\ '?* , '<* ' ^y f •• i^K i/'i 
 
 t 
 
 jj 
 
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 'A'^ ■ . ■ X 
 
 '#ur3' 
 
 iS 
 
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 iiii 
 
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 ■#• 
 
 ■I
 
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 U:'
 
 LETTERS, 
 
 WRITTEN BY THE LATE 
 
 JONATHAN S W I F T, D. D. 
 
 DEAN OF ST. PATRICK'S, DUBLIN, 
 
 jPe 
 
 AND 
 
 VERAL OF HIS FRIENDS. 
 
 FROM THE YEAR I7IO TO 1 742. 
 
 PUBLISHED FROM THE ORIGINALS; 
 
 COLLECTED AND REVISED 
 
 BY DEANE SWIFT, ESQ^ 
 
 F GOODRICH, IN HEREFORDSHIRE. 
 THE THIRD EDITION 
 
 VOLUME IV. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for C, Bathurst, H. Woodfali., W. Strahak, 
 ' '""^ J. an-1 F. RiviNGTON, L. Davis and C. Reymers, W, 
 I Owen, R, Baldwin, T. Davies, W.Johnston, T.LoNa- 
 
 1 MAN, and J. Hardy. MDCCLXIX.
 
 a
 
 SRLF 
 URL 
 
 i 
 
 T O 
 
 Mr. WILLIAM JOHNSTON, 
 In LUDGATE STREET. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 Although I gave y6ti my reafonsj 
 fome time ago, for not troubling either the 
 Public or myfelf with any Preface to thefe 
 volumes of Dr. Swift's Writings, you ftill 
 prefs for fon^e kind of Advertifement, by 
 way of ufliering them into the world. Buc 
 what occafion is there for fuch formality ? 
 If the Letters now printed merit general 
 regard, they will have a chance to live as 
 long as the reft of his Epiftles : If they 
 deferve contempt, their days will be of fhori: 
 continuance. And, as for the reigns of 
 William Rufus, Henry the Fiust, and 
 Stephen i it is fuppofed they will appe';ir 
 
 3 2 to
 
 ( i^ ) 
 
 to be fuch a model of Englifo hidory, as 
 will make all men of tafte, and efpecially 
 foreigners, regret that he purfued his plan 
 no farther. 
 
 I can tell you a fecret, which I was not 
 apprized of myfelf until about a year ago, 
 and which perhaps may give you pleafure. 
 There are many of the Dr.'s bed writings, 
 long fince printed (don't be furprized, for I 
 am fupported in what I fay by the autho- 
 rity of manufcripts now in my own ftudy) 
 which are not to be met with in any collec- 
 tion of his Works : fo indifferent he was, 
 and carelefs, whether they lived or died. 
 Yet even thefe, by one means or other, as 
 I know their titles, and conjecture where 
 they can be found, I hope I fhall be able 
 to recover, and fend down to poflerity. 
 
 To the bed of my recollefbion, when I 
 talked to you lafl November of a Preface to 
 thefe Volumes, I had feme thoughts of 
 opening a fcene, which would have expofed 
 to view feveral things which are flill in- 
 volved 
 
 i
 
 ( V ) 
 
 volved in darknefs. But, as I have neither 
 youth, leifure, nor inclination, to engage in 
 altercations of any fort, I think it is better 
 to poftpone what I have principally to fay 
 relating to thefe matters, and particularly 
 to the fubjedl of Dr. Swift's Writings, 
 until a more convenient and proper fcafon ; 
 when perhaps it will be thought early enough 
 to inform the curious, by v/hat a flrange 
 variety of accidents the Doctor's Works 
 have happened to make their appearance in 
 fo diforderly, uncouth, and miferable a con- 
 dition (to fay nothing of a thoufand millakes 
 and blunders committed by feveral Editors, 
 both in England and Ireland) as they do at 
 pre fen t. 
 
 I am. Sir, wilhing you all fuccefs in 
 your publication, 
 
 Your moft fincere, 
 
 and very humble fcrvant, 
 
 Worcffder, 
 July 25, 1767. 
 
 D. S.
 
 ( vii ) 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 TO THE 
 
 FOURTH VOLUME. 
 
 D 
 
 Page 
 
 4 
 7 
 
 23 
 
 Letter I. A JR. Swift to Mrs. Johnfon 
 
 II. - - - 
 III. 
 
 IV. - 
 
 V. - - - 
 
 VI. - . - 3i 
 
 VII. ... 47 
 
 VIII. - - - 60 
 
 IX. - - - 71 
 
 X. - - - 82 
 
 XI. - - - p4 
 
 xir. - - - III 
 
 xiir. - - - 128 
 
 XIV. - - - 13Q 
 
 XV. - - - 150 
 
 XVI. - - - 16£ 
 
 xvir. - - _ 172 
 
 XVIII.
 
 
 Letter 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 XIX. 
 
 XX. 
 
 XXI. 
 
 XXII. 
 
 XXIII. 
 
 XXIV. 
 
 XXV. 
 
 XXVI. 
 
 Page 
 185 
 
 193 
 206 
 
 214 
 
 226 
 
 237 
 247 
 261 
 
 271 
 
 LETTERS
 
 LETTERS 
 
 FROM 
 
 Dr. SWIFT to STELLA. 
 
 LETTER L 
 
 Dr. S w I F T to Mrs. Johnson*. 
 
 *^^ Cheder, Sept. 2, 17 10. 
 
 J OE t will give you an account of me 
 lill I got into the boat, after which the rogues 
 
 mads 
 
 * Thefe letters to Stella, or Mrs Johnfon, were all 
 written in a feries from the time of Lx. S-ivij}'s land- 
 ing at Chejlcr, in September 1710, until his return to 
 Ireland upon the demife of the queen ; barring the 
 interruption cf about fix weeks, or tv/o months, in 
 the year 17 13, when he was obliged to go over to 
 Ireland, upon being made Dean of St. Patrick' s, 
 Dublin. The letters were all very carefully pre- 
 ferved by Stella ; and at her death, if not before^ 
 taken up by Dr. S-zvi/t ; for what end we know not, 
 unlefs it were to compare the current news of the 
 times with that Hi/lory of the ^een which he writ at 
 Windfor in the year 171V- they were fometimes ad- 
 dreffed to Mrs. Johnfon, and fometimes to Mrs. Ding- 
 ley, who was a relation of the Temple family, and 
 friend to Mrs. Johnfon. Both thefe ladies went over 
 to Ireland upon S~iX;ift'% invitation in the year 1 701, 
 and lodged conftantly together. 
 
 f IVlr. Jofeph Beaumont, merchant, of Trim, 
 whofe name frecjuently occurs in thefe papers. He 
 
 Vol. IV. B was
 
 ( 2 ) 
 
 ftiade a new bargain, and forced me to give 
 them two crowns, and talked as if we (hould 
 not be able to overtake any (hip ; but in half 
 an hour wc got to the yacht ; for the fnips lay 
 by to wait for my lord lieutenant's fteward. 
 We made our voyage in fifteen hours juft. Laft 
 night I came to this town, and fball leave it, I 
 believe, on Monday: the firft man I met in 
 Chejier was Dr. Raymond %. He and Mrs. Ray- 
 tnond were here about levying a fine, in order 
 to have power to fell their eftate. I got a fall 
 off my horfe, riding here from Parkgate^ but no 
 hurt J the horfe underftands falls very well, and 
 lying quietly till I got up. My duty to the 
 bifhop of Clogher *. I faw him returning from 
 Dunlary f ; but he faw not me. I take it ill 
 he was not at convocation, and that I have not 
 his name to my powers. I beg you will hold 
 
 was a venerable, handfome, grey-headed man, of 
 quick and various natural abilities, but not improved 
 by learning: h.h fort was Mathematicks, which he 
 applied to Ibme ufeful purpofes in the linen trade, 
 but chiefly to the invcftigation of the Longitude ; 
 which was fuppofed to have occafioned a lunacy, 
 with which he was feized in Dubli?: about the year 
 1718 ; from whence he was brought home to Trimy 
 and recovered his underllanding. But fome years 
 after, having rclapfed into his former malady, he 
 cut his throat in a fit of diftradlion. 
 
 X Vicar of Trirn^ and formerly one of the fellows 
 of the univeruty rf Dublin. 
 
 * Dr. Zt. George /1/he, who, in the reign of 
 George \. was made bifhop of Derry 
 
 f This mull: have been while Siviftwzs failing in 
 the Bay of Dublin, and the bilhop riding upon the 
 North- Strand. 
 
 your
 
 C 3 ) 
 
 your refolution of going to Tr'im^ and riding 
 there as much as you can. Let the bifhop of 
 Clogher remind the bifliop of Killala to fend me 
 a letter, with one inclofed to the bifhop of 
 Litchfield §. Let all who write to me, inclofe 
 to Richard Steele^ Efq; at his office at the Cock- 
 pit near JVhitehall. My lord Mountjoy is now in 
 the humour that we fhould begin our journey 
 this afternoon, fo that I have ftolen here ao-ain 
 to finifti this letter, which muft be fliort orlono- 
 accordingly. I write this pofl to Mrs. IVcflcy^ 
 and will tell her, that I have taken care fhe 
 may have her bill of one hundred and fifteen 
 pounds whenever fhe pleafes to fend for it; and 
 in that cife 1 defire you will fend it her inclofed 
 and fealed. God Almighty blefsyou; and, 
 for God's fake, be merry and get your health. 
 I am perfectly refolved to return as foon as I 
 have done my commiffion |), whether it fucceeds 
 or no. I never went to Ergland with {o little 
 defire in my life. If Mrs. Curry makes any 
 difficulty about the lodgings, I will quit them. 
 The poft is juit come from London^ and juft 
 going out, fo I have only time to pray God to 
 blefs you, l^c. 
 
 § Dr. John Hough. 
 
 II 'rhis commiflion was, to foHcit the queen to re- 
 mit the firft- fruits and twentieth parts, payable to 
 the crown by the clergy of Ireland, 
 
 B 2 LET-
 
 ( 4 ) 
 
 L E T T E R II. ' 
 
 London, Sept 9, 1710. 
 
 J G O T here laft Thurfday, after five days 
 travelling, weary the firft, almoft dead the 
 fecond, tolerable the third, and v/ell enough 
 the reft J and am now glad of the fatigue, which 
 has ferved for excrcife ; and I am at prefent well 
 enough. The TVhigs were ravifhed to fee me, 
 and would lay hold on me as a twig while they 
 are drowning, and the great men making me 
 their clumfy apologies, iffc. But my lord 
 treafurer * received me with a great deal of 
 coldnefs, which has enraged me fo, I am almoft 
 vowing revenge. I have not yet gone half my 
 circle ; but I find all my acquaintance juft as I 
 left them. I hear my lady G'lffard f is much 
 at Courts and lady Ivharton was ridiculing it 
 t'other day; fo I have loft a friend theie. I have 
 not yet feen her, nor intend it ; but I will 
 contrive to fee Stella s mother X fome other way. 
 I writ to the bifhop of Clogber from Chcjier ; 
 and I now write to the archbifhop of Dublin. 
 Every thing is turning upfide down ; every 
 Whig in great ofiice will, to a man, be infalli- 
 bly put out ; and we (hall have fuch a winter 
 as hath not been feen in England. Every body 
 afks me, how I came to be fo long in Ireland^ 
 as naturally as if here were my Being ; but no 
 foul oftcrs to make it fo : and 1 proteft I ftiall 
 
 * The carl of Godolphin. 
 
 f Lady Giffard was filler to fir William Temple. 
 X ^he was at that time in lady Cijurd s family. 
 
 ictufn
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 return to Dullin, and the Cajial at Laracor ||„ 
 with more fatiofaclion than ever I dlJ in my life. 
 The Tatler § expefls every day to be turned out 
 of his employment ; and the duke of Ormondy 
 they Aiy, will be lieutenant of Ireland. I hope 
 you are now peaceably in Prejh^s ^ lodgings ; 
 but I refolvc to turn you out by Chnjljnas \ in 
 which time I fhail either do my bufinefs, or 
 find It not to be ccae. Piay be at Trim by the 
 time this letter comes to you, and ride little 
 'Johnjon^ who mud needs be now in good cafe, 
 1 have begun this letter unufnally, on the poft- 
 night, and have already v/ritten to the arch- 
 biihop ; and cannot lengthen this. Henceforth 
 I will write fjmething every day to MD^ and 
 m.ike it a foit of journal ; and when it is full, I 
 will fcijJ it whether MD writes or no; and lb 
 th.it will be pretty: and I fhall always be in 
 converfation with MD^ and MD with Prejio. 
 
 |[ The Dr 's benefice in the diocefe of Meath. 
 
 § Richard Steele, Kfq; 
 
 ^ In thefe letters pdfr, ftands for Dr. Sivi/t ; 
 Pj)t, for Stella; D. for Dingley; D. D. generally 
 for Dingley, but fometimes for both Stella and 
 Dingley ; and MD generally (lands for both thefe 
 ladies ; yet fometimes only for Stella. But, to as'oid 
 perplexing the reader, it was thought more ajdvife- 
 able to ufe the word Prejio for Snjuift, which is bor- 
 rowed from the duchefs of Shrenjjjlury, who, not 
 rtcolleding the Dr.'s name, called him Dr. JPreJioy 
 (which is Italian for Sivift) yid. let. xxvii. Aug. 2, 
 1710, printed for Dodjley and others ; inftead of Ppt. 
 Stella is ufed for Airs. John/on, and fo for D. Dingley ; 
 but as MD Hands for both Dingley and Stella, it 
 was thought more convenient to let it remain a cy- 
 pher in its original Hate. 
 
 B 3 Pray
 
 ( 6 ) 
 
 Pray make Pnrvlfol * pay you the ten pounds 
 immediately J To I ordered him. They tell me 
 J am grown fatter, and look better ; and, on 
 Monday^ Jervas is to retouch my picture. I 
 thought 1 faw JiKk Temple and his wife pafs by 
 me to-day in their coach ; but I took no notice 
 cf them. I am glad I have wholly fhaken ofF 
 that family f. Tell the provoft % T have 
 obeyed his commands to the duke of Ormonde 
 or let it alone, if you pleafe. I faw 'Jemmey 
 Leigh II juft now at the Coffce-houfe^ who afked 
 after you with great kindncfs : he talks of going 
 in a fortnight to Ireland. My fervice to the 
 dean §, and Mrs. IValls and her archdeacon. 
 Will Franklcmd's wife is near bringing to-bed, 
 and I have promifed to chriften the child. I 
 fancy you hid my Chejler letter the Tuefday af- 
 ter I writ. I prefented Dr. Raymond to lord 
 JVharton at Chejler. Pray let me know when 
 J-ie gets his money ^. It is near ten, and I 
 
 * The Dr.'s agent at Laracor. 
 
 f It never has yet appeared to the publick what 
 gave rife to this great coolnefs between the Temple 
 family and Dr S^vift. 
 
 X i)r. Pralt^ afterwards dean of Dozvne. 
 
 II A gentleman of fortune in the county of TFcx- 
 meath, in Ireland, whofe name often occurs in thefe 
 letters. He was well acquainted with Stella, and 
 feems to have had a great efteem for her merit and 
 accompli fhm en ts. 
 
 § Dr. Stenic, dean of St. Patrick''s, Dublin. 
 
 % Tliis money was a pra-mlum the government had 
 promifed him for his Mathematical Slcaing Tables, 
 calculated for the improvement of the linen manufac- 
 tory, which were afterwards printed, and are ftill 
 highly regarded. 
 
 hate
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 hate to fend by the bell-man. AID fliall have 
 a longer letter in a week, but I fend this only 
 to tell I am fafe in Londm j and fo farewel, l3c, 
 
 LETTER III. 
 
 London, Sept. g, 1710. 
 
 jA\^ FTE R feeing the duke of Ormonde dining 
 with Dr. Cockburn^ P^^-^g fome part of the af- 
 ternoon with fir Matthew Dudley and 1^^ill 
 Franklandy the reft at St. yames's Coffee-houfe^ I 
 came home and writ to the archbifliop q{ Dublin 
 and MD^ and am going to bed. 1 forgot to 
 tell you, that [ begged IVill Frankland to ftand 
 Manhfi II friend with his father in this (baking 
 feafon for places. He told me his father was in 
 danger to be out ; that feveral were now foli- 
 citing for Manleys place j that he was accufed 
 of opening letters ; that fir Thomai Frankland 
 would facrifice everything to fave himfelf j and 
 in that I fear Adanley is undone, iffc. 
 
 10. To-day I dined with lord Moimtjoy at 
 Kenfirigton ; faw my miftrefs, Op}?y Butler's wife, 
 who is grown a little charmlefs. I fat till tea 
 in the evening with Addifon and Steele: Steele 
 will certainly lofe his Gazetteer's, place, all the 
 world detefting his engaging in parties. At ten 
 I went to the Coffee-houfe^ hoping to- find lord 
 Radnor^ whom I had not feen. He was there; 
 and for an hour and a half we talked treafon 
 heartily againft the Wh'igs^ their bafenefs and 
 
 II Mauley was poll-m after- general oi Ireland. 
 
 B 4 ingratitude.
 
 ( 8 ) 
 
 ingratitude. And I am come home rollirif^ re- 
 
 .... 
 
 fentments in my mind, and tr:.ming ichemes 
 of revenge : full of which (having written down 
 feme hints) I go to bed. I am afraid MD 
 dined at home, becaufe it is Sunday ; and there 
 was the little half-pint of wine : for God's fake 
 be good girls, and all will be well. Bc7t '^fooke % 
 was with me this morning. 
 
 II. Seven morning. I am rifing to go to 
 Jervas to finifh my picture, and 'tis (having day, 
 Jp good morrow A^D j but don't keep me now, 
 for 1 can't ftay ; and pray dine with the dean, 
 but don't lofe your money. 1 long to hear 
 fiom you, ^'c. — Ten at night. 1 fat four 
 hours this morning to 'Jervas^ who has given 
 niy piiluie quite another turn, and now ap- 
 proves it entirely ; but we muft have the appro- 
 nation of the town. If I were rich enough, I 
 would get a copy of ir and bring it over. Mr. 
 Andijon and I dined together at his lodgings, and 
 I fac with him part of this evening; and I am 
 »ow come home to write an hour. Patrick 
 obfcrvcs that the rabble here a'e much more 
 inquifrive in politicks, than in Ireland. Every 
 day we ' ex [ie(St changes, and \.\\q Parliament to 
 be diflblvtd. Lord IVharton exped;s every day 
 to be out : he is workins; like a horfe for elec- 
 tions ; and, in fhort, I never faw fo great 
 a ferment among ^11 forts of people. I had a 
 miferable letter from Jce laft Saiw day, telling 
 mc Mr. Pratt * refufes payment of his money. 
 
 t 'J^be Dofior's book feller. 
 
 * Vicc-trcafurcr cf Ireland. 
 
 ' ■ I have
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 J have told it Mr. Adaifon^ and will to lord 
 Wharton ; but ! fear with no iuccefs. However, 
 I will do all I can. 
 
 12. To-day I prefented Mr. Ford to the 
 duke of Ormond ', and paid my firft vifit to lord- 
 prcfident t> with whom 1 had much difcourfe ; 
 but put him always oft' when he began to talk 
 of lord Wharton in relation to me, till he urged 
 it : then I faid, he knew I never expected any 
 thing from lord Whartcn, and that lord Wharton 
 knew that 1 undcrftood it fo. He faid that he 
 had written twice to lord Wharton about mc, 
 who both times faid nothing at all to that part of 
 his letter. I am advifcd not to meddle in the 
 affair of the Firjh Fruits^ till this hurry is a lit- 
 tle over, which fliill depends, and we are all in 
 the daily. Lord-prefident told me he expedls 
 every day to be out, and has done fo thefe two 
 months. I proteft upon ray life, I am heartily 
 wearv of this town, and wifh I had never 
 Itirred. 
 
 13. I went this morning to the city to fee 
 Mr. >traiford the Hctidnirgh merchant, my old 
 fchool-feilow ; but calling at BuU\ on Ludgate- 
 hil/, he forced me to his houfe at Ha /npj^ead to 
 dinner amon^ a great deal of ill company j 
 among the reft Mr. HoadUy *, the whig clergy- 
 man, fo famous for adling the contrary part to 
 Bachtverell: but to-morrow I defign again to fee 
 Strat/ord. I was glad, however, to be at Hi>mp- 
 
 f Lord Somers. 
 
