The JOURNAL continued. Thursday, Friday Evening.

My dearest Miss Darnford,

I am retired from a very busy Day, having had no less than Fourteen of our Neighbours, Gentlemen and Ladies, to Dinner with us: The Occasion principally to welcome our noble Guests into these Parts; Mr. B. having, as I mentioned in a former, turn’d the intended Visit into an Entertainment, after his usual generous Manner.

Mr. B. and Lord Davers are gone Part of the Way with them home; and Mr.H. or Lord Jackey, as we call the Gentleman, who will always be young, mounted, with his Favourite Colbrand, as an Escorte to the Countess and Lady Davers, who are gone to take an Airing in the Chariot. They offer’d to take the Coach, if I would have gone; but being fatigu’d, I desir’d to be excus’d. So I retir’d to my Closet, and Miss Darnford, who is seldom out of my Thoughts, coming into my Mind, I had a new Recruit of Spirits, which inabled me to resume my Pen, and thus I proceed with my Journal:

Our Company was,a the Earl and Countess of D. who are so fashionable a marry’d Couple, that the Earl made it his Boast, and his Countess bore it like one accustomed to such Treatment, that he had not been in his Lady's Company an Hour abroad before for seven Years. You know his Lordship's Character: Every body does; and there is not a worse, as Report says, in the Peerage.

Sir Thomas Atkyns, a single Gentleman, not a little finical and ceremonious, and a mighty Beau, tho’ of the tawdry Sort, and affecting foreign Airs, as if he was afraid it would not be judg’d by any other Mark, that he had travelled.

Mr. Arthur, and his Lady, a moderately happy Couple, who seem always when together to behave as if they were upon a Compromise; that is, that each would take it in Turn to say free Things of the other—tho’ some of their Freedoms are of so cutting a Nature, that it looks as if they intended to divert the Company at their own Expence. The Lady, being of a noble Family, takes great Pains to let every one know, that she values herself not a little upon that Advantage: But otherwise has many good Qualities.