Six north country diaries - The MAN & Other Families

158
sentments—I only suspect the worst. One would think Cambr[idge]
ladies might have learned by experience, that nothing of matrimony
is. to expected from those that dally and keep company with them
without verbal promise or profession—nothing else to justify
conduct, etc.
1718/9. Jan. 9th. Observe uncle meets with discouragements in
his duty. Just when he was prosecuting G. Storey, etc., came a
warrant to take him up, which made them conclude he was the
occasion of it, etc. Now they sollicit him to speak to Justice Colingwood
to cease from demanding bond for his appearance at sessions
a temj^tation to him to do so, that he may remove the suspicion of
his having caused the warrant to be sent, etc., but yet I hope he
will not do it^—he says not. What improves the suspicion is that ne'er
another in the county is taken up. T'old Charles—that if the family
were to refund all that they had cost me—the ballance would fall
on their side, and they be much in my debt. Told Charles and
Harry that Wood might ha ^^o Desired Harry to procure
leave to wear a s[c]a[rf] difficult to be obtained of a
temporal
[There is here a break in the journal, and the diaries from the
9th of January, 1718/9, to the 1st of December, 1721, have not been
preserved. During this interval the old rector of Rothbury died,
and his nephew, the diarist, left the north of England and for a time
resided at Navestock in Essex. The following selections comprise
abridged copies of letters and some entries of the nature of a, jom-nal,
written at the reversed end of the sjocond volume of the MS.]
1721. Dec. 1st. Writt to father—
' thank you for your kind expressions
in your letter, but have laid aside the thought of Dr.
Tod's daughter. I'm satisfied it is no credit for me to pursue that
affair, where she gives people occasion to talk so, and therefore
I'm resolved to desist. Forgive me what is past, and I ain resolved
never to do any thing again that looks not creditable in such affairs.
I shall always be upon my guard to prevent any body's stealing
upon my affections, till I'm convinced it will be creditable and convenient.
I sent you Mrs. Miller's account as far as I could make it
out. I have no mind to proceed any farther in affair with Dr. Tod,
but I could wish you would appear to be the cause of breaking it
you have a, just pretence, i.e., because he will not advance so much
money as he is able, and because his daughter ought not to have
given a handle for such discourse. She ought to have discouraged
him while I was concerned, etc., and my uncle does not approve of
it. I should have been at London sooner, if I had not called at
Howley and Amington, but I doubt brother's affair will come to
''"
The folio is torn here, at the end of the lines.