one o'clock
It 's my belief that he would manage the financial affairs of this kingdom better than any Chancellor of the Exchequer , or other minister of State , past or present ; and that had he been at the head of affairs we should not have lost our North American Colonies , or have got plunged over head and ears in debt as we are , alack ! already ; and now , with war raging and all the world in arms against us , getting deeper and deeper into the mire . '' Without holding my worthy principal in such deep admiration as our head clerk evidently did , I had a most sincere regard and respect for him . Our dinner hour was at one o'clock , in a room over the office . Mr Janrin himself presided , and all the clerks , from the highest to the lowest , sat at the board . Here , however , on certain occasions , handsome dinners were given at a more fashionable hour to any friends or correspondents of the house who might be in London . Mr Thursby took the foot of the table , and I was always expected to be present .