he honour of the fair sex!
'Tis true the fellow had lain with her a hundred times before, but
what care I for that! What, must a woman be ravished because she is
a whore?--The Secretary and I go on Saturday to Windsor for a week.
I dined with Lord Treasurer, and stayed with him till past ten. I was
to-day at his levee, where I went against my custom, because I had a
mind to do a good office for a gentleman: so I talked with him before
my lord, that he might see me, and then found occasion to recommend him
this afternoon. I was forced to excuse my coming to the levee, that I
did it to see the sight; for he was going to chide me away: I had never
been there but once, and that was long before he was Treasurer. The
rooms were all full, and as many Whigs as Tories. He whispered me a jest
or two, and bid me come to dinner. I left him but just now; and 'tis
late.

26. Mr. Addison and I have at last met again. I dined with him and
Steele to-day at young Jacob Tonson's. The two Jacobs(3) think it is I
who have made the Secretary take from them the printing of the Gazette,
which they are going to lose, and Ben Tooke and another(4) are to have
it. Jacob came to me the other day, to make his court; but I told him it
was too late, and that it was not my doing. I reckon they will lose it
in a week or two. Mr. Addison and I talked as usual, and as if we had
seen one another yesterday; and Steele and I were very easy, though
I writ him lately a biting letter, in answer to one of his, where he
desired me to recommend a friend of his to Lord Treasurer. Go, get you
gone to your waters, sirrah. Do they give you a stomach? Do you eat
heartily?--We have had much rain to-day and yesterday.

27. I dined to-day in the City, and saw poor Patty Rolt, and gave her
a pistole to help her a little forward against she goes to board in the
country. She has but eighteen pounds a year to live on, and is forced
to seek out for cheap places. Sometimes they raise their price, and
sometimes they starve her, and then she is forced to shift. Patrick the
puppy put too much ink in my standish,(5) and, carrying too many things
together, I spilled it on my paper and floor. The town is dull, wet,
and empty; Wexford is worth two of it; I hope so at least, and that poor
little MD finds it so. I reckon upon going to Windsor to-morrow with Mr.
Secretary, unless he changes his mind, or some other business prevents
him. I shall stay there a week, I hope.

28. Morning.