Bath 1789 -- N^o. 18 Queen's Square

15 July -- I was mortified to find that my Letter was five
minutes too late for the post -- writing brought on a Headach w^ch
kept me at home all day -- I believe playing, writ^g &c is not very
proper for me as a Water Drink -- but my time is short & I am
anxious to make the most of it & to return to the Arms of my
affectionate & amiable Wife -- 16/ I bathed last night -- this
morning I called upon M^rs. Rundell -- & in the afternoon went
with the Major, M^r. & M^rs. Davies & the two eldest girls to M^rs. Simpson's
to drink Tea -- we had a great deal of Rain in the course of the day --
17/ I sat half an hour with M^rs. Holroyd -- She gave me an
Acc^t. of a Visit she made to Madam Schwellenbergen -- of the
Queen's sending for her into her dreʃsing Room & of her gracious-
neʃs -- of the same from the eldest Princesses & her being obliged
to stay to see the young Whelps &c &c -- I spent a great part
of this day in conversation with the Major -- who breaks into
my plan -- but he makes ample amends by communicating
to me his knowledge of human Nature -- I always
leave him in Spirits -- we expect his Brother Sir David who
is in the Navy -- the Major describes him to me, as a Man of
an excellent Understanding, but haughty & impetuous -- brave
& too proud to bow to those in power -- without a single Air
he feels all the original consequence of his family & his
Blood boils almost to madneʃs, to see persons of mean
Birth & Talents raised over his head -- merely from their sup-
-leneʃs -- the Major says his mind is jaundic'd -- by repeated
disappointments, which his pride & intolerable hauteur have
brought upon him -- this morning was fine -- but the whole
afternoon rainy -- 18/ In our morning's walk I met the
Vanbrugh's who desired me to drink Tea with them if I was
not more agreeably engaged -- the morning was spent in
Italian, Singing & Musick -- I have got La belle Catherine for
Eliza & Herschell has set a Base to it for me -- Herschell has
proposed to let me have an old Violon^o. of his for 4-4-0 which is as
good as I c^d. probably get for twice the money or much more in
buying a new one + I have not resolved what to do as this
great Evil gallops out of my pocket at an amazing rate not
withstanding all my care & grumblings -- Some part I lay to
your charge -- at 7 I went to the Vanbrughs -- there were
some Card players there -- at 8 I went away & intended to go

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to M^rs. Hartley's -- in the way I saw M^rs. Rundell -- who made Enqui
ries after you & asked about the Letter I had rec^d- upon my expreʃs^g
an anxiety to hear from you, she mentioned a Letter had been bro^t
to her that morn^g & she desired the post to deliver it himself
conclud^g that he went to that part of the town -- I immediately
went to the office & the person, in who's division we happen to
be, told me, that he had just delivered the Letter to M^r. Davies --
Away I posted to my Lodgings -- but no M^r. Davies -- no letter --
he was gone out -- so I turned about & walked gravely to
M^rs. Hartley's -- I found her alone & as ever very pleasant --
we talked a great deal about the present dreadful situation
of France & she desired me to read to her a petition & summation
which their (long) parliament sent to the King, you will
certainly have it in your papers, therefore I shall only say
that it shews, the Spirit of the people & that their own terms
must be complied with -- but not with^t an horrible effusion of
Blood -- M^rs. H. preʃsed me to stay & eat my Supper w^t- her
I excused my self as I meant to go into the Bath & was anxious to
meet with your L -- at ½ past 9 I came home & had y^e- pleasure
of finding yours of the 15^th -- what a charming Trait you give
me of our Dear Louisa -- God grant that she may continue
to be like her Mother & tread in all her Virtuous Steps --
what a bleʃsing may she be to us, if it sh^d. please God to spare
our Lives -- She may be the delight & comfort of our declining
years -- or it may be agreeable to the divine Will to bereave
us of our Darling -- but I will not indulge melancholy
thoughts -- andbut endeavour to be as thankful as I ought
to be for the great bleʃsings I enjoy -- I propose to
return to you about the third of August -- be so good as
to let me know if the Coach comes by Taxal, this way, on
the same days that it did when I came here -- it vexes me to
find that I must be 3 days on the road -- I wrote to day to
Miʃs More to say that if will be agreeable to them I will pay
them a visit on Saturday next -- my plan is to go on friday
after drinking the Waters to Lady Fusts -- I shall spend an hour
or two with D^r. Stonehouse in my way -- & on Saturday I shall go
to Cowslip green & return here on Tuesday Ev^g -- by this plan I shall
omit only two days drinking the waters & 2 leʃsons -- unfortunately
Rauzzini is engaged to superintend the musick meeting at Wells, so that I can

