Wedding party

25 July, in the year of our Lord 2022

In the gazette today that Mrs. Dorris, being the Secretarie for Culture (a state of affaires none can fathom, since her relationship to culture is that of the drunkard to sobriety), hath inveighed, of all the things she might choose, against the choice of suit of one contender for the First Lord’s crown, and compared it of the ear rings of another, and I despair that it a grievous circumstance that publick discourse in the country sink to such crudity. There is none to call a Statesman among them.

 

27-31 July, in the year of our Lord 2022

These days to West Moor Land, where on Thur. I to the wedding of Mr. Walker and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Matthews’ daughter, and the service by a Registrar one of the most delightfull I think I ever heared. All very merry, in an old barn by some woodland with an outlook upon hills and meadows, and the whole company very generous, and the food simple and honest; and Mr. M. Jones come at six a-clock and met all, and played garden Jenger and pick-up sticks, and made welcome. The bride very fine in white, come in an old carriage, and after the ceremoney, walked between all, lined up outside, with her husband, and we threw Confetty she had made of dried petals. And what was best was to meet old friends, and make new, having much merry discourse with a Mr. Reid and his wife, who come from Scotland, and much contented that the day so very pleasant; and after, in Mr. Jones coach, back to our inne.
  Next morning by coach to the house of Mr. Ruskin, who is now dead but left his house so that people can pay to wander round it and say how nice it is; but Lord, the number of people on the roads, and the journy there very tortuose. After our visit and saying some oohs and aahs, to the coffee-house there; and in the afternoon walked in the hills, very long and losing the path, but the views very fine over lakes and mountains, and despite so many abroad upon the roads, and with so few places to stop in all the little villages, met with only half a dozen all the while walking. In the evening dined at Rogan’s Company Inne, which hath a Mitchell Inne star; a very great dinner with very fine dishes, the maids bringing one after another, and the wine excellent of its kind; and, though dear, 20l 4s. 6d., greatly joyed by the whole, and back very merry to our inne.
  The next a rainy day, so by coach to indoors attracktions, incl. the house of Mr. Wordsworth and his sister, who are now dead but also left their house so that people can pay to wander round it and say how nice it is, and this seeming such an accepted thing that I consider whether I shall do the same when my time come, so that all may ooh and aah over my avocado cuber. Dined at our inne.
  Lord’s day. The reckoning payed, with a reduction for the first night by vertue of our being with the wedding party, by Mr. Jones’ coach to visit Mr. Bagot’s great hall at Levens, who unusually is still alive, so able to rake it in from all the people who pay to wander round his house and say how nice it is, which I think a better idea than waiting till death, so will consider on my return home where to site my Gift Shoppe; and there walked in the garden with the finest Topiery I ever saw in my life, and Mr. Jones took an idea from it to clip his poudle into the shape of a jeraffe. And after, home.