1806, _Nov._ 15_th_.—This day, I completed my 70th year, without having
ever met with any accident of consequence and with very little
interruption to my health, except in January last, when I had a very
serious attack by an inflammation in my lungs, but from which I am
perfectly recovered. My eyesight is so good that I can and generally do
use my eyes in reading or writing from the time of getting up in the
morning till 10 at night. My hearing is in no way impaired. I have not
lost one front tooth and very few others. I am able to walk or ride 4 or
5 hours together, but I do not ride fast. My memory is perhaps not so
good as it has been. On the whole I seem to be in a perfect good state
of health, thanks be to God.
1808, _Nov._ 15_th_.—This day I completed my 72nd year; and thanks to
God’s mercies I find myself in as perfect health as I ever enjoyed in my
life, and the only perceivable difference in any of my senses that I am
aware of is a little degree of deafness in my right ear, but as the other
is perfect, I do pretty well. My left eye I think has not perfectly
recovered the severe inflammation which I had two or three years ago, but
the other being sound, I read and write as well and as much as ever. My
teeth remain perfect in front and without any additional loss to those
which decayed some years ago.
1810, _April_ 5_th_.—I quitted the Board of Green Cloth, after having had
a place there for 49 years and a half. I was put on the superannuation
list at my request, the Lord Steward having kindly procured leave for it.
He also, unsolicited, gave me leave to resign my place of Clerk of the
Verge to my son.
_Nov._ 14_th_.—After dinner, I found a giddiness in my head making me
unable to walk, and a kind of dumb confusion in my head. I wrote to Mr.
Heaviside to come, which he did and ordered immediate cupping. {51} The
next morning my complaint was gone.
1814, _May_ 30_th_.—Received from Mr. Sydenham Malthus the melancholy
news of my son’s death at Exmouth, from the rupture of a blood-vessel in
the lungs.
1817, _Feb._ 15_th_.—My grandson Henry died this morning.
1826, _June_ 16_th_.—In chaise to Guildford, the County election, voted
for Mr. Sumner and Mr. Denison. {52a}
_Sept._ 19_th_.—With Mary and Miss Davis, in a chaise, by Horsham and
Henfold to the ‘Albion’ at Brighton. Dined and lay there; walked on the
Chain Pier.
20_th_.—To Seaford, Eastbourne. Dined and lay at the ‘Hope’ in the
Sea-houses.
21_st_.—To the Castle Hotel, Hastings; through Winchelsea to Rye; New
Romney, dined and lay there.
22_nd_.—To Hythe, through Folkestone to Dover; saw the harbour; returned
to Hythe, the ‘Sun,’ dined there. To Ashford, and lay there.
_Sept._ 23_rd_.—To Lenham ‘Star’ at Maidstone; Wrotham Heath; Sevenoaks;
Godstone to Reigate; Called on Mr. Glover; Dorking; Shere before 7. {52b}
1828, _Dec._ 24_th_.—Such has been the decay in my eyesight the whole of
this year that I have not been able to read either print or MS., though I
have continued to write letters, as I am writing on this 24th of
December. I cannot read it when written. I have also lost my hearing in
one ear in a great degree; subject to this, my bodily health has been
what may be called good. I have been obliged to pay more than £1,100 by
the treachery of a clerk, and the malice of one who had been long
attempting, and at last effected a loss of long friendship with Mrs.
Wigzell. {53a}
1832, _July_ 5_th_.—Mr. Linnell, a portrait painter was sent by my
grandson Reginald to paint a portrait of me. I had five sittings.
_Oct._ 18_th_.—I sent my curious MS. of the Bishops’ estates seized and
sold by Cromwell to Mr. Ellis, {53b} to be presented to the Trustees of
the British Museum.