 Dr. Benjamin Iloadley, afterwards bifliop o^Wiii- 
 (hejier. • 
 
 Jleady
 
 ( lo ) 
 
 J^£ady where I faw lady Lucy and Moll Stanhope. 
 I hear very unfortunate news of Mrs. Long ; (he 
 and her comrade have broke up houfe, and {he 
 is broke for good and all, and is gone to the 
 country : 1 fhould be extremely forry if this 
 be true. 
 
 14. To-day I faw Patty Rok, who heard I 
 was in town ; and 1 dined with Stratford at a 
 merchant's in the citv, where I drank the firft 
 Tockay wine I ever faw j and it is admirable, 
 yet not to the degree I expedled. Stratford is 
 worth a pi imb, and is now lending the Govern- 
 ment forty thcufand pounds ; yet we were edu- 
 cated together at the fame fchool and univerfity. 
 We hear the chancellor is to be fuddenly out, 
 and fir Simon Harcourt to fucceed him : I am 
 come early home, not caring for the coffee- 
 houfe. 
 
 15. To-day Mr, Addfon^ colonel i^r^/W and 
 I went to fee the million lottery drawn at Guild- 
 hall. The jackanapes of blue-coat boys gave 
 themfelves fuch airs in pulling out the tickets, 
 and fhewed white hands open to the company, 
 to let us fee there was no cheat. We dined at 
 a country-houfe ntzr Chclfca, where Mr. Addlfon 
 often retires ; nnd to-night, at the Coffec-houfey 
 we hear fir Simon Harcourt is made lord-keeper; 
 fo that now we expe<^ every moment the Par- 
 Jiamc?it will be diiTolved ; but 1 forgot that this 
 letter will not go in three or four days, and that 
 my news will be flale, which I fhouJd there- 
 fore put in the lalt paragraph. Shall 1 fend this 
 letter before I hear from MD, or fhall I keep 
 
 it
 
 ( II ) 
 
 it to lengthen ? I have not yet feen Stella^s mo- 
 ther, becaufe I will not fee lady Giffard ; but j^ 
 will contrive to go there when lady G'tffard is 
 abroad. I forgot to mark my two former letters; 
 but I remember this is Number 3, and I have 
 not yet had Nitmher i from MD ; but I fhall 
 by Monday^ which I reckon will be jult a fort- 
 night after you had my firft. I am refolved to 
 bring over a great deal of china. I loved it 
 mightily to-day. What fhall 1 bring? 
 
 16. Morning. Sir fohn Holland^ comptrol- 
 ler of the houlhold, has fcrnt to dcfire my ac- 
 
 ■quaintance : I have a mind to refufe him 
 becaufe he is a IVIng^ and will, I fuppofe, be 
 out among the reft; but he is a man of worth 
 and learning. Tell me, do you like this 
 journal way of writing ? Is it not tedious and 
 dull? 
 
 Night. I dined to-day with a coufin, a 
 printer, where Patty Rolt lodges, and then 
 came home, after a vifit or two ; and it has 
 been a very infipid day. Mrs. Long's misfor- 
 tune is confirmed to me; bailiffs were in her 
 houfe ; (he retired to private lodgings ; thence 
 to the country, no-body knows where : her 
 friends leave letters at fome inn, and they are 
 carried to her; and fhe writes anfwers without 
 dating them from any place. I fwear it grieves 
 me to the foul. 
 
 17. To-day I dined fix miles out of town, 
 with TVill Pate the learned woollen-draper ; 
 ^v. Stratford went v^ith me : fix miles here is 
 
 nothing
 
 ( 12 ) 
 
 nothing: we left P^/r after funfct, and were 
 here before it was dark. This letter (hall go 
 ©n Tuefday^ whether 1 hear from MD or no. 
 My health continues pretty wlU ; pray God 
 Stella may give me a good account of hers : and 
 I hope you are now at Tr'im^ or foon defigning 
 jt. J was difappointed to-night : the fellow 
 gave me a letter, and I hoped to fee little MD's 
 hand ; and it was only to invite n;e to a vcnif Jii 
 party to-day : fo I loll niv p.irty into the bar- 
 gain. Pox on thcfe declining courtiers ! Hire 
 js Mr. Brydges the pavmafler-general defiring 
 rny acquaintance ; but I hear the qticen fent 
 lord Shrewfiury to afllire him he may keep his 
 place ; and he promifcs me great afiiftance in 
 the affair of the Fir/l- Fruits. Well, I muft 
 turn over this leaf to-nigh% though the fide 
 would hold another line ; but pray confider this 
 is a whole flieet ; it ln^lds a plaguy deal, and 
 you muft be content to be weary ; but ril do 
 fo no more. Sir Shiion Harcourt is made attor- 
 ney-general, and not lord-keeper. 
 
 1 8. To-day I dine J with Mr. Strafford at 
 Mr. j^ddifons retirement near Chelsea ; then 
 came to town ; eot hc-me carlv, arid be<:un a 
 letter to the Ta'J.er about the corruptions of 
 ftyle and writing, ^c. anti having not heard 
 from you, am refolvcd this letter (hall go to- 
 night. Lord JVhjricn va as fent for to town in 
 mighty hafte, by the duke of Dezonfoire : they 
 have fome project in hand ; but it will not do, 
 for every hour v/e expcil; a thorough revolution, 
 and that the PorUamcnt will be d;fi"olved. When 
 you fee Joe, tcil liim lord JVharton is too bufy
 
 ( JS ) 
 
 to mini any of his affairs; but I will get what 
 good offices I can fu<n Mr. Jddifon^ and will 
 write ti-day to Mr. Pnift ; and bid yoe not to be 
 difcouraged, for I am confident he will get the 
 money under any government s but he muft 
 have patience. 
 
 19. I have been fcriliblin^ this morning, and 
 I btlieve fhall hardly fill this fide to-day, but 
 fend it as it is ; and it is good enough for 
 naughty girls that won't write to a body, and 
 to a good boy like Prr/h. I thought to have 
 fert this to-night, but was kept by company, 
 and could not ; and, to lay the truth, I had a 
 little mind to expert one poft more for a letter 
 from MD. Yeilcrday at noon died the earl of 
 Anglej'ey, the great fupport of the 7l;r/V^ ; fo that 
 employment of vice- treafurer of Ireland is again 
 vacant. We were to have been great friends, 
 and I could hardly have a lofs that could grieve 
 me more. The bii'hop of Durhani died the fame 
 day. The duke of Oniiond\ daughter was to 
 viilt me to-day at a third place by v/ay of ad- 
 vance, and 1 am to return it to-morrow. I 
 have had a letter frorn lady Berkeley, begging 
 me for charity to come to Berkeley caJUe, for 
 company to my lord, who has been ill of a 
 droply J but I c-miiot go, and muft fend my 
 excuie to morrow. 1 am told, that in a fev/ 
 houis there will be more removals. 
 
 20. To-day I returned my vifits to the duke's 
 daughters ; the iiifolcnt drabs came up to my 
 very mouth to filute me ; then I heard the re- 
 port confirmed of r-mova s \ my lord-prefident 
 
 Somers ;
 
 ( 14 ) 
 
 Somers ; the duke of DevonJJjire, lord-fteward ; 
 and Mr. Boyle , fecretary of ftate, are all turned 
 out to-day. I never remember fuch bold fteps 
 taken by a Court : I am almoft fhocked at it, 
 though I did not care if they were all hanged. 
 We are aftonifhed why the Parliament is not yet 
 diflblved, and why they keep a matter of that 
 importance to the laft. We fhall have a ftrange 
 Winter here between the flruggles of a cun- 
 ning provoked difcarded party, and the triumphs 
 of one in power ; pf both which I fhall be an 
 indifferent fpcdlator, and return very peaceably 
 to Ireland, when I have done my part in the 
 affair I am entrufted with, whether it fucceeds 
 or no. To-morrow I change my lodgings in 
 Pall-mall for one in Bury-Jlrcet, where I fuppofe 
 I fhall continue while 1 flay in London. If any 
 
 thing happens to-morrow I will add it. 
 
 Robin s Coff'ee-boufe. We have great news juft 
 now from Spain ; Madridtzk.cn, and Pampeluna. 
 I am here ever interrupted. 
 
 21. I have jufl received your letter, which 
 I will not anfwer now ; God be thanked all 
 things are fo well. I find you have not yet had 
 my fecond : I had a letter from Parvifol^ who 
 tells me he gave Mrs. IValh a bill of twenty 
 pounds for me, to be given to you ; but you 
 have not fent it. This night the Parliament is 
 diffolved : great news from Spain ; king Charles 
 and Stanhope are at Madrid, and count Starem- 
 herg has taken Painpebina, Farewcl. This is 
 from St. 'James'^ Coffec-houje. I will begin my 
 anfwer to your letter to-night ; but not fend it 
 this week. Pray tell me whether you like this 
 
 journal 
 3
 
 ( 15 ) 
 
 journal way of writing. — I don't like your rea- 
 jfons for not going to Tn'w. Parvifol tells me 
 he can fell your horfe ; fell it with a pox ? 
 Pray let him know that he fliall fell his foul as 
 foon. What i* fell any thing that Stella loves, 
 and may fometimes ride ? It is hers, and let her 
 do as (he pleafes : pray let him know this by the 
 firft that you know goes to Trim, Let him fell 
 my grey, and be hanged. 
 
 LETTER IV. 
 
 London, Sept. zr, lyio* 
 
 J[-^ E R E muft I begin another letter, on 
 a whole ftieet, for fear fawcy little MD fhould 
 be angry, and think 7nii.:h that the paper is too 
 little. I had your letter this night, as I told 
 you juft and no more in my laft ; for this muft 
 be taken up in anfwering yours, faucebox. I 
 believe I told you where I dined to-day ; and to- 
 morrow I go out of tovv'n for two days to dine 
 with the fame company on Sunday ; Molefworth 
 the Florence envoy, Stratford, and fome others. 
 I heard to-day that a gentler-oman from lady 
 Giff'ard^s houfe had been at the Coffee-hoiife to 
 enquire for me. It was Stellas mother, I fup- 
 pofe. I (hall fend her a penny- poft letter to- 
 morrow, and contrive to fee her without hazard- 
 ing feeing lady Giffard, which I will not do 
 until (he begs my pardon. 
 
 22. I dined to-day at Hampjlead with lady 
 Lucy, &c. and when I got home found a letter 
 from Joe, with one inclofcd to lord Wharton, 
 
 which
 
 ( i6 ) 
 
 which I win fend to his excellency, and fecond 
 it as well as I can j but to talk of getting the 
 queen's order, is a jcfl. Things are in fuch a 
 combuftion here, that I am advifed not to med- 
 dle yet in the affair / am upon, which concerns 
 the clcrcy of a whole kingdom ; and does he 
 think any body will trouble the queen about 
 'Joe ? We {hall, 1 hope, get a recommendation 
 from the lord lieutenant to the truftees for the 
 linen bufinefs, and I hope that will do ; and fo 
 I will write to him in a few days, and he muft 
 have patience. This is an anfwer to part of 
 your letter as well as his. I lied, it is to-mor- 
 row I go to the country, and I won't anfwer a 
 bit more of your letter yet. 
 
 23. Here is fuch a flir and buftle with this 
 little MD of ours ; I mufl: be writing every 
 night ; I can't go to-bed without a word to 
 them ; I can't put cut my candle till I have 
 bid them good night: O Lord, O Lord ! Well, 
 I dined the firft time, to-day, with Will Frank- 
 Ipnd and his Fortune : (he is not very handfome. 
 Did I not fay I would go out of town to-day ; 
 I hate lying abroad and clutter; I go to-morrow 
 in Franklarurs chariot, and come back at night. 
 Lady Berkeley has invited me to Berkeley- cajUe, 
 and lady Betty Gertnain to Drayton in Northamp- 
 icn/IAr'e^ and I'll go to neither. Let me alone, 
 1 muft finifh my pamphlet. I have fent a long 
 letter to Bickerjioff : let the bifliop of Clogher 
 fmoak it if he can. Well, I'll write to the 
 bifhop of Killala j but you might have told him 
 how fudden and unexpected my journey was 
 
 though. Deuce take lady 5- , and if I 
 
 2 know
 
 C 17 ) 
 
 • 
 
 Icnow D y^ he is a rawboned-fjced fel- 
 low, not handlbme, nor vifibly (o young as 
 you fay : fhe facrihces tv/o thoufand pounds a 
 year, and keeps only fix hundred. Well, you 
 have had all my land journey in my fccond 
 letter, and fo much f(.r that. So, you have 
 got into Prejlo?, lodgings ; very fine, truly ! 
 We have had a fortnight of the moll glorious 
 weather on earth, and itill continues : i hop© 
 you have made the beilof it. Bally:allv<vX be 
 a pure good place for air, if Mrs. Afne makes 
 good her promife. Stella writes like an emperor : 
 I am afraid it hurts your eyes ; take care of that 
 pray, pray Mrs. Stella. Can't you cio what you 
 will with your own horfe ? Pray don't let that 
 puppy Parvifol fell him. Patrick is drunk about 
 three times a week, and i bear it, and he has 
 got the better of me ; but one of thefe days I 
 will pofitively turn him off to the wide v/orld, 
 when none of you are by to intercede for him. 
 — Stuff — how can I get her hufband into the 
 Charter-houfe? get a — into the Charter-houfe. — 
 Write conllantly ! Why, firrah, don't I write 
 every day, and fometimes twice a day to MD? 
 Now I have anfwered all your letter, and the 
 reft muft be as it can be : fend me my bill. 
 Tell Mrs. Brent * what I fay of the Charter- 
 houfe. I think this enough for one night j and 
 fo farewel till this time to-morrow, 
 
 24.. To day I dined fix miles out of town at 
 TFill Pate's^ with Stratford, Frankland, and the 
 Molefworths, and came home at night, and was 
 
 * The Dodlor's houfekeeper. 
 Vol. IV. C weary
 
 ( i8 ) 
 
 weary and lazy. I can fay no more now, but 
 
 good night. 
 
 25. I was fo lazy to-day that I dined at 
 next door J, and have fat at home fince fix, 
 writing to the bifhop of Clogher^ dean Sterne^ 
 and Mr. Mauley : the laft, becaufe I am in fear 
 for him about his place, and have fent him my 
 opinion, what I and his other friends here think 
 he ought to do. I hope he will take it well. 
 My advice was. To keep as much in favour as 
 pofTible with fir Thomas Franklandy his mafter 
 here. 
 
 26. Smoak how I widen the margin by lying 
 in bed when I write. My bed lies on the 
 Tvrong fide for me, fo that I am forced often 
 to write when I am up. Manley you muft 
 know has had people putting in for his place 
 already; and has been complained of for open- 
 ing letters. Remember that laft Sunday^ Sep- 
 temher 24, 1710, was as hot as Alidjinnmer, 
 This was written in the morning ; 'tis now 
 night, and Prejio in bed. Here's a clutter, I 
 have gotten MD\ fecond letter, and I muft 
 anfwer it here. I gave the bill to Tooke^ and 
 fo — Well, I dined to-day with fir John Holland 
 the comptroller, and fat with him till eight ; 
 then came home and fent my letters, and writ 
 part of a lampoon §, which goes on very flow, 
 and now I am writing to fawcy MD 3 no won- 
 
 X This muft have been at Mrs. Fanhomrigh^s. 
 4 This was. The N'irtues oi SidHa/net, the Magi- 
 cian's Rod. 
 
 6 der.
 
 ( 19 ) 
 
 der, indeed, good boys muft write to naughty 
 girls. I han't fcen your mother yet j my 
 penny- poft letter, I fuppofe, mifcarricd : I will 
 
 write another. Mr. S came to fee me ; 
 
 and faid M was going to the country next 
 
 morning with her hufband (who I find is a 
 furly brute) fo I could only defire my fervice 
 to her. 
 
 27. To-day all our company dined at IVill 
 Frankland's, with Steele and Addifon too. This 
 is the firft rainy day fince I came to town ; I 
 can't afFord to anfwer your letter yet. Morgan, 
 the puppy, writ me a long letter to defire I 
 would recommend him for purfe-bearer or fecre- 
 tary to the next lord-chancellor that would 
 come with the next governor. I will not an- 
 fwer him ; but beg you will fay thefe words 
 to his father Rayinond *, or any body that v/ill 
 tell him : That Dr. Swift has received his letter, 
 and would be very ready to ferve him, but 
 cannot do it in what he defires, becaufe he has 
 no fort of intereft in the perfons to be applied 
 to. Thefe words you m.ay write, and let 'Joe, 
 or Mr. Warhurton f , give them to him : a pox 
 on him ! However, 'tis by thefe fort of ways 
 that fools get preferment. I muft not end yet, 
 becaufe I can't fay good night without lofmg a 
 line, and then MD would fcold ; but now, 
 good night. 
 
 * I>r. Raymond is only called his father, becaufe 
 iie efpoufed Mr. Morgan's intereft with all his power, 
 
 •f The Dodor's curate at Laracor. 
 
 C 2 28. T
 
 C 20 ) 
 
 28. I have the fined piece of Brazil tobacco 
 for Dinghy that ever was born. You talk of 
 Leigh ; v/hy he vv'on't be in Dublin thefe tvi^o 
 months : he goes to the country, then returns 
 to Lcndon^ to fee hov^^ the world goes here in 
 ParUamerj. Good night, firrahs ; no, no, not 
 ni^ht ; I writ this in the morning, and looking 
 carclefly I thought it had been of laft night. I 
 dined to-day v/ith Mrs. Barton alone at her 
 lodgings, where fhe told me for certain that 
 
 ]ady S was with child when fhe was laft in 
 
 England^ and pretended a tympany, and faw 
 every body ; then difappeared for three weeks, 
 her tympany was gone, and fhe looked like a 
 "^hoft, Oc. No wonder fhe married when fhe 
 was ib ill at containing. Conolly is out, and 
 Mr. Roberts in his place, who lofes a better 
 here, but was formerly a commiffioner in Ire- 
 land. That employment coft Cofiolly three 
 thoufand pounds to lord Wharton \ fo he has 
 made one ill bargain in his life. 
 
 29. I wifh MD a merry Michaelmas. I 
 dined with Mr. Jddifon, and Jervas the painter, 
 at Add'fon% country place ; and then came 
 home, and writ more to my lampoon. I made 
 a Tatlcr fince I came : guefs which it is, and 
 whether the bifhop of Clogher fmoaks it. I faw 
 Mr. Stei-ne to-day : he will do as you order, 
 and I will give him chocolate for Stella's health. 
 He goes not thefe three weeks. I wifh I could 
 fend it fome other way. So now to your letter, 
 brave boys. I don't like your way of faving 
 fliillings : nothing vexes me but that it does not 
 make Stella a coward in a coach. I don't think 
 
 any
 
 ( 21 ) 
 
 any lady's advice about my ear fignifies two- 
 pence : however I will, in compliance to you, 
 afk Dr. Cockbum. Radcliffe I know not, and 
 Bernard I never fee. IVulh will certainly be 
 ftingier for feven years, upon pretence of his 
 robbery. So Stella puns again j why, 'tis well 
 enough ; but I'll not fecond it, though I could 
 make a dozen : I never thought of a pun fmce 
 I left /?v/rtW.— Bifhop of Ckghcr\ bill i" Why, 
 he' paid it me ; do you think I was fuch a fool 
 to go without it ? As for the four (hillings, I 
 will give you a bill on Parv'ifol for it on t'other 
 f:dc this paper j and pray tear off" the tu'o letters 
 I fhall write. to him and Joe, or let Dinghy 
 tranfcribe and fend them ; though that to 
 Parvifol, I believe, he muff have my hand for. 
 No, no, I'll eat no grapes 5 I ate about fix 
 t'other day at fir John Holland's ; but would 
 not give fix-pence for a thoufand, they are fo 
 bad this year. Yes, faith, I hope in God 
 Prejio and MD will be together this time 
 twelvemonth : What then ? Laft year I fuppofe 
 I was at Laracor ; but next I hope to eat my 
 Michaelmas goofe at my two little goofes' lodg- 
 ings. I drink no aile (I fuppofe you mean ole) 
 but yet good wine every day, of five and fix 
 {hillings a bottle, O Lord, hov/ much Stella 
 writes : pray don't carry that too far, young 
 women, but be temperate to hold out. To- 
 morrow I go to Mr. Barley. -Why ; fmall 
 hopes from the duke of Ormond : he loves me 
 very well, I believe, and would, in my turn, 
 give me fomething to make me eafy ; and I 
 have good interelr among his beft friends. But 
 I don't think of any thing further than the bufi- 
 
 C 3 nefs
 
 ( 22 ; 
 
 nefs I am upon : you fee I writ to Manley before 
 I had your letter, and I fear he will be out. 
 Yes, Mrs. Owl, Blighis corpfe came to Chejier 
 when I was there, and I told you fo in my 
 letter, or forgot it. I lodge in Bury-Jircet^ 
 where I removed a week ago. I have the firft 
 floor, a dinhig-room, and bed-chamber, at 
 eight (hillings a week ; plaguy deep, but I 
 fpend nothing for eating, never go co a tavern, 
 and very feldom in a coach ; yet after all it will 
 be expenfive. Why do you trouble yourlelf, 
 Miftrefs ^tella^ about my wjlniment ? I have 
 the fame the archbiftiop gave me j and it is as 
 good now the bifliops are away. The dean 
 friendly ; the dean he poxt : a great piece of 
 friendfhip indeed, what you heard him tell the 
 bifhop of Clogher ; I wonder he had the face to 
 talk fo : but he lent me money, and that's 
 enough. Faith I would not fend this thefe four 
 days, only for writing to "Jce and ParvifoL 
 Tell the dean, that when the bifhops fend me 
 any pacquets, they muft not write to me at Mr. 
 Steele's ; but direi^i: for Mr. Steele^ at his office 
 at the Cockpit ; and let the inclofed be dire£>ed 
 for me : that miftake cofl me cighteen-pencc 
 t'other day. 
 
