18 January 1763, Tuesday

"This day being the Queen's birthday, I was amused by seeing multitudes of rich-dressed people driving in their splendid equipages to Court. Really, it must be confessed that a court is a fine thing. It is the cause of so much show and splendour that people are kept gay and spirited. I recollected stories of the old Scottish magnificence when our monarchs resided at Holyroodhouse, and I wished to see such days again.

I then called for Lady Mirabel.

Yet I could not think of being unfaithful to Louisa.

But, then, I thought Louisa was only in the mean time, till I got into genteel life, and that a woman of fashion was the only proper object for such a man as me. I this day began to feel an unaccountable alarm of unexpected evil: a little heat in the members of my body sacred to Cupid.

When I came to Louisa's, I felt myself stout and well, and most courageously did I plunge into the fount of love, and had vast pleasure as I enjoyed her as an actress who had played many a fine lady's part. She was remarkably fond of me today, and sighing said, "What will become of me if I lose you now?"

James Boswell. London Journal 1762-1763 Ed. Pottle, A. Frederick

(New Haven: Yale University, 2004) 149- 151.