This is all we can do : Iniquity in practice God knows
abounds too much among us, chiefly in the two extremes,
the highest and lowest ranks of men. The middle sort
are serious and religious. . . . For myself I live almost
a monastic life. I have a large and numerous family,
and I keep it under the best regulation I can. We have
the service of God within ourselves and that in public
in my Chappell and house four times a day. We live
orderly and peaceably together. And tho' the necessity
of business draws a great number of persons to me,5''et
I reduce even that as much as possible to certain times ;
and then eat openly with my friends two days in the
week. To the Court I seldome go, save when obliged to
attend my duty either in the public or cabinet Councills.
