1781-9-17

Bowood Monday evening 1/2 after 10 Sept. 17. 1781

The Whist table is just broke up: supper is announced,

game at chess between L d Chatham and Miss

Vernon is drawing near to a conclusion, and while the rest of the people

are hovering round them waiting for the event, I have taken french leave

of them all, and stolen up here, that I may be a good boy tomorrow,

Scribe betimes. This L d

and Lady Fracton are the queerest gigs you ever saw: my Lord wears his bob

wig black coat & coloured worsted stockings and looks like

a plain stout thickset country parson. My lady is a little shrivelled

figure of about sixty, with a hook nose and ferret eyes, a

long white beard and a parchment mahogany- coloured skin, in a

green riding habit with a black hat & feather. nobody speaks

to her nor she to any body: she has been sticking close to her husband's

side, while he has been playing at whist but would not play herself.

Tuesday evening 10 o'clock Sept. 18

We have just now a monstrous heap of people. Departed before breakfast

Pratt and the Pitts. Remain L d & Lady Fracton:

Arrived before dinner L d Dartry and Col. Barre

seemingly in company. Arrived before tea, L d

Camden, Miss Pratt his daughter, and a M r

Smith, now or formerly a Captain in the E. India service. The carriages

came in together: but whether Smith belongs to L d Camden and his daughter I can't tell; tho

signs of converse between them have I seen. L d

Dartry is a chatty sort of man, and seems to know every body, does not seem

to trouble his head about party, but mixes with

government as well as

with opposition men His wife is a good deal in favour with the

Queen, and often with her. She is of the family of the Penns. Miss Pratt is very fat, not handsome nor

very young; but well-bred, conversible, sensible and as far as

one can judge, good natured. L d & Lady S. L d Fracton, L d Dartry