 30. I dined with Stratford to-day, but an» 
 not to fee Mr. HarUy till Wedncfday : 'tis late, 
 and I fend this before there is occafion for the 
 bell ; becaufe I would have 'Joe have his letter, 
 and Paivifcl too ; which you muft fo contrive 
 as not to coft them double poft,age^ I can fay 
 nu more, but that I am, ^c.
 
 ( 23 ) 
 
 LETTER V. 
 
 London, Sept. 30, 1710. 
 
 J-J A N'T I brought myfelf into a fine pre- 
 munire to begin writing letters in whole {hects, 
 and now I dare not leave it off. I can't tell 
 whether you like thefe journal letters : I believe 
 they would be dull to me to read them over ; 
 but, perhaps, little MD is pleafed to know how 
 Prejlo palTes his time in her abfence. I alv/ays 
 begin my laft the fame day I ended my former. 
 I told you where I dined to-day at a tavern with 
 Stratford: Lewis, who is a great favourite of 
 Uarley'Sy was to have been with us ; but he 
 was hurried to Hampton-court, and fent his ex- 
 cufe ; and that next IFednefday he would intro- 
 duce me to Harky. 'Tis good to fee what a 
 lamentable confeflion the JVhigs all make me of 
 my ill ufage : but I mind them not. I am 
 already reprefented to Harky as a difcontented 
 perfon, that was ufed ill for not being JVhig 
 enough ; and I hope for good ufage from him. 
 The Tories dryly tell me, I may make my for- 
 tune, if 1 pleafe ; but I do not underftand them, 
 or rather, I do underftand them. 
 
 OSl. I. To-day I dined zt Afolefworth's, the 
 Florence envoy ; and fat this evening with my 
 friend Darteneuf, whom you have heard me 
 talk of; the greateft punner of this town next 
 myfelf. Have you fmoakt the Tatler that I 
 writ ? It is much liked here, and I think it a 
 pure one. To-morrow I go with Delaval the 
 Portugal envoy, to dine with lord Halifax near 
 
 C 4 Hampton-
 
 ( 24 ) 
 
 Hampion'Cowt. Your Manleys brother, a par- 
 liament-man here, has gotten an employment ; 
 and I am informed ufes much intcreft to prcferve 
 his brother: and, to-day, I fpoke to the elder 
 Frankland to engage his father, (pofl-mafler 
 here) and I hope he will be fafe, although he 
 is cruelly hated by all the Tcries of Ireland. I 
 have almcil finifned my lampoon, and will 
 print it for revenge on a certain great perfon *. 
 It has cofl me but three fhillings in meat and 
 drink fince I ciime here, as thin as the town is. 
 I laugh to fee myfelf fo difengaged in thefe re- 
 volutions. Well, I muft leave oft' and go 
 write to fir John Stanky, to defire him to engage 
 lady H\de as my miftrefs to engage lord H)de 
 in favour of Mr. Pratt, 
 
 1. Lord Halifax was at 'Hampton- court at his 
 lodgings, and I dined with him there with 
 Methuen^ and Delaval, and the late attorney- 
 general. I went to the drawing-room before 
 dinner, (for the queen was at Hainpt on- court) 
 and expected to fee nobcdy ; but I met acquain- 
 tance enough. I walked, in the gardens, faw 
 the cartons of Raphael^ and other things, and 
 with great difficulty got from lord Halifax^ who 
 would have kept me to-morrow to fhew me his 
 houfe and park, and improvements. We left 
 fiampt on- court at fun-fet, and got here in ^ 
 chariot and two horfes time enough by ftar-light. 
 That's fomething charms me mightily about 
 London ; that you go dine a dozen miles off^ in 
 OSiober, flay all day, and return fo quickly ; 
 
 * The carl of Godolphin, 
 
 you
 
 ( 25 ) 
 
 you cannot do any thing like this in Dublin f. 
 1 writ a fecond penny-i:oft letter to your n.othcr, 
 and hear nothing of her. Did 1 tell you that 
 earl Berkeley died laft Sunday was fe'nnii^ht, at 
 Berkeley- cajlle^ of a dropfy ? Lord Halifax began 
 a health to me to-day ; it was the Rcfune6iion 
 of the lihigs^ which I refufed unlefs he would 
 add their Reformation too : and I told him he 
 was the only Whig in Englajid i loved, or had 
 any good opinion of, 
 
 3. This morning Stellas fider came to me 
 with a letter from her mother, who is at Sheene\ 
 but wi'l foon be in town, and will call to fee 
 me: ihe gave me a bottle of palfy vvater, a 
 fmall one, and defired I would fend it you by 
 the firft convenience, as I will ; and fhe pro- 
 niifes a quart bottle of the fame : your lifter 
 lookt very well, and feems a good modcft iort 
 of girl. 1 went then to Mr. Lewls^ firll fecre- 
 tnrv to lord Dartmcuih, and favourite to Mr. 
 'Harlry^ who is to introduce me to-morrov/ 
 morning. Lewis had with him one Mr. Dyet^ 
 a juftice of peace, ^worth twenty thouland 
 pounds, a commifTioner of the ftamp-office, 
 and married to a fifter of fir Fhilip Meadciv;^ 
 envoy to the emperor. I tell you this, becaufe 
 it is odds but this Mr. Dyet will be hanged ; for 
 ^e is difcovered to have counterfeited ftampt: 
 
 f When this letter was written there were no 
 turnpike roads in Ireland : but the cafe now is quite 
 altered, and you may dine any where as far from 
 Duhllv, and return as quickly, as you can frcm 
 Ijcndoif, 
 
 paper.
 
 ( 26 ) 
 
 paper, in which he was a commifTioner ; and, 
 with his accomplices, has cheated the queen 
 of a hundred thoufand pounds. You will hear 
 of it before this come to you, but may be not 
 i'o particularly ; and it is a very odd accident in 
 fuch a man. Smoak Prejlo writing news to 
 MD. I dined to-day with lord Mountjoy at 
 Keyifsr.gton, and walked from thence this even- 
 inij; to town like an emperor. Remember that 
 yefterday, OSiober 2, was a cruel hard froft-, 
 with ice ; and fix days ago I was dying with 
 heat. As thin as the town is, I have more 
 dinners than ever, and am afked this month by 
 fome people, without being able to come for 
 pre-engagements. Well, but I fhould write 
 plainer, when I confider Stella can't read, and 
 Dinghy is not fo fkilful at my ugly hand. I 
 had, to-night, a letter from Mr. Pratt^ who 
 tells me, Joe will have his money when 
 there are truftees appointed by the lord lieu- 
 tenant for receiving and difpofing the linen 
 fund ; and whenever thofe truftees are appoint- 
 ed, I will folicit whoever is lord lieutenant, 
 and am in no fear of fucceeding. So pray tell 
 or write him word, and bid him not be call 
 down ; for Ned Southwell and Mr, Addifon both 
 think Pratt in the right. Don't lofe your 
 money at ManUy\ to night, firrahs. 
 
 4. After I had put out my candle laft night, 
 my landlady came into my room, v/ith a fer- 
 vant of lord Halijax^ to dcfire I would go dine 
 with him at his houfe near Hampton -court ; but 
 I font him word 1 had bufinefs of great impor- 
 tance that hindered me, sJft, Auvi, to-day, I 
 
 was
 
 ( 27 ; 
 
 was brought privately to Mr. Harhy, who re- 
 ceived me with the g-eateft relpcvSt and kind- 
 nefs imaginable : he has appointed me an hour 
 on Saturday at four, jfternoon. when I will 
 open my bufinefs to him ; which expreflion I 
 would not ufe if I were a woman, i know 
 you fmoakt it ; but I did not till I writ it. I 
 dined to-day at Mr. De/avars, the envoy for 
 Portugal^ with Nic. Rowe the poet, and other 
 friends ; and I gave my lampoon to be printed. 
 I have more mifchief in my heart ; and 1 think 
 it fhall go round with them ali, as this hits, 
 and I can find hints. I am c rtain I anfwered 
 your rd letter, and yet I do not iind it here. I 
 Aippofc it was in my 4th : and why N. 2d, 3d; 
 is it not enough to fay, as I do, i, 2, 3 ? ^^- 
 I am going to work at another Tailer : I'll be 
 far enough but I fay the fame thing over two 
 or three times, juft as I do when I am talking 
 to little MD ; but what care I ? they can read 
 it as eafily as I can write it : I think I have 
 brought thefe lines pretty ftraight again. I 
 fear it will be long before I finifti two fides at 
 this rate. Pray, dear MD^ when I occafion- 
 ally give you any little commiflion mixt with 
 my letters, don't forget it, as that to Morgan 
 and yoe^ &c. for I write juft as 1 can remem- 
 ber, otherwife I would put them all together. 
 I was to vifit Mr. Sterne to-day, and give him 
 your commifTion about handkerchiefs : that of 
 chocolate I will do myfelf, and fend it him 
 when he goes, and you'll pay me v/hen the 
 giver's breads &c. To-night I v/ill read a pam- 
 phlet, to amufe mj'felf. God preferve your 
 <lear healths. 
 
 5. This
 
 ( 28 ; 
 
 §. This morning Delaval came to fee me, 
 and we went together to Kneller's *, who was 
 not in town. In the way we met the ele6\ors 
 for parliament-men : and the rabble came about 
 our coach, crying A Colt, a Stanhope, kc. we 
 were afraid of a dead cat, or our glafles broken, 
 and fo were always of their fide. I dined again 
 at Delaval's ; and in the evening, at the Coffee 
 ^oufe^ heard fir Andrew Fountain was come to 
 town. This has been but an infipid fort of 
 day, and I have nothing to remark upon it 
 worth three-pence : I hope MD had a better, 
 with the dean, the bifhop, or Mrs. TValls, 
 Why, the reafon you loft four and eight-pence 
 laft night but one at Manleys, was becaufe you 
 played bad games : I took notice of fix that 
 you had ten to one againft you : Would any 
 but a mad lady go out twice upon Manilioy 
 Bajio, and two fmall diamonds ? Then in that 
 game of fpades, you blundered when you had 
 ten-ace ; 1 never faw the like of you : and 
 now you are in a huff becaufe I tell you this. 
 Well, here's two and eight-pence half-penny 
 towards your lofs. 
 
 6. Sir Andrew Fountain came this morning, 
 and caught me writing in bed. I went into 
 the city with him ; and we dined at the Chop- 
 hoiife with Will Pate, the learned woollen-dra- 
 per : then we fauntered at china-Jhops and book- 
 fellers J went to the tavern, drank two pints of 
 white wine, and never parted till ten : and 
 now I am come home, and muft copy out fome 
 
 * Sir Godfrey Knellerh, the painter. 
 
 papers
 
 ( 29 ) 
 
 papers I intend for Mr. Harhy^ whom X am t<5 
 fee, as I told you, to-morrow afternoon ; fo that 
 this night I fliall fay little to MD^ but that I 
 heartily wifh myfelf with them, and will come 
 as foon as I either fail, or compafs mybufinefs. 
 We now hear daily of eleftions ; and, in a lift 
 I faw yefterday of about twenty, there are feven 
 or eight more Tories than in the laft Parliament ; 
 fo that I believe they need not fear a majority, 
 with the help of thofe who will vote as the 
 Court pleafes. But I have been told, that Mr. 
 Harley himfelf would not let the Tories be too 
 numerous, for fear they fhould be infolent, and 
 kick againft him ; and for that reafon they have 
 kept feveral Whigs in employments, who ex- 
 pelled to be turned out every day ; as fir John 
 Holland the comptroller, and many others. And 
 fo get you gone to your cards, and your claret 
 and orange, at the dean's, and I'll go write. 
 
 7. I wonder when this letter will be finlflied : 
 it muft go by Tuefday, that's certain ; and if I 
 have one from MD before, I will not anfvver 
 it, that's as certain too ! 'Tis novi^ morning, 
 and I did not finifh my papers for Mr. Harley 
 laft night ; for you muft underftand Prejlo was 
 fleepy, and made blunders and blots. Very 
 pretty that I muft be writing to young women 
 in a •morning frefh and fafting, faith. Well, 
 good morrow to you ; and fo 1 go to bufinefs, 
 and lay afide this paper till night, firrahs. — At 
 night. Jack Hotu told Harley^ that if there 
 were a lower place in Hell than another, it was 
 referved for his porter, who tells lies fo gravely, 
 and with fo civil a manner. This porter I have 
 
 had
 
 ( 30 ) 
 
 had to deal with, going this evening at four to 
 vifit Mr. Har/ey, by his own appointment. 
 But the fellow told me no lie, though I fufpect- 
 ed every word he faid. He told me his mafter 
 was juft gone to dinner, with much company, 
 and defired 1 would come an hour henc?, which 
 I did, expecting to hear Mr. Horley was gone 
 out; but they had juft done dinner. Mr. 
 Hurley came out to me, brought me in, and 
 prefcnted to me his fon-in law, lord Doblane* 
 (or fome fuch name) and his own Ton, and, 
 among others, Will Pe7in the quaker : we fat two 
 hours drinking as good wine as you do ; and 
 two hours more he and I alone ; where he heard 
 me tell my bufinefs ; entered into it with all 
 kindncfs ; afkt for my powers, and read them ; 
 and read likewife a memorial I had drawn up f , 
 and put it in his pocket to fhew the queen ; 
 told me the meafures he would take ; and, in 
 iliort, faid every thing I could wifh : told me 
 he niuft bring Mr. St. 'John (fecretary of ftate) 
 and me acquainted ; and fpoke fo many things 
 of perfonal kindnefs and cftcem for me, that I 
 am inclined half to believe what fome friends 
 have told me. That he would do every thing 
 to bring me over. He has defired to dine with 
 me (what a comical miftake was thatj I mean 
 he has. defired me to dine with him on Tnejday ; 
 and after four hours being with him, fct me 
 down at St. James's Ccff'ec-boufe, in a hackney- 
 coach. All this is odd and comical, if you 
 
 * I ord Dupplin. 
 
 t See the colledlion of Letters printed for Dcdjley 
 and others, N°. 30. 
 
 confider
 
 ( 3' ) 
 
 confider him and me. He knew my Chriflian 
 name very well. I could not forbear faying thus 
 much upon this matter, although you will 
 think it tedious. But I'll tell you ; you muft 
 know, 'tis fatal to me to be a fcoundreJ and a 
 prince the fame day : for being to fee him at 
 four, I could not engage myfelf to dine at any 
 friend's ; fo I went to Tooke^ to give him a bal- 
 lad and dine with him ; but he was not at 
 home : fo I was forced to go to a blind chop- 
 houfe, and dine for ten-pence upon gill-ale, 
 bad broth, and three chops of mutton ; and 
 then go reeking from thence to the firft minifter 
 of ftate. And now I am going in charity to 
 fend Steele a Tatler^ who is very low of late. I 
 think I am civiller than I ufed to be; and have 
 not ufed the expreflion of (yoii in Ireland) and 
 (we in England) as I did when I was here be- 
 fore, to your great indignation. They may 
 
 talk of the yon kmiu ivhotX ; but, gad, if it 
 had not been for that, I fhould never have been 
 able to get the accefs I have had ; and if that 
 helps me to fuccecd, then that fame thing will 
 be ferviceable to the church. But how far we 
 muft depend upon new friends, I have learnt 
 by long pradlice, though I think among great 
 minifters, they are juft as good as old ones. 
 
 X Thefe words feem to refer to the apprehenfion 
 the miniftry were under, that Sivift would take part 
 with their enemies, and therefore it was that Hur- 
 ley would do every thing to bring him over. It is 
 cert'ain, that after Svjift had become intimate with 
 the miniftry, they freely acknowledged to him in 
 converfation, that lie was the only man in Ejigland 
 they were afraid of. 
 
 And
 
 ( 32 ) 
 
 And fo I think this important day has made a 
 great hole in this fide of the paper j and the 
 fidJle faddles of to-morrow and Monday will 
 make up the reft ; and, befidcs, I fiiall fee Har- 
 ley on Tuefday before this letter goes. 
 
 8. I mud tell you a great piece of refinement 
 of Harley. He charged me to come to him 
 often : I told him I was loth to trouble him in 
 fo much bufinefs as he had, and defired I might 
 have leave to come at his levee ; which he im- 
 mediately refufed, and faid, That was not a 
 place for friends to come to. 'Tis now but 
 mornin^f, and I have got a foolifh trick, I muft 
 fay fomething to MD when I wake, and wifli 
 them a 20od morrow: for this is not a fliavincr- 
 oay, Sunday^ fo I have time cnoua,h : but get 
 you gone, you rogues, I muft go write : yes, 
 'twill vex me to the blood if any of thefe long 
 letters {hould mifcarry : if they do, I will 
 llirink to half Iheets again ; but then what will 
 you do to make up the journal ? there will be 
 ten day> of FreJio% life loft j and that will be a 
 fad thing, faith and troth. — At night. I was 
 at a lofs to-day for a dinner, unlcfs I would 
 have gone a great way, fo I dined with fome 
 friends that board hereabout, as a fpunger ; and 
 this evening fir Andreiv Fountain would needs 
 have me go to the tavern, where, for two bot- 
 tles of wine, Portugal and riornice^ amono- 
 three of us, we had fixteen fliillings to pay ; 
 but if ever he catches me fo again, I'll fpend 
 as many pounds ■: and therefore I have it among 
 my cxtraordinaries : but we had a neck of mut- 
 ton drcft a la Malnicmn^ that the dog could 
 
 S not
 
 ( 33 ) 
 
 not eat : and It is now twelve o'clock, ^nd | 
 muft go fleep. I hope tliis letter will go before 
 I have MD's third. Do you believe me ? and 
 yet, faith. I lotig for AID's tiiird too : and yet 
 I would have it to f.iy, that I writ five for two. 
 I am not fond at all of St. J.njnes's Coffce-houf^^ 
 as I ufed to be. 1 hope it will mend in winr 
 ter ; but nov/ they are all out of town at elec- 
 tions, or not conic from their country houfes. 
 Yeilerday I was ^oing with Dr. Garth to dine 
 •with Chorles Main-, near the Tower, who has 
 an employment there: he is of Ireland i the 
 bifliop of Clogher knows him well : an honefl 
 good-natured fellow, a thorough hearty laugher, 
 mightily beloved by the men of wit : his mif- 
 trefs is never above a cook-maid. And io^ 
 good night, i^c. 
 
 g. I dined to-day at fir "John Stanky^s ; my 
 lady Stanley is one of my favourites : 1 have a§ 
 many here as the bilhop of Killala has in Ire- 
 land. I am thinking what fcurvy company I 
 {hallbe to MD when I come b?,ck ; they know 
 every thing of me already : I will tell you nq 
 more, or 1 Ihall have nothing to fay, no ftory 
 to tell, nor any kind of thing. I was very 
 uncafy laft night with ugly, nnfty, filthy wine, 
 that turned four on my (lomach. I mufl gQ 
 to the tavern : oh, but I told you that before. 
 To-morrow I dine at Harleys, and will finifH 
 this letter at my return ; but I can write no? 
 more now, becaufe of the archbiihop : faitl:^ 
 'tis true ; for I am going now to write tg hinri 
 an account of what I have done in the bufinef^ 
 \vith Harley : and, faith, young women, I'U 
 Vol. IV, D t&\\
 
 ( 34 ) 
 
 telJ you what you muft count upon, that I 
 never ^--ill w/ite one word on the third fide ia 
 thefe long letters. 
 
