Gregg has been here for (a) quarter of an hour; he came to desire that I would meet Lord Ravensworth at dinner at his house next Sunday. It is the day I go to Streatham. I have told you that I have now fixed to be there from Saturday till Tuesday m(orning) each week during my lease. I asked Gregg when he went into the North; he has fixed no time. I asked him if he went alone; he said yes. It is an idea of mine that he would not dislike the carrying Mrs. Gregg and his daughter with him, if while he went into Cumberland he had your permission to leave them at Castle Howard. I have thought it proper to hint this to you, because, if you cho(o)se to make him that offer, you may. He does not expect it; and I do assure you that I will not say one single word to him to let him understand that I had mentioned (it). I do not, indeed, believe that he would like that I should; so whatever you do, I beg not to be committed. I believe that I shall take it upon myself to speak to Charles about these arrears, for he has that good humour in his composition, that he never takes anything amiss that I say to him, and I am sometimes very free in telling him how opposite my sentiments are to him, and to his conduct. I should rather say to his conduct, for, personally, I love him, as he would have had no doubt, if he had been like other reasonable people; car avec les defauts les plus insignes il y a quelque fois un brin de raison dans la pluspart des hommes; mais en lui, ce qui est defectueux, l'est radicalement. He has adopted it with so much earnestness that there is no room for reproof or hope of correction. (1781,) June 22, Friday.--I must begin my letter of to-day by contradicting the piece of intelligence with which I concluded my last. I went to Lady Betty's yesterday after dinner, who was gone with Mr. Delme to Bray, till Wednesday. I saw your porter, who is established there, and he told me that no letter from abroad was come; so this came from the vague report of servants who never comprehend truth, or tell it. I went to White's, and there met with Lord Loughborough, who goes the Oxford Circuit. He finishes at Stafford, and from thence goes to Ireland. He desired me to go upstairs into the supper room with him, to which I had consented, but Williams and Lord Ashburnham,(172) and he and I assembled around the cold stove, till the supper was forgot, and I fell asleep. I walked home, but called in at Brooks's as I passed by; Hare in the chair; the General chief punter, who lost a 1,000 pounds. The bank concluded early a winner, 12 or 1300. Charles, de cote ou d'autre, told me that he had won 900. I said that I was informed from the Emperor that he had lost lately 8,000. He said, in two days, at various sports. I hinted to him that I had a suit to prefer. He guessed what it was, and begged that I would not just then speak to him about money. He was in the right. I meant to have dunned him for yours.