Mais il est temps enfin qu' larbe se declare.

I entertained the whole Corporation (of the City of Gloucester)
yesterday at dinner, and afterwards made them a speech, which I am
glad that nobody heard but themselves. However i'ai reussi, I do not
mean in point of eloquence, but I carried my point; and if it was
possible to judge from the event of one meeting only, I should think
that there would be a peaceable election, and the expense not exceed
many hundred pounds, and those given chiefly to the service of the
city. But if [I] did not make my escape, and parry off all the
proposals made to me by the people whose whole employment is to
create disturbance, I should soon be drawn into a contest from which
I should not escape but at the expense of thousands.

At night I heard that Mr. Walpole is here; I was then at Gloucester;
so I hurried home, and have now some person to converse with who
speaks my own language. He came yesterday from Lady Ailesbury's, and
stays with me till Tuesday, and then I hope we shall return to
London together. I am to have the satisfaction of another festival
on Monday, on which day Mr. Walpole proposes to go and see Berkley
and Thornbury Castles.

I have had the advantage of very fine weather, and should have had
all the benefit of it if I was in any place but where my mind has so
many disagreeable occupations, and my stomach so many things which
it cannot digest. But it is chiefly their liquors, which are like so
much gin. The civility which they shew me, I may say indeed the
friendship which I have from some of these people, make me very
sorry that I cannot prevail on myself to stay a little longer with
them; but in regard to that, I can hardly save appearances, either