expire till he had received 200 pounds more salary.

Mr. Robinson intended to have come to me on Sunday to speak upon
this subject, as if it concerned me, before I had seen Storer, or
knew what he authorised me to say, forgetting all his own
impertinent behaviour towards myself. It is the true picture of an
indolent, selfish Minister, and of a low Secretary.

March dined at my house with Greg and Warner; he had them all to
dispute with, so I had few words to say. But without knowing one
syllable of the story, and from mere contradiction, he supported the
Secretary in his conduct, that is, he took that line as his
advocate. He will in some instance or other receive the same
treatment, sooner or later, from the same persons, and then what I
would have said the other day will have its force.

I have told you this, that you may know how you stand in the H. of
Commons, and that there no one can pretend to divide with you any
obligation. I have dwelt the more upon it from knowing what language
has been held by Lord N(orth's) toadeaters about Storer. You will
always hear of his acting agreeable to you, and that is what he
ought to do, and what will give to you the weight which is due to
you.

I supped last night at Brooks's with Lord Ossory, and chiefly on his
account. There was a large company besides: the D(ukes) of
Q(ueensberry) and of Devonshire,(182) Percy Windham, Charles Fox,
Hare, Lord Derby, Mr. Gardiner, Richard, Belgiosioso, &c., &c. I
stayed very late with Charles and Ossory, and I liked my evening
very much. A great deal of the political system from Charles, which
he expatiated upon in such a manner as gave me great entertainment,
although, in all things which regard the K(ing) and his Government,
I differed from him toto caelo. Lord D(erby's?) nonsense was the
only drawback upon the rest. He is the most mechant singe I ever
knew.

Hare opened the Pharo Bank in the great room, but had so few and
such poor punters that Charles and Richard was (were) obliged to sit
down from time to time as decoy ducks. The Bank won, as Hare said,
about a hundred, out of which the cards were to be paid. I do not
think that the people who frequent Brooks's will suffer this pillage
another campaign. Trusty was there to go into the chair, when he
should be called upon. I told him that I was extremely sorry that he
had quitted the Corps de Noblesse pour se jetter dans le Commerce;
but it is at present his only resource. I cannot