know, 'tis fatal[39] to me to be a scoundrel and a prince the same day: for,
being to see him at four, I could not engage myself to dine at any friend's;
so I went to Tooke,[40] to give him a ballad, and dine with him; but he was
not at home: so I was forced to go to a blind[41] chop-house, and dine for
tenpence upon gill-ale,[42] bad broth, and three chops of mutton; and then go
reeking from thence to the First Minister of State. And now I am going in
charity to send Steele a Tatler, who is very low of late. I think I am
civiller than I used to be; and have not used the expression of "you in
Ireland" and "we in England" as I did when I was here before, to your great
indignation.--They may talk of the you know what;[43] but, gad, if it had not
been for that, I should never have been able to get the access I have had; and
if that helps me to succeed, then that same thing will be serviceable to the
Church. But how far we must depend upon new friends, I have learnt by long
practice, though I think among great Ministers, they are just as good as old
ones. And so I think this important day has made a great hole in this side of
the paper; and the fiddle-faddles of tomorrow and Monday will make up the
rest; and, besides, I shall see Harley on Tuesday before this letter goes.

8. I must tell you a great piece of refinement[44] of Harley. He charged me
to come to him often: I told him I was loth to trouble him in so much
business as he had, and desired I might have leave to come at his levee; which
he immediately refused, and said, that was not a place for friends to come to.
'Tis now but morning; and I have got a foolish trick, I must say something to
MD when I wake, and wish them a good-morrow; for this is not a shaving-day,
Sunday, so I have time enough: but get you gone, you rogues, I must go write:
Yes, 'twill vex me to the blood if any of these long letters
should miscarry: if they do, I will shrink to half-sheets again; but then
what will you do to make up the journal? there will be ten days of Presto's
life lost; and that will be a sad thing, faith and troth.--At night. I was at
a loss today for a dinner, unless I would have gone a great way, so I dined