Part 21

{32d} The Guildford Races were then in May.

{32e} Mr. Sturt was a barrister, and a relation of Mr. Bray’s. Mr. Budgen, Mr. Talbot, and Mr. Scawen, were trustees of the charity.

{33a} A tour with Mr. Jenkins to Oxford, Bath, Gloucester, Salisbury, Blenheim, Fonthill, Longleat, Chepstow, &c. They hired a carriage and horses for the journey; and, in a rhyming letter to his wife, he writes:—

‘We hired from friend Bryant a very good chaise, Intending thus travelling quite at our ease. James was mounted behind on a fine prancing steed, To take care of the baggage and help us if need.’

Mr. Bray wrote a particular description of Fonthill, Stourton, and other houses visited.

{33b} Some of his intimate friends dined with him every week. The dinner was over at 5 or 6, and he often went afterwards to a coffee-house. He also went frequently to the theatres, and sometimes in the summer to Vauxhall. His mornings were spent at the Board of Green Cloth or in New Inn.

{33c} The house which Mr. Jacobson built, called ‘Lonesome,’ has been pulled down.

{33d} Mr. Bray went to many different coffee-houses, but most frequently to the Percy and Mundy’s. On Sundays he went for an hour to the Buffalo.

{34a} He had a house at Shere, which his mother lived in, and made a home for him during his frequent visits, and at little expense, for riding round in the neighbourhood he got his dinner at one house and tea at another. To general information he could now add the gossip of St. James’s, and he was welcome wherever he went.

{34b} He kept what he called a chaise or whisky, and two horses.

{34c} Mr. Penneck was Keeper of the Reading-room at the British Museum and Rector of Abinger.

{35a} Betchworth Castle.

{35b} He had become acquainted with Dr. Osborn and Dr. Price on the institution of the Equitable Assurance Office, of which he was a director. He frequently rode with his friends, sometimes a party of six.

{35c} He wrote a most particular description of it.

{36a} Mr. Planta, Principal Librarian at the British Museum.

{36b} This was the tour that he published an account of. He rode on horseback 1,800 miles this year.

{36c} This was a society which met at St. Paul’s Coffee House. The subscription was five guineas a year.

{36d} This plantation sowed all the fir trees between the Windmill and Pislake. Another plantation adjoining to the West Churt, sowed all the ground west of the road to Cranley.

{36e} This was for his father.

{36f} For a piece of land at the top of the plantation of beeches above Picket’s Hole.

{36g} Dr. Parr.

{37a} Distinguished Antiquaries.

{37b} Formerly Jacky.

{38} The Rev. Mr. Manning, who began the ‘History of Surrey.’

{39a} Mr. Page had bought the Manor of Cobham, and lived at Pointers.

{39b} When he was in the country he seldom dined at home unless he had friends with him.

{39c} His partnership with Mr. Jenkins was dissolved in 1774, but without any interruption of their friendship.

{39d} To near the end of his life he would often stop to dine, and sometimes to sleep, at the inn at Dorking, or Guildford, instead of going home to Shere.