tis very surprising this news to-day of the Dauphin and Dauphiness both dying within six days.  They say the old King is almost heart-broke.  He has had prodigious mortifications in his family.  The Dauphin has left two little sons, of four and two years old; the eldest is sick.  There is a foolish story got about the town that Lord Strafford, one of our Plenipotentiaries, is in the interests of France; and it has been a good while said that Lord Privy Seal[24] and he do not agree very well.  They are both long practised in business, but neither of them of much parts.  Strafford has some life and spirit, but is infinitely proud, and wholly illiterate.  Nite, MD.

16.  I dined to-day in the City with my printer, to finish something I am doing about the Barrier Treaty;[25] but it is not quite done.  I went this evening to Lord Masham’s, where Lord Treasurer sat with us till past twelve.  The Lords have voted an Address to the Queen, to tell her they are not satisfied with the King of France’s offers.  The Whigs brought it in of a sudden; and the Court could not prevent it, and therefore did not oppose it.  The House of Lords is too strong in Whigs, notwithstanding the new creations; for they are very diligent, and the Tories as lazy:  the side that is down has always most industry.  The Whigs intended to have made a vote that would reflect on Lord Treasurer; but their project was not ripe.  I hit my face such a rap by calling the coach to stop to-night, that it is plaguy sore, the bone beneath the eye.  Nite dee logues.