MD's.

24. I forgot to tell you, that last night I went to Mr. Harley's, hoping--
faith, I am blundering, for it was this very night at six; and I hoped he
would have told me all things were done and granted: but he was abroad, and
came home ill, and was gone to bed, much out of order, unless the porter lied.
I dined to-day at Sir Matthew Dudley's, with Mr. Addison, etc.

25. I was to-day to see the Duke of Ormond; and, coming out, met Lord
Berkeley of Stratton,[9] who told me that Mrs. Temple,[10] the widow, died
last Saturday, which, I suppose, is much to the outward grief and inward joy
of the family. I dined to-day with Addison and Steele, and a sister of Mr.
Addison, who is married to one Mons. Sartre,[11] a Frenchman, prebendary of
Westminster, who has a delicious house and garden; yet I thought it was a sort
of monastic life in those cloisters, and I liked Laracor better. Addison's
sister is a sort of a wit, very like him. I am not fond of her, etc.

26. I was to-day to see Mr. Congreve,[12] who is almost blind with cataracts
growing on his eyes; and his case is, that he must wait two or three years,
until the cataracts are riper, and till he is quite blind, and then he must
have them couched; and, besides, he is never rid of the gout, yet he looks
young and fresh, and is as cheerful as ever. He is younger by three years or
more than I; and I am twenty years younger than he. He gave me a pain in the
great toe, by mentioning the gout. I find such suspicions frequently, but
they go off again. I had a second letter from Mr. Morgan,[13] for which I
thank you: I wish you were whipped, for forgetting to send him that answer I
desired you in one of my former, that I could do nothing for him of what he
desired, having no credit at all, etc. Go, be far enough, you negligent
baggages. I have had also a letter from Parvisol, with an account how my
livings are set; and that they are fallen, since last year, sixty pounds. A