 10. Poor ^ O's letter was lying fo huddled 
 up among p;^p«rs I could not find it : I mean 
 poor Prejh's ietrcF. Well, 1 dined with Mr. 
 Harly to dny, and hope fome things will be 
 done ; but 1 inufl: fay no more : and this letter 
 miirt be fent to 'the pnft-houfe, and not by the 
 bell-man. I am to dine again there on Sundaf 
 next ; I hope to Come good iffue. And fo now, 
 foon as ever i c.in in bed, i muft begin m,y 
 6th to MD as ^ravelv as if I had not written 
 a v'ord this month : fine doings, faith. Me^ 
 thinks ] don't wiite as 1 (hould, becaufe I am 
 not in bed : fee the ugly wide lines. God Al- 
 mighty ever blefs you, ^c. 
 
 Faith, this is a whole treatife ; I'll go reckon 
 the lines on t'other fides. I've reckoned them*. 
 
 LETTER VI. 
 
 S London, O^. lo, 1710. 
 
 O, as I told you juft now in the letter I 
 fent half an hour ag'), I dined with Mr. Harley 
 to-day, who prefenced me to the attorney-ge- 
 ncnl fir Simon Harcourt^ with much compli- 
 ment on all fides, l3c. Harley told me he had 
 fliewn my memorial to the queen, and feconded 
 
 • Seventy-three lines In folio upon one page, and 
 in a \z\^ fmall hand. 
 
 it
 
 ( 35 ) 
 
 it very heartily ; and he dcfircs me to dine with 
 him aiiain on Sunfhjy^ when he promifes to Rttle 
 it with her majefty, before (he names a gover- 
 nor; and 1 proteft I tm in hopes jt will be 
 done, all but the forms, by that time; for he 
 loves the church : this is a popular thing, an(J 
 he would not have a governor fliare in it ; and, 
 feefides, 1 am told by all hands, he has a mini 
 to wain me over. But in th-' letter I writ laft 
 
 O 
 
 poft fycfterday) to the archbiftop, I did not 
 tell him a fyllable of vk-hat Mr. Hathy f id to 
 me laft night, bccaufe he charged me to keep 
 itfecret; fo I would not tell it to you, but that 
 before this goes, I hope the fecret will be over. 
 I am. now writing my poetical Dffcript'wn of a 
 Shower in London, and will fend it to the Tai- 
 ler. This is the laft fheet of a whole quire I 
 have written fuice I cnme to town. Pray, nov/ 
 it comes into my head, will \ou, when you gp 
 to Mrs. Walh^ contrive to know whether Mrs. 
 Wejley be in tov\n, and l^illat her brother's, and 
 how flie is in health, and wheth r fhe fta\s in 
 town. I writ to her from Chcjier^ to knovv 
 what I (hould do with her note; and I be!ie\e 
 the poor woman is afraid to write to rrie : fo I 
 muft go to my bufniefs, i£c, 
 
 II. To-day St laft I dined with lord Mon- 
 trail), and carried lord Ahunijcy and fir AndrevJ 
 Fountain with me ; and was looking over them 
 at ombre till eleven this evening i-ke a fool : 
 they played running ombre half crowns ; and 
 fir j^ndmu Fcimtain won eight guineas of Mr. 
 Coote: fo I am come home late, and will fay 
 but little to MD this night. I have gotten 
 
 D 2 half
 
 ( 36 ) 
 
 half a bufhel of coals, and Patrick, the extra- 
 vagant whelp, had a fire ready for me ; but I 
 pickt off the coals before I went to-bed. It is 
 a fign London is now an empty place, when it 
 will not furnifli me with matter for above five 
 or fix lines in a day. Did you fmoak in my laft 
 how 1 told you thievery day and the place you 
 were playing at ombre ? But I interlined and 
 altered a liitle, after I had received a letter from 
 Mr. Manley, that faid you were at it in his 
 houfe, while he was writing to me ; but with- 
 out his help I e;uefs'd within one day. Your 
 town is certainly much more fociablethanours^ 
 I have not feen your mother yet, ^c. 
 
 I 2. I dined to-day with Dr. Garth and Mr. 
 Jddifon, at the Devil tavern by Temple-bar^ and 
 Garth treated ; and 'tis v/ell I dine every day, 
 clfe I flwuld be longer making out my letters : 
 for we are yet in a very dull ftate, only enquir- 
 jno- every day after new eledions, where the 
 Tories carry it among the new members fix to 
 one. Mr. AddiJon\ election has pafled eafy 
 and undifputed ; and I believe, if he had a mind 
 to be chofen king, he would hardly be refufed. 
 An odd scciden: has happened at Cokhejhr ; 
 one captain Lavallin coming from Flanders or 
 Spain, found his wife with child by a clerk of 
 Dolors Cornvions, whofe trade, you know, it is 
 to prevent fornications : and this clerk v/as the 
 very fame fellow that made the diicovery of 
 DjVi's countericiting the Hamp paper. LavaUin 
 has been this fortnight hunting after the clerk 
 to kill him ; but the fellow was condanily em- 
 ployed at the Trcajury about the difcovery he 
 
 in^de ;
 
 ( 37 ) 
 
 made: the wife had made a (hift to patch up 
 the bufmefs, alledging that the clerk had told 
 her her hufband was dead, and other cxcufes ; 
 but t'other day fo;neboJy told Lavallin his wife 
 had intrigues before he married her : upon 
 which he goes down in a rage, (hoots his wife 
 through the head, then falls'on his fword ; and, 
 to make the matter fare, at the fame time dif- 
 charges a piftol through his own head, and 
 died on the fpot, his wife furviving him about 
 two hours, but in whit circumftances of mind 
 and body is terrible to imagine. I have finifhed 
 my poem on the Shoiucr^ all bu*: the begin- 
 ning, and am g-ing on with mv Ta'lcr. They 
 have fixt about: titty things on me fmce I came : 
 I have printed but three. One advantage I 
 get by writing to you daily, or rather you get, 
 is, that I (hall remember not to write the fame 
 things twice ; and yet I fear I have done it of- 
 ten already : but I'il mind and confine myfelf 
 to the accidents of the day; and fo get you 
 gone to ombre, and be good girls, and iave 
 your money, and be rich againft Prcfio comes, 
 and write to me now and then : I am thinking 
 it would be a pretty thing to hear fometimes 
 from fawcy MD ; but don't hurt your eyes, 
 Stella^ 1 charge you. 
 
 13. O Lord, here's but a trifle of my letter 
 v/ritten yet ; what (hall Prejio do for prittle 
 prattle to entertain MD ? The talk now grows 
 frefher of the duke of Ormond for Ireland^ 
 though Mr. Addijoh fays he hears it will be in 
 commiiJion, and lord Gallaway one. Thefe 
 letters of mine arc a fort of journal, where 
 
 D 3 matters
 
 ( 38 ) 
 
 matters open by degrees ; and, as T tell true 
 or fiilfe, you will find by the event whether my 
 int( lligence be good j but I don't care two- 
 pence whether it be or no Atn:ght To- 
 day I was all about St. Paursy and up at the 
 top like a fool, with fir Andreixj F nvHavt and 
 two more ; and ipent feven ftiillings for ciy din- 
 ner like a puppy: this is the fecond t me he 
 has ierved n^e lo ; but I'll never do )t again, 
 though all mahkinc) (hould perfuade me, un- 
 (Jonfidcring puppies ! There's a young fellow 
 here in town \ye are all Tond of, and about a year 
 or two come fr.m the univcrfity, o:'e Horr'tfon^ 
 a little pretty fL-liow, wth a great de;:! of wit, 
 good fenfe, and good nature ; Has written f ime 
 ijiighty prettv things ; that in your 6th Mifcel- 
 laneOy about the Sprig of ayi Orange^ i-^ his ; he 
 has rlothiner to live on but beino- o-overnor to 
 one of the duke of ^eetijhury^ {on% tor forty 
 }iounds a year. The fine fellows are always 
 inviting him to the tavern, and make him pay 
 bis cluii. Henley is a great cronv of his : they 
 are (itcn at the tavern at fix or i\:\^\\ {hillings 
 r^'ckonihg, and always makes the poor lad pay 
 his full fhare A colonel and a lord were at 
 him and me ihe farrie wav to night : I ablblutely 
 refif.d, and made Hanifm lag behind, and 
 peifuaded hmi not to go to them. 1 tell you 
 this, bccaui'e I find all rich fellows have that 
 humpur of uling all pjeopje without any con- 
 fileration of t 't ir fbrtunbs ; biit I'll fie them 
 r.ot b'.'fore they fhall ferve me fo. Lord Halifax is 
 a^^ ays teazing me to go down tb his country 
 hcu're^ which will coft me a giimea to hi-^ <er- 
 vants, and twelve ihillings coach hire J and he 
 
 ihal)
 
 ( 39 ) 
 
 ftiall he banged firft. Is not this a plaguy filly 
 ftory ? Bi t I am vext at the heart ; for 1 love 
 the young tell w, and am rcfoived to ftir up 
 people to do f methiiig for him : he is a H^'hig^ 
 and I'll put him upon f me < f my caft Whigs y 
 for I have done with them, and they h^ve, I 
 hope, ck)nc with ihis kingdom for our time. 
 They were fure lyf the f ur members for Lon- 
 din above all places, and they have loll three 
 in the four. Sir R'uhard Onjloiv, we hear, has 
 loft for Surry ; and they are overthrown in moft 
 pla es. l-ookee, gentlewon.en, if 1 wiit*- l^ng 
 letters, I mift wijce you news and (lufr, un- 
 lefs 1 fend sou my veries ; and fome I dare not; 
 and thofe on the Shower in Londm I h^ve fent 
 to the Tatlcr^ and you may fee them in I eland. 
 I fancy you'll fmoak me in the Tat'cr I am 
 going to write ; for I believe I have told you 
 the hint. I had a let;er fent me to-night from 
 fir A'ottheiv Dudiey^ and found it on my table 
 when I came in. Bec^-ule it is extraordinaiy I 
 will tranfcribe it from beginning to end. It 
 Is as follows [Is the Devil in you? Oiii. 13, 
 1710.] I would have anfwercd every particu- 
 lar pafl'age in it, only 1 wanted time. Here's 
 ipnough for to-night, fuch as it is, ^'c. 
 
 14. Is that tobacco at the top of the paper *, 
 or what .' I don't remember I flo bered. Lord, 
 I dreamt of Stella, &c. fo confufcdly laft night, 
 ind that we faw dean Bolton and Sterne go into 
 a fhop ; and fhe bid me call them to her, and 
 
 * The upper pa'rt of the letter was little be- 
 fmeared v.'ith feme fuch fluff; the mar k<>ilin on it. 
 
 Da Ac
 
 f +0 5 
 
 lliey proved to be two parfons I know not ; and 
 I walked without till Ihe was fhifting, and fuch 
 fluff, mixt with much melancholy and uneafi- 
 hefs^ and things not a's they ihould be, and I 
 know not how : and ic is now an ugly gloomy 
 morning. — At night. Mr. Addifon and I dined 
 with ISled Southzvell, and wallet in the Pork ; 
 :and at the ::>ffee-hou-fe I foiii?d a letter froni the 
 bifhop of C::gh'r/-^ and a pacquet from MD. I 
 opened the biihop's letter ; but put up AjD's^ 
 and vifiteJ a lady juft come to town, and am 
 how got into bed, ind going to open your 
 little letter : and God fend I may find MD 
 Veil, and happy, and mei\y, and that they love 
 Pref.o as they do f.ies. Oh, I won't open it 
 yet ! 5^es I will ! no 1 won't ; I am going ; I 
 cah't ilay till I turn over f : V/hat Ihall 1 do .'' 
 My fingers itch ; and now 1 have it in my lefl 
 hand ; and now I'll open it this very moment. 
 ^^-I have juft got it, and am cracking the fealj 
 and can't imagaine what's in it ; I fear only 
 fome letter from a bifhop, and it comes too 
 late : I fnall employ nobody's credit but my 
 ov/n. Well, I fee though — P/haw, 'tis front 
 fir Afidrevj Fountain : What, another ! I fancy 
 this is from Mrs. Barton ; ihe told me (lie 
 \voulJ v/rite to me ; but fhe writes a better 
 hand than this : 1 wilh you would enquire j it 
 muft be at Dazvfo'ns office at the Cajlle, I fear 
 this is from Fatty Ro't^ by the fcrawl. XVcll, 
 i'i! read MD's letter. Ah, no ; it is from poor 
 lady Berkeley., to invite me to Berkeley-ca/U'e 
 H:his winter ; and now it grieves my heart : fhe 
 
 . . "t Thtit iS) to the next pa'ge ; for he is now v.ithin 
 Wrce lines of the bottom of the iirll:> 
 
 %5
 
 ( 4-1 ) 
 
 fays fhe hopes my lord is in a fair way of feco* 
 very ; poor lady. Well, now I go to MD'i 
 kttcr : faith, 'tis all right ; I hoped it was 
 wrong. Your letter, N. 3, that 1 have now 
 rco€i\"cd, is dated Sept. 26, and Manly s letter^ 
 that I had five days ago, was dated Oj?. 3, that's 
 a fortnight difterence : I doubt it has lain in 
 ^Ucl£% office, and he forgot. Well, there's 
 an end of that : he is turned out of his place ; 
 and you muil defue thofe who fend me pac- 
 <]uets, toinclofe them in apapcr direded to Mr. 
 Addifon^ at St. James's Coffee -houfe : not common 
 letters, butpacqucts : the bifhop of Clogher may 
 mention it to the archbifhop when he fees him. 
 As for your letter, it makes me mad : flidi- 
 kins, 1 have been the beft boy in Chrljlendom., 
 and you come with your two eggs a penny. — 
 Well ; but ftay, I'll look over m.y book : adad, 
 I think there was a chajm between my N. 2 
 and iV. 3. Faith, I won't promife to write to 
 you every week ; but I'll write every night, 
 and when it is full I will fend it ; that will be 
 once in ten days, and that will be often enough i 
 and if you begin to take up the way of writing 
 to Prcjio'^ only becaufe it is Tuefday, a Mon- 
 ■day bedad, it will grow a tafl-: j but write when 
 
 you have a mind. No, no, no, no, no, no, 
 
 no, no— Agad, agad, agad, agad, agad, agad ; 
 no, poor Stellakins. Slids, I would the horfe 
 were in your — chamber. Have not I oruered 
 ■Parvifcl to obey your diredions about him ? 
 And han't I faid in my former letters, that you 
 may pickle him, and boil him, if you will ? 
 What do you trouble me about your horfes 
 for ? Have I any thing to do with them ?— Re- 
 
 * volutions
 
 vroiutiAns a hindrance to me io my bufincfs ; 
 Revolutions — to mc in mv bufinefs f If it were 
 not for the revolutions, I could do no.hing at 
 all } and now I have all hopes pofiile, tiiough 
 one is certain of nothing ; but to-morrovV 1 
 am to have an anfwer, and am piorhifed an ef- 
 fe£l:ual one. I fuppofe 1 have faid ent.uLjh in 
 this ind a former 1 tter how I (land with new 
 people ; ten times b- tter tl.an ever I did with 
 the old ; forty times more carcfTed. I am to 
 dine to-morrow at Mr. Ha-Iey's ; aiid if he 
 continues as he has beL'un, no man ha-* been 
 ever better treated by ;n iher. WKa' you fay 
 about Stiilla\ niother, ; have fp ken enough tb 
 it already. I believe fhe is not in town ; for 
 I hdve not yet ftcn her. My lampoon is cried 
 up to the (kies ; but nobody f (pi £ts me for it, 
 except fir Ananiv Fcimtmn : at lead: they fay 
 Jiothing of it to me. Did not I tell )ou of a 
 great man who received me very coldly ? That's 
 he ; but fay nothimj ; 'twas only a litile re- 
 venue . I'll remembfr to brino; It over. The 
 bilhop of Clcgher has fmoaktd ir.y Tathr about 
 fhortening of words, i^c. Tut, God fo * ! ^c, 
 
 15. I wi'I write pl.'iner if I can remember 
 it ; for Stella muft not fp il her eyes, and Ding- 
 ley can't read my hand very well ; and I am 
 afraid my letters i't too long: then you muft 
 fuppofe one to be tu o, ah I read them at twice. 
 I dined to-day with Mr. IJarley': Mr. Prior 
 dined with us. He ha; left; niy memorial with 
 
 • Tins appear-; to 1-e an interjeftidn of furprize 
 at the length cf his journal. 
 
 the
 
 C 43 ) 
 
 the queen, who has confcntcd to give the Firji- 
 Fru'ts and Tiuc77tieth Pa'ts^ and will, we hope, 
 declare it to-morrow in the cabinet. But I 
 beg yoti to tell it to no perfon alive j for (o I 
 am orJered, till in publick : and i hope to get 
 fomething of greater value. After dinner came 
 in lord Peterliorow : we renewed our acqudin- 
 tance, and he grew mightily fond of me. The)' 
 becjan to talk of a paper of verG^s called Sid 
 Hiimet. Mr. Harley repeated part, and then 
 pulled them out, and gave them to a licntleman 
 at the table to read, though thev had all read 
 them of;en : lord Pcterborow would let nobody 
 read them but himfelf: fo he did; and Mr. 
 HatUy bobbed me at eve^y line to take notice 
 of the beauties. Prior rallied lord Peterhorow 
 for author of them ; and lord Peterhorow faid, 
 he knew them to he his ; and Pri:r then turn- 
 ed it U| on me, and I on him, 1 am not guef- 
 fed at all in town to be the author ; yet fo it 
 is : but that is a ferret only to vou. Ten to 
 one whether you fee them in Ireland; yet here 
 they run prodigiouflv- Harley prefcntcd me 
 to lord prefident of Scot/an 1, and Mr. tenforiy 
 Iwd of the treafury. Prior and I came away 
 at nine, and fat at the Smyrna till eleven, re- 
 ceiving acquaintance. 
 
 i6. This morning early I went in a chair, 
 and Patrick before it, to IMr. H.irlcy, to give 
 hini another copy of my memorial, as he de- 
 fired ; but he was full of bufintrs, going to the 
 queen, and I could not fee him ; but he defired 
 1 would .end up the paper, arid excufcd him- 
 felf upon his hurry, I was a little baulkt ; 
 
 but
 
 ( 44 ) 
 
 oiit ihey tell me it is nothing. I fhall jucJge 
 by next vifit. 1 tipt his porter with half a 
 crown ; and fo I am well there for a time at 
 Icaft. I dined at Stratfonrs in the city, and 
 hnd Burgundy and Tockay : came back afoot; like 
 it fcoundrel ; then went with Mr. Aillljon and 
 fiipt with lord Mountjoy^ which made me fick 
 all night. I forgot that I bought fix pound of 
 thocolate for ^tdla^ anJ a liitle wooden box: 
 and I have a great piece of Brazil tobacco for 
 r>mgley^ and a bottle of palfy water for Stella : 
 all which, with the two handkerchiefs that 
 I\lr. Sterne has bought, and you mufl pay him 
 for, will be put in the box dircfled to Mrs. 
 Cuny'Sy and fet by Dr. Haivkjhaiv, whom I 
 have not fcen ; but Sterne has undertaken it. 
 The chocolate is a prefent, madam, for Stella^' 
 l)on't read this, you little rogue, with your 
 Jittle eyes j but give it to D'iupje\\ pray now ; 
 and I'll write as plain as the fkics : and let 
 jy.ngky write Stella s part, and Stella dictate to 
 her, when flie apprehends her eyes, i^c. 
 
 17. This letter fiiould have gone this p'>ft, 
 if 1 had not been taken up with bufmefs, and 
 two nights being late out; fo it mufl: (lay till 
 l^hurjclay. I dined to day with your ]\lr. Sterne, 
 by invitation, and drank Irlflj wine * ; but, 
 before we parted^ there came in the prince of 
 puppies, colonel Eclgvoorth \ ; fo I went a^ay. 
 
 This 
 
 * Claret. 
 
