3. This morning Stella's sister[16] came to me with a letter from her mother,
who is at Sheen; but will soon be in town, and will call to see me: she gave
me a bottle of palsy water,[17] a small one, and desired I would send it you
by the first convenience, as I will; and she promises a quart bottle of the
same: your sister looked very well, and seems a good modest sort of girl. I
went then to Mr. Lewis, first secretary to Lord Dartmouth,[18] and favourite
to Mr. Harley, who is to introduce me to-morrow morning. Lewis had with him
one Mr. Dyot,[19] a Justice of Peace, worth twenty thousand pounds, a
Commissioner of the Stamp Office, and married to a sister of Sir Philip
Meadows,[20] Envoy to the Emperor. I tell you this, because it is odds but
this Mr. Dyot will be hanged; for he is discovered to have counterfeited
stamped paper, in which he was a Commissioner; and, with his accomplices, has
cheated the Queen of a hundred thousand pounds. You will hear of it before
this come to you, but may be not so particularly; and it is a very odd
accident in such a man. Smoke Presto writing news to MD. I dined to-day with
Lord Mountjoy at Kensington, and walked from thence this evening to town like
an emperor. Remember that yesterday, October 2, was a cruel hard frost, with
ice; and six days ago I was dying with heat. As thin as the town is, I have
more dinners than ever; and am asked this month by some people, without being
able to come for pre-engagements. Well, but I should write plainer, when I
consider Stella cannot read,[21] and Dingley is not so skilful at my ugly
hand. I had tonight a letter from Mr. Pratt, who tells me Joe will have his
money when there are trustees appointed by the Lord Lieutenant for receiving
and disposing the linen fund; and whenever those trustees are appointed, I
will solicit whoever is Lord Lieutenant, and am in no fear of succeeding. So
pray tell or write him word, and bid him not be cast down; for Ned
Southwell[22] and Mr. Addison both think Pratt in the right. Don't lose your
money at Manley's to-night, sirrahs.