a few years
hence, I should not [have] felt about it as I do; as it is, the
event is too near for me not to feel as I do. I do not like to be
obliged to renounce my esteem for any individual, much less to think
ill of such numbers. The oppression suffered under the former
Government, or [and] the desire of giving to mankind the rights
which by nature they seem intituled to, are with me no excuse, when
a people sets out, in reforming, with acting in direct opposition to
all the principles which before they thought respectable, and really
were so, and, to become a free people, commence by being
freebooters. However, as this savours too much of party zeal, I will
have done with it; yet it is not relative to this country, which I
hope will be free from these calamities and abominations, and so I
need not fear expatiating sometimes upon the subject.

Me de Boufflers, la Reine des Aristocrates refugies en Angleterre,
was to see us yesterday in the evening, and to invite Mie Mie and me
to come sometimes to hear her daughter-in-law play upon the harp. I
did not expect melody in their heaviness, but I shall certainly go,
as the recitative part will be in French, and that you know is
always some amusement to me.

The Duke, I hear, will be in London to-night, and so may come to
Richmond to dine with us to-morrow. If he does, I shall be a little
embarrassed between my two Dukes, for the Duke of Newcastle(282)
expects me to dine and to lie at his house at Wimbledon. If I can
reconcile two such jarring attachments, I will; if not, I believe I
shall prefer my neighbour, as loving him very near as much as
myself. Well, Mr. C(ampbell) and Lady C(aroline) are going out in
their phaeton, so I shall now have done. . . .

(282) Thomas, third Duke of Newcastle (1752-1795)

(1790, Aug.? or Oct.?) Saturday, Isleworth.--. . . Mr. C(ampbell)
called upon me yesterday. He came to see my two pictures, which I
had cleaned by Comyns, and are very pretty, as Mr. C. allows, but he
will not assent to Comyns's opinion that they are Cuyp's, although
much in his style. Comyns values them at what they cost me, which
was 50 gs. or thereabouts. Mie Mie has them in her dressing-room,
and is vastly pleased with them. We all dine to-day at the
Castle.(283) Me la Comtesse Balbi(284) chooses to give a dinner
there to all her friends, the Me'sdames Boufflers, the Comte de
Boisgelin,(285) M. d'Haveri(?), &c. The Duke, Mie Mie, and I are
invited, and the Duk