play, the company being but little. Here we saw Gosnell, who is become
very homely, and sings meanly, I think, to what I thought she did.

29th. Busy all the morning at the office. So home to dinner, where
Mercer, and there comes Mr. Swan, my old acquaintance, and dines with me,
and tells me, for a certainty, that Creed is to marry Betty Pickering, and
that the thing is concluded, which I wonder at, and am vexed for. So he
gone I with my wife and two girls to the King's house, and saw "The Mad
Couple," a mean play altogether, and thence to Hyde Parke, where but few
coaches, and so to the New Exchange, and thence by water home, with much
pleasure, and then to sing in the garden, and so home to bed, my eyes for
these four days being my trouble, and my heart thereby mighty sad.

30th. Up, and by water to White Hall. There met with Mr. May, who was
giving directions about making a close way for people to go dry from the
gate up into the House, to prevent their going through the galleries;
which will be very good. I staid and talked with him about the state of
the King's Offices in general, and how ill he is served, and do still find
him an excellent person, and so back to the office. So close at my office
all the afternoon till evening, and then out with my wife to the New
Exchange, and so back again.

31st. Up, and at my office all the morning. About noon with Mr.
Ashburnham to the new Excise Office, and there discoursed about our
business, and I made him admire my drawing a thing presently in shorthand:
but, God knows! I have paid dear for it, in my eyes. Home and to dinner,
and then my wife and Deb. and I, with Sir J. Minnes, to White Hall, she
going hence to the New Exchange, and the Duke of York not being in the
way, Sir J. Minnes and I to her and took them two to the King's house, to
see the first day of Lacy's "Monsieur Ragou," now new acted. The King and