e could have known to what hands he was committed before his
interment!

The night before last Meynell lost between 2 and 3,000; what the
rest did I don't know. They abuse both you and me about the
tie,(105) and Hare says, it was the damned[e]st thing to do at this
time in the world. I told them, as Lord Cowper said in his speech to
the Condemned Lords in the year 16--, "Happy had it been for all
your Lordships had you lain under so indulgent a restraint." It is
difficult for me to say which was the kindest thing you ever did by
me, but I am sure that this was one of the wisest which I ever did
by myself; and so remember that I do by this renew the lease for one
month more, and it shall be as if it had been originally for two
months instead of one. To this I subscribe, and to the same forfeit
on my side. I received a consideration ample enough if the lease had
been for a year.

(102) Anne, daughter of Sir William Montgomery, and second wife of
George, first Viscount Townshend.

(103) Maria Fagniani, Selwyn's adopted daughter. This is the first
mention of her in this correspondence.

(104) Stephen Fox, second Baron Holland.

(105) A self-mposed restriction on gambling. The ingenious and
rather childish character of this pledge is described in a letter of
December 1775.

1774, July 26, Tuesday night? Almack's.--Lady Holland, as you
will see by the papers, died on Sunday morning between 7 and 8. I
saw Lady Louisa and Mrs. Meillor coming in Lady Louisa's chariot
between 10 and 11, which announced to me the close of that
melancholy history; I mean, as far as regards my two very old
friends. The loss of the latter, I must own, I feel much the more
sensibly of the two; serrer les files, comme Von dit a Varnee, n'est
pas assez; la perte ne laissera pas de reparoitre, in that I had
counted upon a resource in the one more than in the other.

I went for a minute to see Ste(106) and Lady Mary, and then I set
out for the Duke of Dorset's at Knowles (Knowle Park), where I met
Varcy, and where I dined; and after dinner Varcy and I went to
Tunbridge. We saw Penthurst (sic) yesterday morning, and dined with
his Honour Brudenell, who gave us, that is, Varcy, Mr. and Mrs.
Meynell, and Sir J. Seabright, an excellent dinner. We were at a
private ball at night, and this morning early I set out for London.

Tunbridge is, in my opinion, for a little time in the summer, with a
family, and for people who do not find a great deal of