Wednesday 23rd January 1808

Dear Diary,
Yesterday, Father invited me on a shoot. I cannot say that I am enamoured of all that banging but I needed some air and amusement. Father wanted to take his Willie out too, to see how he could cope with all the banging. How the poor thing shrank down after the first shot. It does not bode well and I could see that Father was a little perturbed. It was almost time to return home when we heard a sudden flapping and a bird flew up from a bush close by. "Hold your fire! It is only a magpie" said Father, but a shot rang out and the bird plummeted down in flurry of black and white feathers. "Whoops!" I said.
Today, has been much of a daze, since I heard at breakfast of the sudden death of Mr Ledger. A terrible loss indeed and so premature. I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed his company, over the past years, when I have been fortunate to see him. How fragile and fleeting life can be.