 T It is rsported of this colonel Amlrofe Edg-ivorthy 
 that he once made a vifit to one of his brothers, 
 w-ho lived at the dillaKce of about one day's jour- 
 ney
 
 ( 45 ) 
 
 This day came out the Tatkr made up wholljr 
 of my Sho-we^^ and a preface to it. They fay 
 'tis the bell thing I ever writ, and I thinlc lo 
 too. 1 luppofe the biftiop of Clogher will flic\v 
 
 it 
 
 ncy from his houfc, and that he travelled to fee 
 him with his led horfe, portmantaas, ts'c. As foou 
 as he arrived at his brother's, the portmantuas v/erc 
 unpacked, and three fuits of line cloaths one finer 
 than another, hung upon chairs in his bed-cham- 
 ber, together with his night-gown, and fliaving- 
 plate, difpofcd in their proper places. The next 
 mornino-, upon his coming down to breakfaft, with 
 his boots on, his brother aiked him where he pro- 
 pofcd riding before dinner: I am going dircilly 
 home, faid the colonel. Lord ! foid his brother, £ 
 thought you intended to ftay fome time with m. 
 No, replied the colonel, I can't ftay with you at 
 prefent; I only juil came to fee you and my filler, 
 pnd mull return home this morning. And accord- 
 ingly his cloaths, iSc. were packed up, and off he 
 went. 
 
 i^ut what merit foever the colonel might have had 
 to boaft of, his fon Talbot Edg--jjcrth excelled him 
 by at lead fifty bars length. Talbct never thought 
 of any thing but fine cloaths, fplendid furniture 
 for his horfe, and exciting, as he flattered himfelf, 
 univerfal admiration. In thefe purfuits he expended 
 his whole income, which, at beft, v/as very incon- 
 fiderable : in other refpetSls he cared not how he 
 lived. To do him juftice, he was an exceeding 
 handfome fc;Ilow, well ftiaped, and of a good 
 heighth, rather tall than of the middle fize. He 
 bepan verv early in his life, even before he was of 
 :igc, to Hiinc forth in the world, .and continued to 
 tlaze during the whole reign of George the firft. 
 He bethought himfelf very happily ot one extra- 
 I vagancCj
 
 ( 46 ) 
 
 h you. Pray tell me how you like it. T'ooh 
 is going on with my Mijullany. I'd give a 
 penny the letter to the bifhop of Killabe was in 
 it : 'twould do him honour. Could not you 
 contrive to fay you hear they are printing my 
 Things together j and that you wifh the book- 
 feller had that letter among the reft : but dun't 
 fay any thing of it as from me. I forgot whe- 
 ther it was good or no j but only having heard 
 it much commended, perhaps it may deferve it. 
 Well, I have to-morrow to finifh this letter in, 
 and then I'll fend it next day. I am fo vext 
 that you ihould write your third to me, when 
 you had but my fecond, and I had written five, 
 which now I hope you have all : and fo I 
 tell you, you are fawcy, little, pretty, dear 
 rogues, bV. 
 
 18. To-day I dined, by invitation, with 
 Stratford and others, at a young m.erchant's in 
 
 Tagance, well fuitted to his difpofition : he Infifted 
 upon an exclulive right to one board at Lucas' % 
 Coffee-hou/e, where he might walk backwards and 
 forwards, and exhibit his perfon to the gaze of all 
 beholders ; in which particular he was indulged 
 almoft univerfally : but now and then fome arch 
 fellow would ufurp on his privilege, take polTeffion 
 of the board, meet him, and difoute his right ; and 
 when this happened to be the cafe, he would chaf, 
 blufter, afk the gentleman his name, and immedi- 
 ately fet him down in his table-book, as a man that 
 he would fight when he came to age. With regard 
 to the female world, his common phrafe was, They 
 mcy look and die. in fliort, he was the jell of the 
 men, and the contempt of the women. 
 
 2 the
 
 C 47 ) 
 
 the city, with Hetniitage and Today, and ftaid 
 till nine, and am now come home. And 
 that clog Patrick is abroad, and drinking, and 
 I can't get my night-gown. 1 have a mind to 
 turn that puppy away ; he has been drunk, ten 
 times in three weeks. But 1 han't time to fay 
 more j fo good night, iffc. 
 
 19. I am come home from dining in the 
 city with Mr. Acld'ifon, at a merchant's ; and 
 juft now, at the Cojfee-houfe, we have notice 
 that the duke of Ormcnd was this day declared 
 lord lieutenant at Hampton-court, in council. 
 I have not fccn Mr. Harley fmce ; but hope 
 fhe afiair is done about Fiji- Fruits. I will fee 
 him, if pOiTible, to-morrow morning ; but this 
 goes to-night. I have font a box to .Vjr. Sterne, 
 to fend t'j you by fome friend : 1 have directed 
 it for Mr. Cwry, at his houfe ; fo you have 
 warning when it comes, as I hope it will foon. 
 The handkerchiefs will be put in fome friend's 
 pocket, n( t to pay Cijllom. And fo here ends 
 my fixth, feut when I had but three of MD\\ 
 now I am beforehand, and will keep fo 3 and 
 God Almighty blefs deardt MD, &c. 
 
 LETTER VII. 
 
 O London, Ofl. 19, 1710. 
 
 Faith, I am undone ! this paper is larger 
 than t'other, and yet I am condemed to a 
 Ihcet ; hut fmce it is MD, I did iiot value 
 Uiough I were condemneJ to a pair. I tolJ 
 you in my ktter to-day where I had been, and 
 li-JW the da/^ pari ; and io, b'c. 
 
 20. To-
 
 C 48 ) 
 
 20. To-day I went to Mr. Lewis, at th& 
 fecretary's office, to know when I might fee 
 Mr. Harley; and by and by comes up Mr. 
 Harley himfelf, and appoints me to dine with 
 him to-morrow. I dined with Mrs. Vant 
 homr'igh, and went to wait on the two lady 
 Butlers ; but the porter anf'.vered, They were 
 not at home : the meaning was, the youngefl, 
 lady Mary, is to be married to-morrow to lord 
 JJhburnham, the beft match now in England, 
 twelve thoufand pounds a year, and abundance' 
 of money. Tell me how my Sho-uver is liked 
 in Ireland: I never knew any thing pafa better 
 here. I fpent the evening with Worthy Mon- 
 tague and Mr. Addifon, over a bottle of Ir'ijh, 
 wine. Do they know any thing in Ireland of 
 my greainefs among the Tories ? Every body 
 reproaches me of it here ; but I value them 
 not. Have you heard of the verfes about the 
 Rod of Sid Hamet ? Say nothing of them for 
 your life. Hardly any body fiilpctSrs me for 
 them, oply they think no-body but Prior or I 
 could write them. But I doubt they have not 
 reached you. There is likewife a Ballad full 
 of puns, on the TVeJlmirJlcr Elctiion, that coft 
 me half an hour : it runs, though it be good 
 for nothing. But this is likev/ife a fecret to 
 all but MD, If you have them not, I'll bring 
 them Qver. 
 
 21. I got MD\ fourth to-day at the Coffee- 
 houfe. God Almighty bltfs poor dear Stella, 
 and her eyes and head : What fhall we do to 
 cure them, poor dear life ? Your difordcrs are 
 ^ pull-back for your good qualities. Would 
 
 tQ
 
 f 49 ) 
 
 to heaven I were this minute fhaving your poor 
 dear head, cither here or there. Pray do not 
 write, nor read this letter, nor any thing elCe, 
 and I will write plainer for Dinghy to read, 
 from henceforward, though my pen is apt to 
 ramble when I think who I am writing to. I 
 will not anfwer your letter until I tell you that 
 I dined this day with Mr. Harley, who prefcnt- 
 cJ mc to the earl of Ster/ing., a Scotch lord ; and 
 in the evening came in lord Pctcrbsrozu. I flaid 
 till nine before Mr. Hurley would let me go, 
 or tell me any thing of my afFair. He fays, 
 the queen has now granted the Firjl-Fruits and 
 T^uetili:th Parts ; but he will not give me leave 
 to write to the archbiihop, becaufe the queen 
 defigns to fignify it to the bifnops in Ireland in 
 form, and to take notice, That it was done 
 upon a memorial from me, which Mr. Harlr; 
 tells me he does to make it look more refpedl- 
 ful to me, i^c. and I am to fee him on Tue/tlay. 
 I know not whether I told you, that in my 
 memorial which was given to the queen, 1 
 begged for two thoufand pounds a year more, 
 though it was not in my commiiHon ; but that 
 Mr. Harley fays cannot yet be done, and 
 that he and I muft talk of it further : however, 
 1 have fturted it, and it may follow in time. 
 Pray fay nothing of the FlrJl-Fruits being 
 granted, unlefs I give leave at the bottom of 
 this. 1 believe never any thing was compafled 
 fo foon, and purely done by my perfonal credit 
 with Mr. Harhy, who is foexceffively obliging, 
 that I know not what to make of it, unlefs to 
 fhew the rafcals of the other party that they 
 Vol. IV. E ufcd
 
 C 50 ) 
 
 ufed a man unworthily, who had deferved bet- 
 ter. The memorial given to the Qiieen from 
 me fpeaks with great plainnefs of lord Wharton. 
 I believe this bufinefs is as important to you as 
 the Convocation difputes ^xomTifdall*. I hope 
 in a month or two all the forms of fettling this 
 matter will be over, and then I fhall have no- 
 thing to do here. I will only add one foolifh 
 thing more, becaufe it is ju(l come into my 
 head. When this thing is made known, tell 
 me impartially whether they give any of the 
 merit to me, or no ; for I am fure I have fo 
 
 much, that I will never take it upon me. 
 
 Infolent fluts ! becaufe I fay Dublin^ Ireland^ 
 therefore you muft fay London, England : that's 
 
 * Thefe words, notwith (landing their great ob- 
 fcurity at prefent, were very clear and intelligible 
 to Mrs. John/on : they referred to converfations, 
 which pafled between her and Dr. Tifdall feven or 
 eight years before ; when the doftor, who was not 
 only a learned and faithful Divine, but a zealous 
 Church-Tory, frequently entertained her with con- 
 vocation difputes. This gentleman, in the years 
 1703 and 1 704, paid his nddrefTes to Mrs. John/on. 
 Vide the firft three Letters in DodJJey's Colledlion of 
 SiAjift's Correfpondence, printed 1766, efpecially 
 Letter the 3d, which at prefent wants fome annota- 
 tions to clear up many obfcurities. If the reader 
 be curious in thefe matters, he may confult ^/: 
 EJfay upon the Life, Writings, and CharaSler of Dr. 
 fonathan Snjuift, chap. v. p. 87 printed by Ba- 
 thurji in the year 17^5 ; where the above-mentioned 
 Letters are referred to, where he may fee by what 
 means the event of this courtlhip was finally deter- 
 mined. 
 
 Ztella%
 
 ( 51 ) 
 
 Stella's malice f. — Well, for that I won't an- 
 fwer your letter till to morrovv-dav, and (o 
 and (o : I'll go write fomcthing clfc, and it won't 
 be much j for 'tis late. 
 
 22. I was this morning with Mr. Lezvis^ the 
 under-fecret.iry to loid D(.rtinoiiih, two hours 
 talking politicks, and contriving to keep Steele 
 in his office of ftampt paper : he has loft his 
 place of Gazetteer^ three hundred pounds a ycar^ 
 for writing a TatUr^ fome months ao;o, a "ainft 
 Mr. Harlevy who gave it him at firfl-, and raifed 
 the falary from fixty to three hundred Pounds. 
 This was devilifli ungrateful ; and Lewis was 
 telling me the particulars : but I had a hint 
 given me, that I might fave him in the other 
 employment ; and leave was given me to clear 
 matters with Steele. Well, I dined with Sir 
 Matthczv Dudley^ and in the evening W€nt40 
 fit with Mr. Addifon^ and offer the matter at 
 diftance to him, as the difcreeter perfon ; but 
 found Party had fo poffelTed him, that he talked 
 as if he fufpeded me, and would not fall in 
 with any thing I faid. So I ftopt Ihort in my 
 overture, and we parted very dr) ly ; and I fhall 
 fay nothing to Steele^ and let them do as they 
 will ; but if things ftand as they arc, he will 
 certainly lofe it, unlefs I fave him ; and there- 
 
 + There is a particular compliment to Stella 
 couched in thefe words. Stella was herfclf an Englijh- 
 rxoman, born at Ric' mond in Surry; neverthelefe 
 Ihe refpedled the interell and the honour of Ireland, 
 where Ihe had lived for iomz years, with a'gencrous 
 patriotic fpirit. 
 
 E 2 fore
 
 C 52 ) 
 
 fore I will not fpeak to him, that T may not 
 report to his difadvantagc. Is not this vexa- 
 tious ? and is there fo much in the proverb of 
 proffered ferv ice ? When fhall I grow wife? I 
 endeavour to a6l in the moft exa6l points of 
 honour and confcience, and my neareft friends 
 will not underftand it fo. What muft a man 
 expect from his enemies ? This would vex me, 
 but it Ihall not ; and fo I bid you good night, 
 tfc. 
 
 23. I know 'tis neither wit nor diverfion to 
 tell you every day where I dine, neither do I 
 write it to fill my letter ; but I fancy I fhall, 
 fome time or other, have the curiofity of fee- 
 ing fomc particulars how I pafTed my life when 
 I was abfcnt from MD this time ; and fo I tell 
 you now that I dined to-day at Molefworth's, 
 the Florence envoy, then went to the cofFee- 
 houfe, where I behaved myfelf coldly enough 
 to Mr. Addifon^ and fo came home to fcribble. 
 We dine together to-morrow and next day by 
 invitation ; but I fliall alter my behaviour to 
 him, till he begs my pardon, or elfe we (hall 
 grow bare acquaintance. I am weary of friends, 
 and friendfhips are all monfters, but MD's. 
 
 24. I forgot to tell you, that lafl night I 
 
 went to IMr. Harleys^ hoping faith, I am 
 
 blundering, for it was this very night at fix ; 
 and I hoped he would have told me all things 
 were done and granted : but he was abroad, 
 and come home ill, and was gone to bed, much 
 out cf order, unlefs the porter lied. I dined 
 
 to-day
 
 ( 53 ) 
 
 to-day at Sir Matthew Dudley s with Mr. AM' 
 forty (jfc, 
 
 25. I was to-day to fee the duke of Onnond ; 
 and coming out, met lord Berkeley of Sirattoriy 
 who told me, that Mrs. Teniple^ the widow, 
 died ]aft Saliinlay, which, I fuppofe, is much 
 to the outward grief and inward joy of the 
 family. I dined to-day with Jddifon and Steele, 
 and a After of Mr. Addifon^ who is married to 
 one Monfr. Sartre^ a Frenchman^ Prebendary of 
 Wejhninjler^ who has a delicious houfe and gar- 
 den J yet 1 thought it was a fort of monafiick: 
 life in thofe cloiftcrs, and I liked Laracor bet- 
 ter. Addifon\ fiftcr is a fort of a wit, very like 
 Jiim. 1 am not fond of her, l3c, 
 
 26. T was to-day to fee Mr. Congreve, who 
 Is almofl: blind with cataracts growing on his 
 eyes ; and his cafe is, that he muft wait two 
 or three years, until the catarads are riper, and 
 till he is quite blind, and then he muft have 
 them couched ; and befidcs he is never rid of 
 the gout, yet he looks young and frefli, and 
 is as chcarful as ever. He is younger by three 
 years or more * than I, and 1 am twenty years 
 younger than he. He gave me a pain in the 
 great toe, by mentioning the gout. I find fuch 
 fufpicions frequently, but they go off again, 
 I had a fecond letter from Mr. Morgan ; for 
 which I thank you : I wifli you were whipt 
 
 • Congreve was born in the year 1672; confe- 
 quently he was between four and five years younger 
 than Dr. Sivift. 
 
 E 3 for
 
 C 54 ) 
 
 for forgetting to fend him that anfwer I defired 
 you in one of my former, that I could do no- 
 thing for him of what he defired, having no 
 credit at all, &"€. Go, be far enough, you ne- 
 gligent baggages. I have had alfo a letter from 
 Pmv'ifol^ with an account how my livings are 
 fct, and that they are fallen, fince laft year, 
 fixty pounds. A comfortable piece of news. 
 He tells me plainly, that he finds you have no 
 mind to part with the horfe, becaufe you fent 
 for him at the fame time you fent him my let- 
 ter ; fo that 1 V.x\0'N not what muft be done. 
 'Tis a fad thing that Siella muft have her own 
 horfe, whether Parvijol will or no. So now 
 to anfwer your letter that I had three or four 
 days ago. I am not now in bed, but am come 
 home by eight ; and it being warm, I write up. 
 I never writ to the bifhop of K'lllala^ which, I 
 fuppofe, was the reafon he had not my letter. 
 
 I have not time, there's the fliort of it. As 
 
 fond as the dean is of my letter, he has not 
 written to me. 1 would only know whether 
 dean Bolton * paid him the twenty pounds ; and 
 
 for the reft, he may kifs . And that you 
 
 may afk him, becaufe I am in pain about it, 
 that dean Bolton, is fuch a ivhipjier. 'Tis the 
 moft obliging thing in the world in dean Steme 
 to be (o kind to you. I believe he knows it 
 will pleafe me, and makes up, that way, his 
 other ufage. No, we have had none of your 
 
 • This gentleman was afterwards promoted to 
 the archbifhoprick of Capel. He was one of the 
 moft eloquent fpeakers of his time, and was a very 
 learned man, efpecially in Church Hillory. 
 
 fnow,
 
 ( 55 ) 
 
 {"now, but a little one morning; yet I think 
 it was great fnow for an hour or fo, but no 
 Jonger. I had heard of JVill Crowe's death 
 before, but not the foolifli circumftance that 
 haftentd his end. No, I have taken care that 
 captiiin Pratt (hal! not fuffer by lord Jfig/efea's 
 death. I'll try fome contrivance to get a copy 
 of my pitfiure from Jervas. I'll make Sir Jn- 
 drnu fountain buy one as for himfclf, and I'll 
 pay him again and take it, that is, provided I 
 have money to fpare when I leave this. — Poor 
 'fohn ! is he gone ? and madam Parvifol has 
 been in town ? Humm. Why, Tighe and J, 
 when he comes, fhall not takfi any notice of 
 each other ; I would not do it much in this 
 town, though we had not fallen out. — I was 
 to-day at Mr. Sterne's lodging ; he was not 
 vvithi]!, and Mr. Leigh is not come to town, 
 but I will do Dinghy's errand when I fee him. 
 What do I know whether china be dear or no ? 
 I once took a fancy of refoh ing to grow mad 
 for it, but now 'tis off ; I fuppofe 1 told you 
 in fome former letter. And fo you only want 
 fome falad difhes, and plates, and &c. Yes, 
 yes, you fhall. I fuppofe you have named as 
 much as will coft five pounds. — Nov/ to Stella's 
 little poflfcript ; and I am almoft crazed that 
 you vex yourfelf for not writing. Can't you 
 didlate to Dingley^ and not flrain your little 
 dear eyes ? I am fure 'tis the grief of my foul 
 to think you are out of order. Pray be quiet, 
 and if you will write, fhut your eyes, and 
 write juft a line, and no more, thus [How do 
 you do, Mrs. Stella ?] That was written with 
 my eyes fhut. Faith, I think it is better than 
 
 E 4 when
 
 ( 56 ) 
 
 when they are open * : and then Dinghy may 
 ftand by, and tell you when you go too high 
 or too low. — My letters of bufinels, with pac- 
 qucts, if there be any more occafion for fuch, 
 mufc be inclofed to Mr. Addijon^ at S/. 'Janus's 
 Ccffee-houfe : but I hope to hear, as foon as I 
 fee Mr. Harley, that the main difficulties are 
 
 over, and that the reft will be but form.' ■ 
 
 Make two or three nutgalls, make two ov* 
 
 three — galls, flop your receipt in your I 
 
 have no need on't. Here's a clutter ! Well, 
 So much for your letter, v/hich I will now put 
 vp in my letter-partition in my cabinet, as I 
 always do every ktter as foon as I anfwer it. 
 Method is good in all things. Order governs 
 the world. The Devil is the author of con- 
 fufion. A general of an army, a minifler of 
 flate ; to delcend lower, a gardener, a weaver, 
 ifjc. That may make a line obfervation, if 
 you think it worth finifhing ; but I have not 
 time. Is not this a terrible long piece for one 
 evening ? I dined to-day with Patty Rolt at 
 my coufin Leach^^ with a pox, in the city : 
 he is a printer, and prints the Pojhnan, oh, 
 ho, and is my couftn, God knows how, 
 and he married Mrs. Boby Jires of Lelcejlcr ; 
 and my coufm Thomfon was with us : and my 
 coufm Leach offers to bring me acquainted 
 with the author of the Pojhnan ; and fays, he 
 does not doubt but the gentleman will be glad 
 of my acquaintance, and that he is a very in- 
 genious man, and a great fcholar, and has been 
 
 * Tt is adlually better written, and in a plainer 
 hand. 
 
 beyond
 
 ( 57 ) 
 
 beyond fea. But I was ir.odefl, and faid, May 
 be the gentleman was fhy, and not fond of 
 new acquaintance ; and fo put it ofF : and I 
 wifh you could hear mc repeating all I have 
 faid of this in its pioper tone, juft as I am 
 writing it. 'Tis all with the fame cadence with 
 oh hoo, or as when little girls fay, J have got 
 an apple, mifs, and I won't give you fonae. 
 'Tis plaguy tv/elve-penny weather this laft 
 week, and has coft me ten {hillings in coach 
 and chair hire. If the fellow that has your 
 money will pay it, let me beg you to buy Bank 
 Stock with it, which is fallen near th-rty per 
 cent, and pays eight pounds per cent, and you 
 have the principal when you pleafe : it will 
 certainly foon rife. I would to God lady 
 Glffard would put in the four hundred pounds 
 fl^e owes you, and take the five per cent, com- 
 mon intereft, and give you the remainder. [ 
 will fpcak to your mother about it when 1 fee 
 her. I am refolved to buy three hundred pounds 
 of it for myfelf, and take up what I have in 
 Ireland \ and I have a contrivance for it, that I 
 hope will do, by making a friend of mine buy 
 it as for himfelf, and I'll pay him when I can 
 get in my money. I hope Stratford will do me 
 jhat kindnefs. I'll afk him to-morrow or next 
 day. 
 
