horse for elections; and, in short, I never saw so great a ferment among all
sorts of people. I had a miserable letter from Joe last Saturday, telling me
Mr. Pratt[10] refuses payment of his money. I have told it Mr. Addison, and
will to Lord Wharton; but I fear with no success. However, I will do all I
can.

12. To-day I presented Mr. Ford[11] to the Duke of Ormond; and paid my first
visit to Lord President,[12] with whom I had much discourse; but put him
always off when he began to talk of Lord Wharton in relation to me, till he
urged it: then I said, he knew I never expected anything from Lord Wharton,
and that Lord Wharton knew that I understood it so. He said that he had
written twice to Lord Wharton about me, who both times said nothing at all to
that part of his letter. I am advised not to meddle in the affair of the
First-Fruits, till this hurry is a little over, which still depends, and we
are all in the dark. Lord President told me he expects every day to be out,
and has done so these two months. I protest, upon my life, I am heartily
weary of this town, and wish I had never stirred.

13. I went this morning to the city, to see Mr. Stratford the Hamburg
merchant, my old schoolfellow;[13] but calling at Bull's[14] on Ludgate Hill,
he forced me to his house at Hampstead to dinner among a great deal of ill
company; among the rest Mr. Hoadley,[15] the Whig clergyman, so famous for
acting the contrary part to Sacheverell:[16] but tomorrow I design again to
see Stratford. I was glad, however, to be at Hampstead, where I saw Lady
Lucy[17] and Moll Stanhope. I hear very unfortunate news of Mrs. Long;[18]
she and her comrade[19] have broke up house, and she is broke for good and
all, and is gone to the country: I should be extremely sorry if this be true.

14. To-day, I saw Patty Rolt,[20] who heard I was in town; and I dined with
Stratford at a merchant's in the city, where I drank the first Tokay wine I