 with a
great many people, who had but a superficial knowledge of his disposition; but,
in the course of their acquaintance, they have never failed to discern and
acknowledge their mistake.
    The doctor, on his return from Tunbridge, to which place he had made a trip
by himself, found me ill a-bed, and the whole family in confusion: surprized and
concerned at this disorder, he entered into expostulation with my lord, who
owned, that the cause of his displeasure and disquiet was no other than
jealousy: H- had informed him, that I had been seen to walk out with Mr. Bal- in
a morning; and that our correspondence had been observed with many additional
circumstances, which were absolutely false and groundless. This imputation was
no sooner understood, than it was resolved that the accuser should be examined,
in presence of us all. He accordingly appeared, exceedingly drunk, tho' it was
morning, and repeated the articles of the charge, as an information he had
received from a man who came from town to hang the bells, and was long ago
returned to London.
    This was an instance of his cunning and address, which did not forsake him
even in his hours of intoxication. Had he fixed the calumny on any one of the
servants, he would have been confronted and detected in his falshood.
Nevertheless, tho' he could not be legally convicted, it plainly appeared that
he was the author of this defamation, which incensed Mr. Bal- to such a degree,
that he could scarce be with-held from punishing him on the spot, by manual
chastisement. However, he was prevailed upon to abstain from such immediate
vengeance, as a step unworthy of his character; and the affair was brought to
this issue, that his lordship should either part with me or Mr. H-; for I was
fully determined against living under the same roof with such an incendiary.
    This alternative being proposed, my lord dismiss'd his steward, and we
returned to town with the doctor and Mrs. S-; for I had imbibed such horror and
aversion for this country seat (tho' one of the pleasantest in England) that I
could not bear to live in it. We therefore removed to an house in Bond-street,
where, according to the advice of my friends, I exerted my whole power and
complaisance, in endeavours to keep my husband in good humour; but was so
unsuccessful in my attempts, that if ever he was worse tempered, more
capricious, or intolerable, at one time than at another,