 27. Mr. Rmue the poet dcfired me to dine 
 with him to-day. I went to his office (he is 
 undcr-fecretary in Mr. Addifori% place that he 
 had in England) and there was Mr. Prior; and 
 they both fell commending my Shotver beyond 
 any thing that has been written of the kind: 
 
 there
 
 C 5S ) 
 
 there never was fuch a Shrjuer (ince Dafiae*s, 
 t^c. You muf' tell me how 'tis liked among 
 vou. I dintti with Rozue ; P?-ior could not 
 come : and after dinner we went to a blind 
 tavern, where Congreve, Sir Richard Temple, 
 Ea/J courts and Charles Main were over a bowl 
 of bad punch. The knight fent for fix flafks 
 of his own v/me for me, and we ftaid till twelve. 
 But now my head continues pretty well ; I 
 have left off niy drinking, and only take a 
 fpoonful mixt v/ith waiter, for fear of {he gout, 
 or fome ugly diftemper j and now, becaufe it is 
 late I will, i3c. 
 
 28. Garth and Addifon and I dined to-day at 
 a hedge tavern ; then I went to Mr. Harley^ 
 but he was denied, or not at home : fo I fear 
 I fhall not hear my bufinefs is done before this 
 goes. Then I vifited lord Pemhrche^ who is 
 jufl come to town, and we'Vv'ere very merry 
 talking of old things, and i hit him with one 
 pun. 7"hcn T went to fee the ladies Butler^ and 
 the fon of a whore of a porter denied them : fo 
 I fent them a threatening mcflage by another 
 Jady, for not excepting me always to the porter. 
 I was weary of the Coffee-honfe, and Ford de- 
 fired me to fit with him at next door, which I 
 ^\i.., like a fool, chatting till twelve, and now 
 am got into bed. I am afraid the new miniflry 
 is at a terrible lofs about m.oney : the Whigs 
 talk fo, it would give one the fpleen ; and [ 
 am afraid of meeting Mr. Harley out of humour. 
 They think he will never carry through this 
 litidcrtaking. God knows what will come of 
 it, I fliuuIJ be terribly vexed to fee things 
 
 come
 
 ' ( 59 ) 
 
 come round again : it will ruin the church and 
 clergy for ever ; but J hope for better. I'll 
 fend this on Tuffday^ whether I hear any further 
 news of my affair or not. 
 
 29. Mr. Add'ijon and I dined to day with 
 lord MiU7iijoy ; which is ail the adventures of 
 this day. — I chatted a while to-night in the 
 Coffce-houfc^ this being a full night ; and now 
 am come home to write fome bufmefs. 
 
 30. I dined to day at Mrs. VanhomrtgVs^ and 
 fent a letter to poor Mrs. Long^ who writes to 
 us, but is God knows where, and will not tell 
 any body the place of her refidence. I came 
 home early, and muft go write. 
 
 31. The month ends with a fine day ; and 
 I have been walking, and vifiting Leivh^ and 
 concerting where to fee Mr. Harley. I have no 
 news to fend you. Jire, they fay, is taken, 
 though the Whitehall letters this morning fay 
 <}uite the contrary : 'tis good, if it be true. I 
 dined with Mr. Addijon and Dick Stuart, lord 
 JMountjoy % brother ; a treat of Jddifons. They 
 were half fuddled, but not I ; for I mixt water 
 with my wine, and left them together between 
 nine and ten ; and I muft fend this by the bell- 
 man, which vexes me, but 1 will put it off no 
 longer. Pray God it does not mifcarry. I 
 feldom do fo ; but I can put off little MD no 
 longer. Pray give the under note to Mrs. 
 Brent. 
 
 Fm
 
 ( 6o ) 
 
 rm a pretty gentleman ; and you lofe alj 
 your money at cards, firrah Stella. I found you 
 out; I did fo. 
 
 I'm flaying before I can fold up this letter, 
 till that ugly D is dry in the laft line but one. 
 Don't you fee it ? O Lord, I'm loth to leave 
 
 you, faith but it muft be fo, till the next 
 
 ^ime. Pox take that D ; I'll blot it to dry it, 
 
 LETTER Vlir. 
 
 London, Odlobcr 31, 171Q. 
 
 ^O, now I have fent my feventh to your 
 fourth, young women ; and now I'll tell you 
 what I would not in my laft, that this morning 
 fitting in my bed, I had a fit of giddinefs : the 
 room turned round for about a minute, and 
 then it went off, leaving me fickifli, but not 
 very : and fo I paft the day as I told you ; but 
 1 would not end a letter with telling you thjs, 
 becaufe it might vex you : and I hope in God 
 I fhall have no more oF it. I faw Dr. Cockburn 
 to-day, and he promifes to fend me the pills 
 that did me good laft year, and likewife has 
 promifed me an oil for n.iy ear, that he has beer^ 
 making for that ailment for fomebody elfc. 
 
 Nov. I. I wifli MD a merry new year. 
 You know this is the firft day of it with us. 
 I had no giddinefs to-day, but I drank brandy, 
 and have bought a pint for two (hillings. I 
 fat up the night before my giddinefs pretty late, 
 and writ very muchj fo I will impute it to 
 
 that.
 
 ( 6i ) 
 
 that. But I never eat fruit, nor drink ale, 
 but drink better wine than you do, as I did 
 to-day wiih Mr. Addif.n at lord Alounfjoy's : 
 then went at five to fee Mr. Harle)\ who could 
 not fee me for much company ; but fent me his 
 excufe, and defircd I would dine with him on 
 Friday ; and then I expedl fome anfwcr to this 
 bufincfs, which muft either be foon done, or 
 begun again ; and then the duke of Onjioni 
 and his people will interfere for their honour, 
 and do nothing. I cr.me home at fix, and 
 fpent my time in my chamber, without going 
 to the Coffee- hcufe^ which I grow weary of j 
 and I fludied at leifure, writ not above forty 
 lines, fome inventions of my own, and fome 
 hints, and read not at all, and this becaufe I 
 would take care of Prejio, for fear little MD 
 fhould be angry. 
 
 2. I took my four pills lafl: night, and they 
 lay an hour in my throat, and fo they will do 
 to-night. I fuppofe I could fwallow four 
 afi^ronts as eafily. I dined with Dr. Cockhiirn 
 to-day, and came home at feven ; but Mr. Ford 
 has been with me till juft now, and 'tis near 
 eleven. I have had no giddinefs to-day. Mr. 
 Doppir.g I have feen, and he tells me coldly, 
 my Shoivcr is liked well enough ; there's your 
 /r//^ judgment. 1 writ this poft to the bilhop 
 of Chgher. 'Tis now jull: a fortnight fince I 
 heard from you, T muft have vou write once 
 a fortnight, and then I'll aliov/ for wind and 
 weather. How goes ombre ? Does Mrs. Walls 
 win conftantly, as (he ufed to do ; and Mrs. 
 Stoite P I have not thought of her this long 
 
 time i
 
 ( 62 ) 
 
 time ; how does fhe ? I find we have a cargo 
 of Ir'ifh coming for Lonchn : I am forry for it ; 
 but I never go near them. And Tighe is landed ; 
 but Mrs. IVcjlcy^ they fay, is going home to her 
 hufband, like a fool. Wellj little monkies 
 mine, I muil go write ; and fo good night. 
 
 3. I ought to read thefe letters I write, after 
 I ha\ e done ; for looking over thus much I 
 found two or three literal miftakes, which 
 fhould not be when the hand is fo bad. But 
 I hope it does not puzzle little Dinghy to read, 
 for I think I mend : but methinks when I write 
 plain, I don't know hovv, but we are not alone, 
 all the world can fee us. A bad fcrawl is fo 
 fnug, it looks like a PMD *. We have fcurvy 
 Tatlers of late : fo pray do not fufpe6l me. I 
 have one or two hints I defign to fend him, 
 and never any more : he does not deferve it. 
 He is governed by his wife moft abominably, 
 
 as bad as 1 never faw her fince I carae ; 
 
 nor has he ever made me an invitation ; either 
 he dares not, or is fuch a thoughtlefs Tifdall 
 fellow, that he never minds it. So what care 
 I for his wit ? for he is the worft company in 
 the world, till he has a bottle of wine in bis 
 head. I cannot write ftraighter in bed, fo you 
 muft be content. — At night in bed. Stay, let 
 me fee where's this letter to MD among thefe 
 papers? Oh! here. Well, I'll go on nov/ j 
 but I am very bufy (fmoak the new pen.) I 
 
 * PMD. This cypher ftands for Pre/fo, Stella, 
 and Dinghy ; as much as to fay, it looks like us 
 three quite retired from all the reit of the world. 
 
 o dined
 
 ( 63 ) 
 
 (lined with Mr. Henley to-day, and am invite^ 
 
 there again on Sunday. I have now leave to 
 
 write to the primate and ar hbifhop of Hu^Huy 
 
 that the queen has granted the Firjl-Fmits y 
 
 but they are to take no notice ot it, till a letter 
 
 is fent them by the queen's orders from lord 
 
 DartTnoutb, fecrctary of ftate, to fignify it. 
 
 The bifhops arc to be made a corporation to 
 
 dil'pofe of the revenue, &c. and 1 Ihall write to 
 
 the archbiftop of Dublin to-morrow (I have 
 
 had no giddinefs to-day) I know not whether 
 
 the will have any occafion for me longer to be 
 
 here ; nor can I judge till I fee what letter the 
 
 queen fends to the bifhops, and what they will 
 
 do upon it. If difpatch be ufed, it may be 
 
 done in fix weeks j but 1 cannot judge. They 
 
 fent me to-day a new commiflion, figned by 
 
 the primate and archbifhop of Dublin f, and 
 
 promife me letters to the two archbifliops here ; 
 
 but mine a — for it all. The thing is done, 
 
 and has been fo thefe ten days ; though I had 
 
 only leave to tell it to-day. I had this day 
 
 likewife a letter from the bifhop of Clcgher, 
 
 who complains of my not writing ; and what 
 
 vexes me, favs he knows vou have lon^ letters 
 
 irom me every week. Why do you tell him 
 
 fo ? 'Tis not right, faith : but I won't be angry 
 
 with MD at diiUnce. I writ to him laft poft, 
 
 before I had bis, and will write again foon, 
 
 flnce I fee he expeds it, and that lord and 
 
 lady Mountjoy put him ofF upon me to give 
 
 themfelves eafe. Laftly, I had this day a letter 
 
 from a certain naughty rogue called MD^^ and 
 
 t See DodJlev's colle(ftion, letter xx.xiil. 
 
 it
 
 ( 64 ) 
 
 it was N. 5, which I fhall not anAver to- 
 night, 1 thank you. No, faith, I have other 
 fiin to fry ; but to-morrow or next day will be 
 time enough. I have put MD's commifiions 
 in a memorandum paper. I think I have done 
 all before, and remember nothing but this to- 
 day about glafles and fpeclacies and fpeiSlacIe 
 cafes. I have no commiillon from Siella, but 
 the chocolate and handkerchiefs ; and thofe are 
 bought, and I expe6l they will be foon fent. 
 I have been with, and fent to, Mr. Sterne^ two 
 or three times to know, but he was not within. 
 Odds my life, what am I doing ? I muft go 
 write and do bufinefs. 
 
 4. I dined to-day at Kcnfmgton^ with Addifon^ 
 Steele^ Sec. came home, and writ a fhort letter 
 to the archbifiiop of Dtiblmy to let him know 
 the queen has granted the thing, &c. I writ 
 in the Cojfeehcufe^ for I {laid at Kenfington till 
 nine, and am plaguy weary j for colonel Proud 
 was very ill company, and i'Jl never be of a 
 party with him again ; and I drank punch, and 
 that and ill company has made me hot. 
 
 5. I was with P/Tr. Harhy from dinner to 
 fevcn this night, and went to the Coffee-hoitfc^ 
 where Dr. D'Avcnant would fain have had me 
 gone and drink a botile of wine at his houfe 
 hard by, with Dr. Chamberlain ; but the puppy 
 uied fo many words, that I was afraid of his 
 company ; and tliough we promifed to come at 
 eight, 1 fent a meffenger to him, that Cham- 
 herla'v: u'as going to a patient, and therefore 
 ye would put it off till another time : fo he, 
 
 and
 
 ( 65 ) 
 
 3|n^ the comptroller, and I were prevailed on, by 
 fir Matthew Dudley^ to go to his houfe, where I 
 ftaid till tAvelve, and left them. D'Avenant has 
 been teazing me to look over fome of his writings 
 that he is going to publifh ; but the rogue is (o 
 fond of his own produdions, that I hear he will 
 not part with a fyllable ; and he has lately put 
 out a foolifh pamphlet, called, The third Part of 
 Tom Double ; to make his court to the Tories^ 
 whom he had left. 
 
 6. I was to-day gambling in the city to fee 
 Patty Roll, who is going to King/ion, where fhe 
 lodges ; but to fay the truth, I had a mind for a 
 walk to cxcrcife myfelf, and happened to be dif- 
 engacred : for dinners are ten times more plentiful 
 with me here than ever, or than in Dublin. I 
 won't anfwer your letter yet, becaufe I am bufy. 
 I hope to fend this before I have another from 
 MD : 'twould be a faJ thing to anfwer two let- 
 ters together, as MD does from Preflo. But 
 when the two fides are full, away the letter fliall 
 go, that's certain, like it or not like it ; and that 
 will be about three days hence, for the anfvvering 
 niiiht will be a long one. 
 
 •o'"- "'" ^^ ** *""b 
 
 y. I dined to-day at fir Richard Temple's, with 
 Congreve, Vanburg^ lieutenant general Farhigtoriy 
 &c. Vanburg^ I believe I told you, had a long 
 quarrel with me about thofe Verfes on hii Houfe ■^ 
 but we were very civil and cold. Lady Marlba^ 
 rough ufcd to teaze him with them, which had 
 made him angry, though he be a good-natured 
 fellow. It was a TJ}ankfgiving-dny, and I was at 
 Court, where the queen paft us by with all Tories 
 about her ; not one IVhig : Buckingham^ Rochcfler^ 
 Letds, Shre-njjbiayy Berkeley of Stratton^ lord keeper 
 
 Vol. iV. F Har
 
 ( 66 } 
 
 Harcourt, Mr. UarJey^ lord Pembroke, SiC. an^ I 
 have feen her without one Tory. The queen made 
 me a curtfy, and faid, in a fort of familiar way 
 to Prejio, How docs MD ? I confidered fhe was 
 a queen, and fo excufed her. I do not mifs the 
 JVhigs at Court ; but have as many acquaintance 
 there as formerly. 
 
 8. Here's ado and a clutter ! I mufl: now anfwer 
 MD's fifth ; but firll you muft know I dined at 
 the Portugal envoy's to-day, with Addifon, Van- 
 burgi admiral imager, fir Richard Temple, Methuen^ 
 &c. I was weary of tht;ir company, and Hole 
 away at five, and came home like a good boy, 
 and ftudied till ten, and had a fire ; O ho ! and 
 now am in bed. 1 have no fire-place in my bed- 
 chamber J but 'tis very warm weather when one's 
 in bed. Your fine cap, madam Dinghy, is too 
 little, and too hot : I'll have that furr taken off; 
 I wiih it were far enough ; and my old velvet cap 
 is good for nothing. Js it, velvet under the furr ? 
 I was feeling, but can't find : if it be, 'twill do 
 without it, elfe I will face it ; but then I muft 
 buy new velvet : but may be I may beg a piece. 
 What (hall I do ? Vv^ell, now to rogue MD\ 
 letter. God be thanked for Stella % eyes mending; 
 and God fend it holds; but faith you writ toa 
 much at a time : better write lefs, or write it at 
 ten times. Yes, faith, a long letter in a morn- 
 ing from a dear friend is a dear thing. I fmoke 
 a compliment, little mifchievous girls, I do io. 
 But who are thofe IViggs that think 1 am turned 
 Tory ? Do you mean Whigs ? Which Wiggs and 
 wat to you mean ? I know nothing of Raymond, 
 and only had one letter from him a little after I 
 came here. [Pray remember Mcrgan.'\ Raymond 
 is indeed like to have much influence over me in 
 
 9 London,
 
 C 67 ) 
 
 tohdofi, and to fhare much of my converfatiori. 
 I (hall, no doubt, introduce him to Harley, and 
 lord keeper, and the fecretary of ftate. The 
 Tatler upon Milton's Spear is not mine, madam. 
 What a puzzle there was betwixt you and your 
 judgment ? In general you may be fometimes 
 fare of things, as that about ftyle, becaufe it is 
 what I have frequently ipoken of; but gueffing 
 is mine-^and I defy mankind, if I plcafe. Why, 
 I writ a pam-plilet when I was lafl in London, that 
 you and a thoufand have feen, and never gucft it 
 to be mine. Could you have gueft the Shower in 
 Tcivn to be mine ? How chance you did not fee 
 that before your laft letter went ; but 1 fuppofe 
 vou in Ireland did not think it worth mentionins;. 
 Nor am I fufpedted for the lampoon ; only Harley 
 faid he fmoaked me, (have I told you fo before r) 
 and feme others knew it. 'Tis called The Rod of 
 Bid Harriet. And I have written feveral other things 
 that I hear commended, and nobody fufpedts me 
 for them ; nor you fhan't know till I fee you 
 a^ain. What do you mean That hoards near me^ 
 that I dine xvith noiv ar:d then ? I know no fuch 
 perfon : I don't dine with boarders. What the 
 pox ! You know whom I have dined with every 
 day fince I left you, better than I do. ^Vhat do 
 you mean, furah ? Slids, my ailment has been 
 over thefe two months alrnofi:. Impudence, if 
 you vex me, I'll give ten fliJIings a week for my 
 lodging; for I am almoft 11— k out of this with 
 the fink, and it helps me to verfcs in my Shower. 
 V/cll, madam Din^Jcy, what fay you to the world 
 to come ? Wh^Lt Ballad? Whv go look, it was 
 not good for much : have patience till 1 come 
 back : patience is a gay thing as, ferV. I hear 
 nothing of lord Mountjoy% coming for Ireland. 
 When is Sulu\ Birth-day? in March? Lord 
 
 F 2 ble/s
 
 C 68 ) 
 
 bl efs me, my turn at ChriJ}- Church -, It is fo na- 
 tural to hear you write about that, I believe you 
 have done it a hundred times ; it is as frefh in my 
 mind, the verger coming to you ; and why to 
 you ? Would he have you preach for me ? O, 
 pox on your fpelling of Latin, 'Jonjonihus atqiie, 
 that's the way. How did the dean get that name 
 by the end ? 'Twas you betrayed me : not I, 
 faith; I'll not break his head. Your mother is 
 ftill in the country, I fuppofe, for {he promifed to 
 fee me when Ihe came to town. I writ to her 
 four days ago, to defire her to break it to lady 
 Giffard, to put fome money for you in the Banky 
 which was then fallen thirty per cent. Would to 
 God mine had been here, I fhould have gained 
 one hundred pounds, and got as good intereft as 
 in Irclandy and much fecurer. I would fain have 
 borrowed three hundred pounds ; but money is fo 
 fcarce here, there is no borrowing, by this fall of 
 flocks. 'Tis rifing now, and I knew it would : 
 it fell from one hundred and twenty-nine to ninetv- 
 fix. I have not heard fince from your mother. 
 Do you think I would be lb unkind not to fee her, 
 that you defire me in a ftyle fo melancholy ? Mrs. 
 Raymond yon fay is with child : I am forry for it ; 
 and fo is, I believe, her hu{band. Mr. Harley 
 fpeaks all the kind things to me in the world ; 
 and, I believe, would ferve me, if I were to fta^ 
 here J but I reckon in time the duke of Ormond 
 may give me fome addition to Laracor. Why 
 fhould the Ji'higi think I came to England to leave 
 them ? Sure my journey was no fecret ? I proteft 
 fuicerely, I did all I could to hinder it, as the 
 dean can tell you, although now I do not repent 
 it. But who the Devil cares what they think ? 
 Am 1 under obligations in the leaft to any of them 
 Till ' Rot 'em, for ungrateful dogs i I'll make 
 
 them
 
 ( 69 ) 
 
 them pepent their ufage before I leave this place. 
 They fay here the fame thing of my leaving the ' 
 PFhigs ; but they own they cannot blame mc, 
 confidering the treatment I have had. i will 
 take care of your fpeflacles, as I told you before, 
 and of the bifliop of Ki/lala's ; but I will not 
 write to him, 1 han't time. What do you mean 
 by my fourth, madam Dinglibus ? Does not Stella 
 fay you have had my fifth, goody Blunder I You 
 frighted me till I lookt back. Well, this is 
 enough for one night. (Pray give my humble 
 fervice to Mrs. Stoyte and her fitter, Kate is it or 
 Sarah? I have forgot her name, faith.) I think 
 ril e'en (and to Mrs. IValls and the archdeacon)'- 
 fend this to-morrow: no, faith, that will be Fnr- 
 ten days from the laft. I'll keeep it till Saturday^ 
 though I write no more. But -what if a letter 
 from MD ihould come in the mean time ? Why 
 then I would only fay. Madam, I have received 
 your llxth letter j your moft humble fervant to 
 command, Prejio \ and fo conclude. Well, now 
 I'll write and think a little, and fo to bed, and 
 dream of MD. 
 
