nothing of it. Dr. Freind and I dined in the City at a
printer's, and it has cost me two shillings in coach-hire, and a great
deal more this week and month, which has been almost all rain, with now
and then sunshine, and is the truest April that I have known these many
years. The lime-trees in the Park are all out in leaves, though not
large leaves yet. Wise people are going into the country; but many think
the Parliament can hardly be up these six weeks. Mr. Harley was with the
Queen on Tuesday. I believe certainly he will be Lord Treasurer: I have
not seen him this week.

21. Morning. Lord Keeper, and I, and Prior, and Sir Thomas Mansel, have
appointed to dine this day with George Granville. My head, I thank God,
is better; but to be giddyish three or four days together mortified me.
I take no snuff, and I will be very regular in eating little and the
gentlest meats. How does poor Stella just now, with her deans and
her Stoytes? Do they give you health for the money you lose at ombre,
sirrah? What say you to that? Poor Dingley frets to see Stella lose that
four and elevenpence, the other night. Let us rise. Morrow, sirrahs. I
will rise, spite of your little teeth; good-morrow.--At night. O, faith,
you are little dear saucyboxes. I was just going in the morning to tell
you that I began to want a letter from MD, and in four minutes after Mr.
Ford sends me one that he had picked up at St. James's Coffee-house; for
I go to no coffee-house at all. And, faith, I was glad at heart to see
it, and to see Stella so brisk. O Lord, what pretending? Well, but I
will not answer it yet; I'll keep it for t'other side. Well, we dined
to-day according to appointment: Lord Keeper went away at near eight,
I at eight, and I believe the rest will be fairly fuddled; for young
Harcourt,(5) Lord Keeper's son, began to prattle before I came away.
It will not do with Prior's lean carcass. I drink little, miss my glass
often, put water in my wine, and go away before the rest, which I take
to be a good receipt for sobriety. Let us put it into rhyme, and so make
a proverb--

Drink little at a time;
Put water with your wine;
Miss your glass when you can;
And go off the first man.

God be thanked, I am much better than I was, though something of a
totterer. I ate but little to-day, and of the gentlest meat. I refused
ham and pigeons, pease-soup, stewed beef, cold salmon, because they were
too strong. I take no snuff at all, b