4th February 1825

The first winters day a sharp frost & a night fall of snow drifted in heaps by a keen wind — there has been a deal of talk about the forwardness of this season — but last season was not much behind — on the third of this month I found an hedge-sparrows nest in Billings Boxtrees before the window with 3 eggs in it I lookd again in March & found 2 young ones pen-featherd starved to death she laid again in the same nest & brought off a fledged brood in April Recievd a joint letter from Lord Radstock & Mrs Emmerson under a Frank which was put into post too soon for which a charge of 1py was made — Knaves in office watch chances as the cat watches mice & are of that species of animal that catch their prey by supprise Recievd a letter from Dr Darling