On 16th May, 1801, I dined at Mrs. Sharp’s, in the City, on Irish Hill, to meet Horne Tooke. He was ill, and in all probability would not have kept his engagement, had he not been aware that the dinner was expressly made to give me an opportunity of seeing him, and wise as he is, he is not free from the frailty of the weak (and oftentimes of the wise, as in this instance), in possessing a considerable portion of vanity, for he was gratified at knowing he was sought as a _sight_. He is an infirm, exhausted old man, with a mild, placid countenance, a small penetrating eye, and a flat, broad forehead. His manners are those of a remarkably high-bred, old-fashioned man of quality; his sentences are precise, clear, and short. His language obsolete and affectedly so, but often productive of a happy and singular effect, witty and brief. He so evidently laboured under the pressure of bodily pain that he only _flashed_, but from those scintillations I could easily perceive what he must have been in his days of vigour, when his mind, unfettered by physical infirmity, could give itself full scope. His praises of Mr. Fox were extravagant. He said: ‘God Almighty has made that man to show his omnipotence.’ He said to Ld. H.: ‘You see, my Lord, how your uncle has kicked me in the dirt!’ The answer was puzzling, as it was difficult to know to what he alluded, but he explained by adding: ‘He makes me despise myself. He, whom I have abused from the commencement of his political life, has been the first and only person who stood manfully forth in my defence.’[176] _17th Nov., 1801._--Indisposition and indolence have combined to prevent my either writing, reading, or thinking for three several months back--after our return from Worthing. We stayed here about a month, during which period we went to Ld. King’s at Ockham, to Roehampton, and dined at Chiswick, and at Dss. of Leinster’s at Wimbledon. Went to Brighthelmstone, September 15th; stayed there till October 21st. During that interval passed 6 days at Ld. Robert Spencer’s at Woolbeding. I _called_ at Goodwood, D. of Richmond’s, on our way back to Brighton; returned here October 22nd. Sleep occasionally at a house we have taken in Albemarle Street for the play-nights and the late nights in H. of Lords. [Sidenote: MINISTERIAL NEGOTIATIONS]