 9. I Tiave my mouth full of water, and was 
 going to fpit it out, becaufe I reafoned with myfelf, 
 how could I write when my mouth' was full. 
 Han't you done things like that, reafoned wrong 
 at firft thinking ? Well, I was to fee Mr. Lewh 
 this morning, and am to dine a few days hence, 
 as he tells me, with Mr. fecretary $t. ydm ; and 
 I muft contrive to fee Harley foon again, to haften 
 this bufmefs from the queen. 1 dined to day at 
 lord Montr ath's, with lord Mount] y^ Sic. but the 
 wine was not good, fo I came away, flayed at the 
 Coff'ee-hoiife till feven, then came home to my fire, 
 the maidenhead of my fecond half-bulhcl, and 
 
 F 3 ma
 
 C 70 ) 
 
 am now in bed ?t( eleven, asufual. 'Tis mightjT 
 warm ; yet f Tear 1 fnould catch cold this wet wea- 
 ther, if 1 fat an evening in my room after coming. 
 fipm warm places : and 1 muft make rpuch ,of mv;. 
 {elf, becaufe MD is npt here to take care of Prc/lo ; 
 and I am fi\U of bufinefs, writing,, l^c. and don't 
 care for the Cc^ee-hgufe j and fo this ferves for all, 
 together, j'.ol to tellit you over and over, as fiUy- 
 people do ; but Pre/?;? is a wifer man, faith, than 
 f9» \^ me te|l you, gentlewornein. See, I. arti 
 got'tp ^he third ftdc^ but, faith, I won't do tibt. 
 often ; but I muft fay fomething early to-day,, 
 1 1,11 the letter i^ done,- and oit Saturday.h fhall go ; 
 fo.-il.-mufr hav;e;/amething till to-morrow, till to-' 
 ittorrow and next day. 
 
 .10. P Lord,,.,! would this letter was with ynu 
 with all my heart : If itXnould mifcarry, what a 
 djeal would be lofl ? I forgot to leave a gap in the 
 Ifift line but otie for the feal, like a puppy; but; 
 I- ihould have allowed for iiight, good night ;"; 
 bjit when I am takins; leave, I can't leave a bit, 
 faith ; but I fancy the feal won't come there. I 
 dined to-day at lady Lucfs, where they ran down 
 rny Sh.zver -^^nA fald' Sid Harriet was the filliePc 
 poem they ever read, and told Prior fo, whom, 
 they thought , to be author of it. Don't you 
 wonder I never dined there before? But I am too 
 bufy, and they live too far cfF; and^ befides, I 
 don't like women fo much as I did. [^MD you 
 mufl know, are not women. ~| I fupped to-night 
 ■^ AddijoriSy^ wi^h Garth, Steele, and^Mr. Dopping i 
 and am come home late. Lewis h&s fcnt tome, 
 to defire I will dine with fome company I fhall 
 like. I fuppofe it is Mr. fccretary Si. John's 
 appointment. J had a letter j.ift now from Ray-; , 
 mndy who is ^i Bri/iol, and ffiys. he will be at 
 
 London
 
 C /I ) 
 
 London in a fortnight, and leave his wife behind 
 him ; and defires any lodging in the houfe where 
 I am : but that muft not be. I fhan't know 
 what to do with him in town : to be fure I will 
 not prefent him to any acquaintance of mine, 
 and he will live a delicate life, a parfon and a 
 perfect ftrangcr. Paaaft tvvelvvvc o'clock, and fo 
 good night, ijfc. Oh ! but I forgot, 'Jemmy Leigh 
 is come to town ; fays he has brought Dingley% 
 things, and will fend them with the firft conveni- 
 ence. My parcel I hear is not fent yet. He 
 thinks of going for Ireland in a month, ^c. I 
 camot write to-morrow, becaufe — what, becaufe 
 of the archbifhop ; becaufe 1 \v\\\ feal my letter 
 early ; becaufe I am engaged from noon till night ; 
 becaufe of m.any kind of things ; and yet I will 
 write one or tv/o words to-morrow morning, to 
 keep up my journal conftant, and at night 1 will 
 begin the ninth. 
 
 I r. Morning by candlelight. You muft know 
 that I am in my night-gown every morning 
 between fix and feven, and Patrick is forced to 
 ply me fifty times before I can get on my night- 
 gown ; and fo now I'll take my leave of my own 
 dear MD for this letter, and begin my next when 
 I come home at night. God Almighty blefs and 
 protect deareft MD. Farewel, l3'c. 
 
 This letter's as long as a fermon, faith, 
 
 LETTER IX. 
 
 London, Nov. |i, J710. 
 
 J[ DINED to-day, by invitation, with the 
 fecretary of ftate Mr. St. John. Mr. Harley came 
 in to us before dinner, and made me his excufes 
 
 F 4 for
 
 ( 72 ) 
 
 for not dining with us, becaufe he was to receive 
 people who came to propofe advancing money to 
 the government : there dined with us only Mr. 
 Lewis^ and Dr. Freind (that writ Lord Peter- 
 borow'j Anions in Spain.) I ftaid with them till 
 juft now between ten and eleven, and was forced 
 again to give my eighth to the bell-man, which I 
 did with my own hands, rather than keep it till 
 next poft. The fecretary ufed me with all the 
 kindnefs in the world. Prior came in after dinner; 
 and, upon an occafion, he [the fecretary] faid, 
 the heft thing he ever read is not your's, but Dr. 
 Swijt^s on Vanbrugh ; which I do not reckon fo 
 very good neither. But Prior was damped until 
 I ftuft him with two or three compliments. I 
 am thinking what a veneration we ufed to have 
 for fir IVilliam Temple.^ becaufe he might have 
 been fecretary of ftate at fifty ; and here is a young 
 fellow, hardly thirty, in that employment. His 
 father is a man of pleafure, that walks the Mall, 
 and frequents St. "James's Coff'ee-hoiijc^ and the 
 ChoccLite-houfes, and the young fon is principal 
 fecretary of ftate. Is there not fomething very 
 odd in that ? He told mc, among other things, 
 that Mr. Harley complained he could keep nothing 
 from mc, I had the way fo much of getting into 
 him. I knew that was a refinement; and fo I 
 told him, and it was fo : indeed it is hard to fee 
 thefe gre^t men ufe me like one who was their 
 betters, and the puppies with you in Ireland hzviWy 
 regarding me : but there are fome reafons for all 
 this, which I will tell you when we meet. At 
 coming home I faw a letter from your mother, 
 in anfvver to one I fent her two days ago. It 
 feems flie is, in town ; but cannot come out in a 
 morning, juft- as you faid ; and God knov.-: when 
 3 Ihall be at leifure in an afternoon : for if I iliouM 
 
 f^nd
 
 C 73 ) 
 
 fend her a penny-poft letter, and afterwards not 
 be able to meet her, it would vex me ; and, 
 belides, the days are fhort, and why Die cannot 
 come early in a morning before (he is wanted, 1 
 cannot imagine. I will liefire her to let lady Gif- 
 fard know that (he hears I am in town, and that 
 fhe would go to fee me to enquire after you. I 
 wonder ftie will confine herfelf fo much to that 
 old BeajVs humour. You know I cannot in ho- 
 nour fee lady Giffard^ and confequently not go 
 into her houfe. This 1 think is enough for the 
 firit time. 
 
 12. And how could you write with fuch thin 
 paper ? (I forgot to fay this in my former) Can't 
 you get thicker ? Why, that's a common cau- 
 tion that writing-mafters give their fcholars ; 
 you muft have heard it a hundred times. 'Tis 
 this. 
 
 If paper be thin, 
 
 Ink will flip in ; 
 
 But if it be thick. 
 
 You may write with a ftick. 
 I had a letter to-day from poor Mrs. Long^ giving 
 me an account of her prefent life, obfcure in a 
 remote country town *, and how eafy fhe is under 
 it. Poor creature ! 'tis juft fuch an alteration in 
 life, as if PrcfiO fhould be banifhed from MDy 
 and condemned to converfe with Mrs. Rayrmnd. 
 I dined to-day with Ford, fir Richard LevmgCy &c. 
 at a place where they board, hard by. I was 
 lazy, and not very well, fitting fo long with com- 
 pany yefterday. I have been very bufy writing 
 this evening at home, and had a fire: I am fpend- 
 jng my fecond half-bufliel of coals j and now am 
 in bed, and 'tis late. 
 
 • She was then at Lynn in Noifdk, 
 
 '2' I
 
 ( 74 ) 
 
 13 I dined to-day in the city, and then- went 
 to chr'ften //'/'/ Frankland's child ; and iady Fal- 
 £onhri(Igc was one of the godmothers : this is a 
 daughter of Oliver Crornwcl, and extremely like 
 hin by his pictures that I haVe feen. I ftaid till 
 almoft eleven, and am now come home and gone 
 to bed. My bufinefs in the city was to thank 
 Strafford io-c 2. kindnefs he has done me, which 
 now 1 will tell you. I found Ba-nk Stock was 
 fallen thirty- four in the hundred, and was mighty 
 defirous to buy itj but I was a little too late 
 for the cheapeft time, being hindred by bufinefs 
 here ; for I was fo wife to guefs to a day when it 
 ^^'oi-ild fall. My project'was this : I had three hun- 
 dred pounds in Ireland; and fo I writ to Mr* 
 Stratford in the city, to defire he would buy me 
 three hundred pounds in Bank Stocky and that he 
 ftiould keep the papers, and that I would be 
 bound to pay him for them ; and if it fhould rife 
 or fall, 1 would take my chance, and pny him 
 intereft in the mean time. I Oiewed my letter to 
 one or two people, who underftand thofe things ; 
 and they faid, money was fo hard to be got here, 
 that no man would do it for me. However, Strat- 
 fordy who is the moft generous man alive, has 
 done it : but it cofts one hundred pounds and a 
 half, that is ten fliillings, fo that three hundred 
 pounds coft me three hundred pounds and thirty 
 ihillings. This was done about a week ago, and 
 I can have five pounds for my bargain already. 
 Before it fell it was one hundred and thirty 
 pounds, and we are fure it will be the fame again, 
 I told you I writ to your mother, to defire that 
 lady (Jjjfard would do the fame with what fhe 
 owes you ; but (he tells your mother Ihe has no 
 money. I would to God all you had in the world 
 was there. Whenever you lend money take this 
 
 rule.
 
 ( 75 ) 
 
 rule, to have two people bound, who have both 
 yifible fortunes ; for they will hardly die toge- 
 ther ; and when one dies, you fall upon the 
 other, and make him add another fecurity : and 
 if Rathburn (now I have his name) pays you in 
 your mortey, let me know, and I will direct Par- 
 infol accordin;i;ly : however, he fhall wait on you 
 and know. So, ladies, enough of bufincfs for one 
 night, faaaaafl: twelvwe o'clock. I muft only 
 add, that after a long fit of rgny weather, it has 
 been fair two or three days, and is this day grown 
 cold and frofly ; fo that you mufl: give poor liltle 
 Prcjlo leave to have a fire in his chamber, morn- 
 ing and evening too, and he'll do as much for 
 you. 
 
 14. TVhat, has your chancellor lofl his fenfcs, 
 like Will Crowe ? I forgot to tell Din^'ey^ that I 
 was yefierday at iMagate, bef peaking the fpcclacles 
 at the great Ihop there, and fliall liave ihe'm in a 
 day or two. This has been an infipid day. I 
 dined with Mrs. Vatibornrigh, and came gravely 
 home, after juft vifiting the Coffee-honfe. Sir Ri- 
 chard Cox, they fay, is fure of going over lord 
 chancellor, who is as arr;;nt a puppy as ever eat 
 bread : but the duke of Ormcnd has a natural af- 
 fection to puppies, which is a thoufand pities, be- 
 ing none himfelf. I have been amufing myfelf 
 at home till now, and in bed bid you g.ood night. 
 
 15. I have been vifiting this morning, but no- 
 body was at home, fecretary St. "John, fir Thomas 
 Hanmer, fir chancellor C<7A'-comb, ^c. I attend- 
 ed the duke of Ormond Wnh. about fifty other Irijh 
 gentlemen at Skinners-hall^ where the Londonderry 
 Society laid out three hundred pounds to treat us 
 ^d his grace with a dinner. Three great tables 
 
 \yitlj
 
 ( 76 ) 
 
 with the defTert laid in mighty figure. Sir Richard 
 Levinge and I got difcreetly to the head of the 
 fecond table, to avoid the crowd at the firft : but 
 it was fo cold, and (o confounded a noife with the 
 trumpets and hiutboys, that I grew weary, and 
 flole away before the fecond courfe came on : fo 
 I can give you no account of it, which is a thou- 
 fand pities. I called at Ludgate for Difiglefs glafles, 
 and (hall have them in a day or two ; and I 
 doubt it will coft me thirty fhillings for a mi- 
 crofcope, but not without Stella's permiflion j for 
 1 remember fhe is a virtuofo. Shall I buy it or 
 no? *Tis not the great bulky ones, nor the com- 
 mon little ones, to impale a loufe (faving your 
 prefence) upon a needle's point ; but of a more 
 cxa6l fort, and clearer to the fight, with all its 
 equipage in a little trunk that you may carry in 
 your pocket. Tell me, firrah, fhall I buy it or 
 jiot for you ? I came home ftraight, iffc, 
 
 16. I dined to-day in the city with Mr. Man- 
 ley, who invited Mr. Addifon and me, and fome 
 other friends, to his lodging, and entertained us 
 very handfomely, I returned with Mr. Addifon^ 
 and loitered till nine in the Coffee-houfe^ where I 
 am hardly known by going fo {eldom. I am here 
 fbliciting for Trounce j you know him : he was 
 gunner in the former yacht, and would fain be 
 fo in the prefent one : if you remember him, a 
 good lufty frefh-coloured fellow. Shall I Hay 
 till I get another letter from MD before I clofc 
 up this ? Mr. Addifon and I meet a little feldomer 
 than formerly, altiiough we are ftill at bottom 
 as good friends as ever^ but differ a little about 
 party, 
 
 17. To-
 
 ( 77 ) 
 
 in. To-day I went to Lewis at the fecretary's 
 office, where I faw and fpoke to Mr. Harly^ who 
 promifed, in a few days, to finifh the reft of my 
 bufinefs. 1 reproached him for putting me on the 
 neceffity of minding him of it, and rallied him, 
 l^c. which he took very well. I dined to-day 
 with one Mr. Gore^ elder brother to a young 
 merchant of my accquaintance, and Stratford., and 
 my other friend merchants dined with us, where 
 I itaid late, drinking claret and burgundy, and 
 am juft got to bed, and will fay no more, buc 
 that it now begins to be time to have a letter 
 from my own little AID ; for the laft I had above 
 a fortnight ago, and the date was old too. 
 
 1 8. To-day I dined with Lewis and Prior at 
 an eating -houfe, but with Lnvis's wine. Leivlt 
 went awayj and Prior and I fat on, where v/c 
 complimented one another for an hour or two 
 upon our mutual wit and poetry. Coming home 
 at feven, a gentleman unknown ftopt me in the 
 Pall-mall., and afkt my advice ; faid he had been 
 to fee the queen (who was juft come to town) 
 and the people in waiting would not let him fee 
 her ; that he had two hundred thoufand men ready 
 to ferve her in the war; that he knew the queent 
 perfectly well, and had an apartment ^t. Court, and 
 if fhe heard he was there, fhe would fend for 
 him immediately ; that fhe owed him tv.'o hun- 
 dred thoufand pounds, f5V. and he deflred my opi- 
 nion whether he fliould go try again whether he 
 could fee her ; or becaiife, perhaps, (he was weary 
 after her journey, whether he had not belter fray 
 till to -morrow. I had a mind to get rid of my 
 companion, and begged him of all love to go 
 and wait on her immediately; for that, to my 
 knowledge, the queen would admit hira ; that 
 6 this
 
 ( 78 ) 
 
 this was an affair of great importance, and re- 
 quired difpatch ; and I inftruiied him to let mc 
 know the fuccefs of his bufinefs, and come to the 
 Smyrna Coffce-hoiife^ where I would wait for him 
 till midnii'^ht ; and fo ended this adventure. I 
 would have fain given the man half a crown ; 
 but was afraid to ofFer it him, left he fhould be 
 offended ; for bcfide his money, he faid he had a 
 thoufand pounds a year. I came home not early, 
 and fo, madams both, good night, l^c. 
 
 19. T dined to-day with poor lord Mountjoy, 
 who is ill of the gOut ; and this evening [ chrif- 
 tened our coffee-man Elliot's child, where the 
 rogue had a moft noble fupper, and Steele and I 
 fat among fome fcurvy company over a bowl of 
 punch, fo that I am come home late, young wo- 
 men, and can't (lay to write to little rogues. 
 
 20. I loitered at home, and dined with fir 
 Andreiv Fountahi at his lodging, and then came 
 home : a lilly day. 
 
 21.1 was vifiting all this morning, and then 
 went to the fecretary's office, and found Mr. 
 Hurley^ with whom I dined ; and fccretary St* 
 'John^ l^c. and Hurley promifed in a very few days to 
 Bnifli what remains of my bufinefs. Prior was of 
 the company, and we all dine at the fecretary's 
 to-morrow. I faw 5/^//(3's mother this morning: 
 Ihe came early, and we talked an hour. I wifh 
 you would propofe to lady Gtjfard to take the 
 three hundred pounds out of her hands, and give 
 her common intereft for life, and fecurity that you 
 will pay her : the bifliop o^Clogher^ or any friend, 
 would be fecurity for you, if you gave them coun- 
 tcr-:c-uricy 3 and i. may be argued, that it will 
 
 pafs
 
 C 79 ) 
 
 pals better to be in your hands than hers in cafe 
 of mortiility, ^i"' Your mother lays, if you write 
 fhe'il fecond it ; and you may write to your mo- 
 ther, and then it will come from her. She tells 
 me lady Giffard has a mind to fee me, by her dif- 
 courfe ; but 1 told her whdt to fay, with a ven- 
 gearice. She told lady Giffard ihe was going to 
 i'ee me : fhe looks extremely well. I am writing 
 in my bed like a tyger, and fo good night, i^c. 
 
