Diary, December 1668 | Page 8

for June, 1675, under the title of a "New Essay
instrument." In this paper the author refers to a glass instrument
exhibited many years before by himself, "consisting of a bubble
furnished with a long and slender stem, which was to be put into
several liquors to compare and estimate their specific gravity." Boyle
describes this glass bubble in a paper in "Philosophical Transactions,"
vol. iv., No. 50, p. 1001, 1669, entitled, "The Weights of Water in
Water with ordinary Balances and Weights."]
This done, and having spent 6d. in ale in the coach, at the door of the
Bull Inn, with the innocent master of the house, a Yorkshireman, for
his letting us go through his house, we away to Hercules Pillars, and
there eat a bit of meat: and so, with all speed, back to the Duke of
York's house, where mighty full again; but we come time enough to
have a good place in the pit, and did hear this new play again, where,
though I better understood it than before, yet my sense of it and
pleasure was just the same as yesterday, and no more, nor any body
else's about us. So took our coach and home, having now little pleasure

to look about me to see the fine faces, for fear of displeasing my wife,
whom I take great comfort now, more than ever, in pleasing; and it is a
real joy to me. So home, and to my Office, where spent an hour or two;
and so home to my wife, to supper and talk, and so to bed.

10th. Up, and to the Office, where busy all the morning: Middleton not
there, so no words or looks of him. At noon, home to dinner; and so to
the Office, and there all the afternoon busy; and at night W. Hewer
home with me; and we think we have got matter enough to make
Middleton appear a coxcomb. But it troubled me to have Sir W. Warren
meet me at night, going out of the Office home, and tell me that
Middleton do intend to complain to the Duke of York: but, upon
consideration of the business, I did go to bed, satisfied that it was best
for me that he should; and so my trouble was over, and to bed, and
slept well.

11th. Up, and with W. Hewer by water to Somerset House; and there I
to my Lord Brouncker, before he went forth to the Duke of York, and
there told him my confidence that I should make Middleton appear a
fool, and that it was, I thought, best for me to complain of the wrong he
hath done; but brought it about, that my Lord desired me I would
forbear, and promised that he would prevent Middleton till I had given
in my answer to the Board, which I desired: and so away to White Hall,
and there did our usual attendance and no word spoke before the Duke
of York by Middleton at all; at which I was glad to my heart, because
by this means I have time to draw up my answer to my mind. So with
W. Hewer by coach to Smithfield, but met not Mr. Dickering, he being
not come, and so he [Will] and I to a cook's shop, in Aldersgate Street;
and dined well for 19 1/2 d., upon roast beef, pleasing ourselves with
the infinite strength we have to prove Middleton a coxcomb; and so,
having dined, we back to Smithfield, and there met Dickering, and up
and down all the afternoon about horses, and did see the knaveries and
tricks of jockeys. Here I met W. Joyce, who troubled me with his
impertinencies a great while, and the like Mr. Knepp, who, it seems, is
a kind of a jockey, and would fain have been doing something for me,
but I avoided him, and the more for fear of being troubled thereby with
his wife, whom I desire but dare not see, for my vow to my wife. At

last went away and did nothing, only concluded upon giving L50 for a
fine pair of black horses we saw this day se'nnight; and so set Mr.
Dickering down near his house, whom I am much beholden to, for his
care herein, and he hath admirable skill, I perceive, in this business, and
so home, and spent the evening talking and merry, my mind at good
ease, and so to bed.

12th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning, and at noon home to
dinner, and so the like mighty busy, late, all the afternoon, that I might
be ready to go to the drawing up of my answer to Middleton to-morrow,
and therefore home to supper and