86 Diary of Thomas Smith, Esq. 



been changes for the better ; and shall accept the advice of the 

 wisest of men as peculiarly applicable to our times; " Say not thou 

 what is the cause that the former days were better than these, for 

 thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this." 



Diary of Thomas Smith, of Shaw House.^ 



Wednesday, 28th Feb. 1721 :— "We again visitted Mr. Brooke and drunk Tea 

 in the Morning, and from thence went to see several Colleges, Gardens, «&c : 

 worthy indeed to be noted as to their Neatness, Magnificence, and the Pleasure 

 I think they must necessarily afford to the Scholars. Mr. Harvey din'd with 

 us and was at our Q,iiarters till near ten. 



Thursday, March 1st. As yesterday was spent so likewise this Morning, and 

 in providing Necessarys for our new Housekeeper, but much of that was saved 

 to us by the good fortune we had to get one of the Chambers belonging to a 

 Fellow at a certain Eent ready furnished. The Provost of the House invited 

 Mr. Selfe, Mr. Brooke, and one Hodges who is a Partner with him in Tutorship; 

 and Audley Harvey with myself and son to dine with him : and leaving the 

 old Gent : soon after dinner, we finished our views of what was remarkable 

 and likewise all our Business and spent the Evening at Mr. Hodges's Chamber. 

 One Bowles * who is Librarian to the TJniversity and an Antiqiiarian being 

 with us, the Time past very pleasantly and we tarri'd till Eleven or after. 



Friday, 2nd. Mr. Brooke came to take his Leave this Morning, and one 

 Tindal a Gent : Comoner and his Pupil, who is the Son of Mr. Tindal of Bathe- 

 ford, being with him, they both drank Tea with us, and we presently took horse 

 for Purton ; only tarry'd an Hour or more at Faringdon where Mr. Selfe's Horse 

 was left and came to our journey's End between 6 and 7. 



Saturday 3rd. "We spent all the Morning and took a dinner w**" our friend 

 Mr. Goddard ; so 'twas two before we set forwards on our journey Homewards, 

 and by the badness of the roads and going somew'. out of the Way, darknes 

 had overtaken us before we came to Bromham ; Yet after giving Mr. Selfe \ my 

 best thanks as they are justly due for his Company in this long journey I came 

 homewards in the dark, and at Eight or a little after found my two Girles in 



^The writer of the Journal was Thomas Smith, Esq., of Shaw House, near 

 Melksham, (son of Thomas Smith, of Frome Selwood). His sister Ann, had 

 been first wife of Issac Selfe of Beanacre, who is called Brother Selfe, throughout. 

 Mr. T. Smith's own wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Daniel Webb of Melksham, 

 died, 1719, 12th July. The Journal begins 28th February, 1721. Mr. S. is ^t 

 Oxford, entering his eldest son John at Oriel College. Dr. Carter was Provost, 

 and Mr. Walter Hodges, the Tutor, was afterwards Provost. [Note by Canon 

 Jackson.] 



• " Bowles," Rev. Joseph Bowles, Fellow of Oriel, Bodleian Librarian, from 1719 — 1729. He was 

 a native of Shaftesbury, a man of parts and learning. In the latter part of Ms time he became 

 addicted to drink, grew careless, lost his character, ruined his health, and died at Shaftesbury in an 

 obscure manner. Hutohins' Dorset, ii., 29. 



t Rev. Thomas Selfe, Rector of Bromham, had gone up with Mr. Smith to Oxon. Mr. Selfe had 

 been presented to the Rectory of Bromham by Henry Smith, of Melksham, Gent, the Patron for that 

 turn. Mr. Selfe married Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Smith for his first wife. He was Rector of 

 Bromham from 1717 to 1741. 



