brother barrister.

_May_ 23.--I breakfasted with Chantrey, and met the celebrated Coke of
Norfolk,[208] a very pleasing man, who gave me some account of his
plantations. I understand from him that, like every wise man, he planted
land that would not let for 5s. per acre, but which now produces L3000 a
year in wood. He talked of the trees which he had planted as being so
thick that a man could not fathom[209] them. Withers, he said, was never
employed save upon one or two small jobs of about twenty acres on which
every expense was bestowed with a view to early growth. So much for
Withers. I shall have a rod in pickle for him if worth while.[210] After
sitting to Chantrey for the last time, I called on Lady Shelley, P.P.C.,
and was sorry to find her worse than she had been. Dined with Lady
Stafford, where I met the two Lochs, John and James. The former gave me
his promise for a cadetship to Allan Cunningham's son; I have a similar
promise from Lord Melville, and thus I am in the situation in which I
have been at Gladdies Wiel,[211] where I have caught two trouts, one
with the fly, the other with the bobber. I have landed both, and so I
will now. Mr. Loch also promised me to get out Shortreed as a free
mariner. Tom Grenville was at dinner.

_May_ 24.--This day we dined at Richmond Park with Lord Sidmouth. Before
dinner his Lordship showed me letters which passed between the great
Lord Chatham and Dr. Addington, Lord Sidmouth's [father]. There was much
of that familiar friendship which arises, and must arise, between an
invalid, the head of an invalid family, and their medical adviser,
supposing the last to be a wise and well-bred man. The character of Lord
Chatham's handwriting is strong and bold, and his expressions short and
manly. There are intimations of his partiality for William, whose health
seems to have been precarious during boyhood. He talks of William
imitating him in all he did, and calling for ale because his father was
recommended to drink it. "If I should smoke," he said, "William would
instantly call for a pipe;" and, he wisely infers, "I must take care
what I do." The letters of the late William Pitt are of great curiosity,
but as, like all real letters of business, they only _allude_ to matters
with which his correspondent is well acquainted, and do not enter into
details, they would require an ample commentary. I hope Lord Sidmouth
will supply this, and have urged it as much as I can. I think, though I