I came home, an't please you, at
six, and have been studying till now past eleven.

4. Morning. Morrow, little dears. O, faith, I have been dreaming; I was
to be put in prison. I do not know why, and I was so afraid of a black
dungeon; and then all I had been inquiring yesterday of Sir Andrew
Fountaine's sickness I thought was of poor Stella. The worst of dreams
is, that one wakes just in the humour they leave one. Shall I send this
to-day? With all my heart: it is two days within the fortnight; but may
be MD are in haste to have a round dozen: and then how are you come up
to me with your eighth, young women? But you indeed ought to write twice
slower than I, because there are two of you; I own that. Well then, I
will seal up this letter by my morning candle, and carry it into the
city with me, where I go to dine, and put it into the post-office with
my own fair hands. So, let me see whether I have any news to tell MD.
They say they will very soon make some inquiries into the corruptions
of the late Ministry; and they must do it, to justify their turning them
out. Atterbury,(21) we think, is to be Dean of Christ Church in Oxford;
but the College would rather have Smalridge--What's all this to you?
What care you for Atterburys and Smalridges? No, you care for nothing
but Presto, faith. So I will rise, and bid you farewell; yet I am loth
to do so, because there is a great bit of paper yet to talk upon; but
Dingley will have it so: "Yes," says she, "make your journals shorter,
and send them oftener;" and so I will. And I have cheated you another
way too; for this is clipped paper, and holds at least six lines less
than the former ones. I will tell you a good thing I said to my Lord
Carteret.(22) "So," says he, "my Lord came up to me, and asked me," etc.
"No," said I, "my Lord never did, nor ever can come up to you." We all
pun here sometimes. Lord Carteret set down Prior t'other day in his
chariot; and Prior thanked him for his CHARITY; that was fit for
Dilly.(23) I do not remember I heard one good one from the Ministry;
which is really a shame. Henley is gone to the country for Christmas.
The puppy comes here without his wife,(24) and keeps no house, and would
have me dine with him at eating-houses; but I have only done it
once, and will do it no more. He had not seen me for some time in the
Coffee-house, and asking after me, desired Lord Herbert to tell me I was
a beast for ever, after the order of Melchisedec. Did you ev