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only see him very seldom -- you must remember that he cannot give notes -- & I
have very few -- my modesty flies to my cheeks every time that I see him, & I feel
quite ashamed to make an attempt that can never succeed -- what a naughty
creature you are -- this has been a lovely day indeed -- /19/ This morning M^rs.
Rundell sent her Son to enquire about y^e- Letter & to offer me a seat in the Octagon
Chapel to hear a celebrated preacher -- he gave us a very good sermon, wch was
delivered in a manner far above mediocrity -- he has a very good harmonious
Voice, which he manages tolerably well, but he sometimes falls into a common
error of laying his emphasis upon the verb or adjective in a sentence
when the substantive gives the sense -- it is a pity but there were
Schools and Colleges set apart for the Education of Clergymen only, when
a quiet pronunciation of our own Language & a thorough knowledge
of the Scriptures should be chiefly attended to -- a man cannot read
finely without a good Ear & an harmonious voice to which may be
added a reasonable degree of vanity, as a stimulus -- I am disgusted
with every species of affectation -- & as there appeared some in y^e- Preacher
which caused my risibility, I returned disappointed -- Major M.
speaking of Clergymen mentioned an Anecdote of D^r. Duncan of Flamborough
in hampshire -- a man universally beloved by his parish which contains 1800
people & as a proof of this attachment to him they voluntarily raised his
Income upwards of an hundred pounds a year -- at the time the Major allu
ded to, the Season was very like this -- the D^r. told his Congregation that they
would do [a]n^[1] injury to the wise dispensations of providence if they could
      su[ppose] that the great Creator of the Universe could be displeased
      wi[th them] for endeavouring to secure that harvest which out of
      his gr[eat] goodneʃs he had provided for them -- that the restraints
      on the Sabbath were of a very different nature -- he told them that
if the next sunday appeared, from his observations, to be favourable, a bell sh^d. be
rung for them to go to work, & the first wet day sh^d. be kept as a Sunday --
accordingly on the Sunday morning at 5 o'Clock a bell was rung, when all
the farmers attended to their harvest & on wednesday morn^g another Bell
gave them notice to offer up their prayers at Church, which I dare say
they would do more fervently than they had ever done before -- the Bell
rings for dinner, & I must obey the summons -- adieu for the present
mia cara sposa, sono vostro sposo affezionato -- 20/ as soon as I could
get up from table yesterday I went to meet a Lady & walked in
a very pleas[an]t Grove with her -- what think you of these aʃsig-
nations -- I c[a]n't tell you Who the Lady is -- but I can say that
She is one of the most agreeable women I ever met with -- here
I met a M^r. Serres a painter & had a great deal of conversation
with him -- he told me that L^d. Warwick copies Vandervelt so
exactly that he defies any Man, who has not made his Stile
of painting his particular study, to discover the Copy -- this
S—— is a pleasant Creature & it is from his Son^[2] that I am to have
a few leʃsons -- if I could only acquire a few tecknical terms
it w^d. be an advantage -- for people who can make a tolerable
use of them (not say bravura for peano -- Lord what a creature
that is) have often more credit given to them for taste & judgement
than they are entitled to -- We had a delightful day yesterday
& this is a charming morning -- I must reaʃsume the schoolboy
with my Satchel  ------  over my shoulder -- adieu again for an hour
or two --

---

½ past 2 I am just returned from my drawing Master
who said he never had a Scholar that improved so much in
the first Leʃson -- I have only a few minutes to spare before
this must go to the post office to acknowledge the Rece^t of a
most kind & aff^t Letter w^ch. I found here from my Father pray
give my Love to him & ease his Fears about my Health to
be sure when I wrote to you, I found myself very uncom-
fortable, but I make no doubt but I shall return to you
in perfect health -- Adieu my dearest & best friend --
I love you most aff^y. J.D—— Bleʃsing to Louisa --

I see Sir W^m. Wake has got his degree of M.A <sup>[3]
[4]

[5]</sup>


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