 22. I dined with fecrerary St. John ; and lord 
 Dartmcutb^ who is t'ocher fecretary, dined with 
 us, and lord Orrery and Prior^ &c. Harley called, 
 tut could not dine with us, and would have had 
 me away while I was at dinner; but I did not 
 like the company he was to have. We Itayed till 
 eight, and I called at the Ccffee-houfe, and looked 
 where the letters lie ; but no letter directed for 
 Mr. Prejio : at laft 1 faw a letter to Mr. Jddifon, 
 and it looked like a rogue's hand, fo I made the 
 fellow give it me, and opened it before him, and 
 faw three letters all for myfelf: fo, truly, I put 
 them in my pocket, and came home to my lodg- 
 ing. Well, and fo you lliall hear : well, and fo 
 I found one of them in Dinghy s hand, and t'other 
 in Siei'/as, and the third in Domvi/'e's. Well, fo 
 you fhall hear; So, faid I to myielf, what now, 
 two letters from MD together ? But I thought 
 there was lomt thing in the wind ; fo I opened 
 one, and I opened t'other ; and fo you (hall hear, 
 one was from JValls. Well, but t'other was 
 from own dear A([D ; yes it was. O faith, have 
 you received my ieventh, young wotnen, already; 
 then I mufi: fend this to-morrow, elfe there will 
 be old doings at our houfe, faith. — Well, I won't 
 anfwer your>l(.tter in this : no faith, catch tne at 
 that, and I never faw the like. Weil; but as 
 
 to
 
 C ^0 } 
 
 to TValh^ tell him (with fervice to him and wife^ 
 ^c.) that 1 have no imagination of Mr. Pratt's 
 lofing his place : and while Pratt continues Cle- 
 ments is in no danger ; and I have already en- 
 gaged lord Hyde he fpeaks of, for Pratt and twenty 
 others ; but, if fuch a thing fhould happen, I 
 will do what 1 can. I have above ten bufinefles 
 of other people's now on my hands, and, I be- 
 lieve, fiiall milcarry in half. It is your fixth I 
 now have received. I writlaft poft to the bifliop of 
 Clogber again. Shall I fend this to-morrow ? Well, 
 I will to oblige MD. Which would you rather, a 
 ihort letter every week, or a long one every fort- 
 night ? .•■\ long one ; well, it fhall be done^ and 
 fo good night. Well, but is this a long one ? No, 
 I warrant you : too long for naughty girls, 
 
 23. I only afk, have you got both the ten 
 pounds, or only the firft ; i hope you mean both. 
 Pray be good houfewives ; and I beg you to walk 
 when you can for health. Have you the horfe 
 in town ? and do you ever ride him ? how often ? 
 Confefs. Ahhh, fnrah, have I caught you ? 
 Can you contrive to let Mrs. Fenton know, that 
 the requeft (he has made me in her letter, I will 
 ufe what credit I have to bring about, although 
 1 hear it is very difficult, and I doubt I fhall not 
 fucceed. Cox is not to be your chancellor: all 
 joined againfl: him. I have been fupping with 
 lord Peterbcroiv at his houfe, with Prior, Lewis^ 
 and Dr. Freind. 'Tis the ramblingcft lying rogue 
 on earth. Dr. Rayir.and is come to town: 'tis 
 late, and fo I bid you good night. 
 
 24. I tell you pretty management : Ned South- 
 well told me t'other dav, he had a letter from the 
 bilhops of Ireland^ with an addrefs to the duke of 
 
 Ormondy
 
 C Si ) 
 
 Orrnond^ to intercede with the queen, to take off 
 the Firji-Fruits. I dined with him to-day, and 
 Taw it, with another letter to him from the bifhop 
 of Kil tare, to call upon me for the papers, (Jc. 
 and, I had laft port one from the archbifliop of 
 Dublin^ telling me the reafon of this proceeding ; 
 that upon hearing the dulce of Ormmd was de- 
 clared lord lieutenant, they met, and the bifliops 
 were for this projedt, and talkt coldly of my being 
 folicitor, as one that was favour'd by t'other p aty, 
 is'c. but defired that I would ftiil folicit. Now 
 the wifdom of this is admirable ; for I had given 
 the archbifliop an account of my reception from 
 Mr. Harley, and how he had fpoken to the queen, 
 and promiCed it fhould be done ; but Mr. HarLy 
 ordered me to tell no perfon alive. Some time 
 alter he gave me leave to let the primate and 
 arcbifhop know that the queen had remitted the 
 Firjl-Fruits ; and that in a (hort time they fliould 
 have an account of it in form from lord Dartmouth^ 
 fecretary of ftate. So while their letter was on 
 the road to the duke of Orniond and Southwell, 
 mine was going to them with an account of the 
 thing beifig done. I writ a very warm anfwcr 
 to the archbifliop immediately, and fliewed my 
 refentments, as I ought, agamft the bifliops, only 
 in good manners, excepting himfelf. I wonder 
 what they will fay when they hear the thing Is 
 done. Iwas yefterday forced to tell Southwell (o, 
 that the queen had done it, ^c. for he faid, my 
 lord di.'ke would think of it fome months hence 
 when he was going for trcland ; and he had it 
 three years in doing formerly, without any fuc- 
 cefs. I give you free leave to fay, on occafion, 
 that it is done, and that Mr. HarLy prevailed on 
 the queen to do it, &c. as you pleafe. As I 
 hope to live, I defpife the credit of it, out of an 
 Vol. IV. G excefs
 
 ( 82 ) 
 
 excefs of pride, and defire you will not give me 
 the leaft merit when you talk of it ; but 1 would 
 vex the bifhops, and have it fpread that Air. Har- 
 ky had done it : pray do fo. Your mother f;nt 
 me lafl: night a parcel of wax candles, and a 
 band-box full of fmall plum-cakes. I thought it 
 had been fomething for you ; and, without open- 
 \wv them, fent anfwer bv the maid that brought 
 them, that I would take care to fend the things, ^c. 
 but I will write her thanks. Is this a long letter, 
 firrahs ? Now, are you fatisfied ? I hkve had no 
 fit fmce the firft : I drink brandy every morning, 
 and take pills every night. Never fear, I an't 
 vexed at this puppy bufinefs of the bifhops, al- 
 though I was a little at firft. Til tell you my 
 icward : Mr. Harley will think he has done me a 
 favour; the duke of Ormonde perhaps, that I 
 have put a negledl on him ; and the bifhops in 
 Ireland^ that I have done nothing at all. So goes 
 the world. But I have got above ail this, and, 
 perhaps, I have better rcafon for it than they 
 know : and fo you fhall hear no more of Firji- 
 Fruits, dukes. Hurleys^ achbifnops, and Southwells. 
 
 I have flipt ofF Raymond upon fome of his 
 countrymen to (hew him the town, feV. and I 
 lend him Patrick. He defires to fit with me in 
 the evenings ; upon which I have given Patrick 
 pofitive orders that I am not within at evenings. 
 
 LETTER X. 
 
 I London, Nov. 25, 1710, 
 
 'LL tell you (bmcthing that's plaguy filly : I 
 had forgot to fay on the 23d in my laft, where I 
 dined ; and becaufe 1 had done it conftantly, I 
 thougat it was a great omiilion, and was going to 
 
 interline
 
 ( 83 ) 
 
 interline It ; but at laft the fillinefs of it made mc 
 cry, Pfbah, and I let it alone. I was to-day to 
 fee the Parliament meet ; but only faw a great 
 crowd : and Ford and 1 went to fee the tombs at 
 JFcfiVnnfter^ and fauntered io long I was forced 
 to eo to an eating-houfe for my dinner. Bioni' 
 ley is chofen fpeaker, nemine contradiunie : Do you 
 underftand thofe tvAO words? And Pompey^ co- 
 lonel Hill's Black, defigns to ftand fpeaker for the 
 footmen. I am engaged to ufe my intcreft fof him, 
 and have fpoken to tatrick to get him fome votes. 
 We are now all impatient for the queen's fpeech, 
 what (he will fay about removing the miniftry, 
 is'c. I have got a cold, and 1 don't know how ; 
 but got It I have, and am hoarfe : I don't know 
 whether it will grow better or worfe. What's 
 that to you ? I won't anfwer your letter to-night. 
 I'll keep you a little longer in fufpence : I can't 
 fend it. Your mother's cakes are very good, and 
 one of them ferves me for a breakfall, and fo I'll 
 go fleep like a good boy. 
 
 26. I have got a cruel cold, and (laid within 
 all this day in my night-gown, and dined on hx- 
 pcnnyworth of victuals, and read and writ, and 
 was denied to every body. Dr. R.iymoiid called 
 often, and I was denied ; and at laft, when I was 
 weary, I let him come up, and afked him, with- 
 out confequence, How Patrick denied me, and 
 whether he had the art of it ? So by this means 
 he fliall be ufed to have me denied to him ; other- 
 wife he would be a plaguy trouble and hindrance 
 to me : he has fat with me two hours, and drank 
 a pint of ale coft me five pence, and fmoakt his 
 pipe, and 'tis now p^ft eleven that he is juft gone. 
 Well, my eighth is with you now, young wo- 
 men, and your leventh to me is fomewhere in a 
 
 G 2 poft-
 
 ( ^4 ; 
 
 pofi-boy's bag ; and fo go to your gang of dean?, 
 'and Stovti^s, /znd Walls, and lofe your money ; go, 
 faucc-boxes, and (o good night and be happy, 
 dear rogues Oh, but your box was lent to Dr. 
 Hawkjhaiv by Sterne^ and you will have it with 
 Haivkjhatv, and fpeclacles, l^c. ^c. 
 
 27. To-day Mr. Harley met me in the court 
 of lequefts, and whifpeied me to dine with him. 
 At dinner I told him what thofe bifiiops had done, 
 and the difficulty I was under. He bid me never 
 trouble myfelf ; he would tell the duke ol Ormoncl 
 the bufinefs was done, and that he need not con- 
 cern himfelf about it. So now I am'eafy, and 
 they may hang themfelves for a parcel of inlolent 
 unarateful rafcals. I fuppofe I told you in my 
 laft, how they fent an addrefs to the duke of 
 Ormoyul, and a letter to Southwell, to call on me 
 for the papers, after the thing was over, but they 
 had not received my letter ; though the archbifliop 
 might, by what I writ to him, have expei^ed 
 it would be done. Well, there's an end of that ; 
 and in a little time the queen will fend them 
 notice, i^jc. And fo the methods will be fettled ; 
 and then I fhall think oi returning, although the 
 bafenefs of thofe bilhops makes me love IrelaJid 
 lefs than i did. 
 
 28. Lord Hallifax fent to invite me to dinner, 
 where I ftaid till fix, and croft him in all his 
 JVhig talk, and made him often come over to me. 
 I know he makes court to the new men, although 
 he affecls to talk like a Wlr.g. i had a letter to- 
 day from the bifhop of Clogher ; but I writ to 
 him lately, that 1 would obey his commands to 
 the ihx'K.Q. of Ormond. He favs I bid him read the 
 Londiin Shaver, and that you both fwore it was 
 
 3 Shave?- ,.
 
 ( 85 ; 
 
 Shaver, and not Slower. You all lie, and yovt 
 are puppies, and can't read Prcjh\ hand. \ he 
 bifliop is out entirely in his conjectures of my 
 {hare in the Toilers. — I have other thing? to mind, 
 and of much greater importance *, tile I have 
 little to do to bo acquainted with a neu' miniftry, 
 who confidcr me a liitlc more than hip bilhops 
 do. 
 
 29. Now for your faucy good dear letter : let 
 me fee, what does it fay i* come then. I dined 
 to-day with Ford., and vi'ent home early ; he 
 debauched me to his chamber again with a bottle 
 of wine till twelve : fo good night. I can't write 
 an anfwer now, you rogues. 
 
 30. To day I have been vifiting, which I had 
 long neglected ; and I dined with Mrs. Barton 
 alone ; and fauntered at the Gojfee-houfe' till paft 
 eight, and have been bufy till eleven, and now 
 I'll anfwer your letter, fauce-box. Well, let me 
 fee jiow again. My wax candle's almofl: out, but 
 however I'll begin. Well then, don't be fo tedi- 
 ous, Mr. Prejh ; what can you fay to MD's let- 
 ter ? Make hafte, have done with your preambles 
 — Why, I fay I am glad you arc {0 often abroad ; 
 your mother thinks it is want of exercid^ hurts 
 you, and fo do I. (She called here to-night, but 
 1 was not within, that's by the bye.) Sure you 
 don't deceive me, Stella^ when you fay you are 
 in better health than you were thefe three weeks ; 
 for Dr. Raymond told me yefterday, that S?nyth of 
 the Blitut-^wy had been telling Mr. Leigh^ that 
 
 * He was writing xht Examiner at this time. 
 
 G 3 he
 
 ( 86 ) 
 
 he left you extremely ill ; and in fliort, fpoke {o^ 
 that he almoft put poor Lagh into tears, and would 
 have made me run diftracted ; though your letter is 
 dated the iith inftant, and I faw Stnyth in the 
 cicy above a fortnight ago, as I paft by in a coach. 
 Pray, piay, don't write, Stella^ until you are 
 mighty, mighty, mighty, mighty, well in your 
 eyes, and are fure it won't do you the leaft hurt. 
 Or come, I'll tell you what ; you, miihefs Stdla, 
 fhall write your fhare at five or fix fittings, 
 one fitting a day ; and then comes Dinghy all 
 together, and then Steila a little crumb towards 
 the end, to let us fee fhe remembers Prejto ; and 
 then conclude with fom.ething handfome and gen- 
 teel, as your moft humblecumdumble, or, &c, 
 O Lord ! does Patrick write word of my not 
 coming till fpring ? Infolent man ! he know my 
 fecreti ? No ; as my lord Mayor faid. No ; if I 
 thought my fhirt knev/, i^c. Faith, I will come 
 as foon as it is any way proper for me to come j 
 but, to fay the truth, I am at prefent a little in- 
 volved with the prefent miniftry in fome certain 
 things (which I tell yoix as a fecret) and foon as 
 ever I can clear my hands, I will flay no longer : 
 for I hope \.he fi>Jl- fruit bufinefs will be foon over 
 in all its forms. But, to fay the truth, the pre- 
 fent miniftry have a difficult talk, and want me, 
 iSc. Peihaps they may be juft as grateful as 
 others : but, according to the bell judgment I 
 have, they are purfuing the true intereft of the 
 public ; and therefore I am glad to contribute 
 what is in my power. For God's fake, not a 
 word of this to any alive. — Your chancellor .' 
 Why, madam, I can tell you he has been dead 
 this fortnight. Faith, I could hardly forbear our 
 little langt;aE^ about a nafiv dead chancellor, as 
 
 you
 
 ( 87 ) 
 
 you may fee by the blot *. Ploughing? A pox 
 plough them ; they'll plough me to nothing. But 
 have you 2;ot your m<>nev, both the ten pounds f 
 How durft he pay you the fecond fo foon ? Pray, 
 be good hufvvifes. — Aye, well, and y^c, why, I 
 had a letter lareiy from Joe, defining 1 would take 
 fome care of their poor town f , who, he fays, will 
 lofe their lir)erties. 'To which I defired Dr. Ray- 
 wyW would return anfwcr; Tnat the town had 
 behaved themfelves fo ill to me, fo little regarded 
 the advice I g-ave them, and difa^reed fo much 
 among themfelves, that I was refolved never to 
 have more to co with them ; but that whatever 
 perfonal kindnefs 1 could do to yoe, fhould be 
 d jne. Pray, when you happen to fee jfoe, tell 
 him this, leit- Raymond fhould have blundered or 
 forgotten. — Poor Mrs. lVcJl:y — Why thefe poli- 
 gyej X ^^^ being abroad ? Why fhould you be at 
 ho'jie at all, until Stella is quite well ? — So, here 
 is miilrefs Stella again with her two eggs, i^c, 
 Mv Shnuer admired with You ; why the bifhop 
 of Clogher- fa\s, he has feen fomething of mine of 
 the fame fort, better than the SJwwer. I fuppofe 
 he m.eans The M'jrmng \ but it is not half fo good. 
 ] want your judgment of things, and not your 
 country's. Hov^ does MD like it .'' and do they 
 
 * To make this intelligible, it is necefiary to ob- 
 fsrve, that the words this fortnight, in the preceding 
 fcntence, were firlt written in what he calls their little 
 language, and afterwards fcratclied out and v/ritten 
 plain. It muil be confefied this little language, which, 
 palTed current between S^Mift and Stella, has occalioned 
 infinite trouble in the rcvifal of thefe papers. 
 
 f Trim. 
 
 X So written for apologies. 
 
 G 4 tafle
 
 ( 88 ) 
 
 tafte It aUP ^c. § I am glad dean Bolton has paid 
 the twenty pounds. Why fhould not I chide the 
 bifhop of Clogher for v/riting to the archbifhop of 
 Cajhsly without fending the letter fiift to me r" It 
 
 does not fignify a ; for he has no credit at 
 
 court. StiifF — they are all puppies. I'll break 
 your head in good earnefl, young woman, for 
 your naftyjeft about Mrs. Barton. Unlucky flut- 
 tikin, what a word is there ? Faith, 1 was think- 
 ing yefterday, when I was with her, whether fhe 
 could break them or no jj, and it quite Jpoiled my 
 imagination. Mrs. IValh., does i^tella win as flie 
 pretends? No indeed, d'Mpr \ fhe lofes always, 
 and will play fo ventcrfomely^ how can fhe win ? 
 See here now ; an't you an impudent lying flut ? 
 Do, open DonroHes letter ; v/hat docs it fignify, 
 if you have a mind r Yes, faith, you write fmartly 
 with your eyes fhut ; all was well but the w. See 
 how I can do it ; Madam Stella, your humble fer- 
 vant <fr. O, but one may look whether one goes 
 crooked c r no, and fo write on. I'll tell you 
 •what you may do ; you may write with your eyes 
 half fhut, jult as when one is going to fleep : I 
 have done fo for two or three lines now? 'tis 
 butjuft feeing enough to go ftraight. — Now, ma- 
 dam Dingley, [ think I bid you tell Mr, Walls^ 
 that in cafe there be occafion, I will ferve his 
 friend as far as I can ; but, I hope ^here will be 
 none. Yet I believe you will have a new Parlia^ 
 
 § He certainly means the ridicule of triplets in par- 
 ticular. 
 
 il This jeft is loftj whatever it was, for want of 
 MD's letter. 
 
 fl • !ere he writ with his eyes fhut, and the writing 
 is fomewhat crooked, although as well in other ref- 
 |)efts as if his eyes had be^n open. 
 
 me?tt i
 
 ( 89 ) 
 
 tneni j but I care not whether you have or no a 
 better. Ycu are mifl;aken in all your conjectures 
 about the Toilers. I have given him one or two 
 hints, ant) you have heard me talk ab.iut the Shil- 
 ling. Faith, thefe anfv/eiing letters are very long 
 ones : you have taken up almoft the room of a 
 vi^eek in journals ; and I'll tell you what, 1 faw 
 fellows wearing crolles to-day *, and I wondered 
 what was the matter ; but juft this minute I recol- 
 lect it is little Prejio's birth-day ; and I was re- 
 folvtd thefe three days to remember it when it 
 came, but could not. Pray, drink my health 
 to-day at dinner ; do, you rogues. Do you like 
 Sid Han.ct's Rod? Do you underlland it all ? 
 Well, now at laft I have done with your letter, 
 and fo I'll lay me down to fleep, and about fair 
 maids i and I hope merry maids all. 
 
 Dec. I. Morning. I wifh ^wj^Z* were hanged. 
 I was dreaming the moll melancholy things in the 
 world of poor Stella, and was grieving and crying 
 all night. — Pflioh, 'tis foolifti : I'll rile and divert 
 myfeif ; fo good morrow, and God of his infinite 
 mercy keep and protect you. The bifl:iop of 
 Clogher's letter is dated K'ov. 2i. He fays, you 
 thought of going with him to Clogher. I am 
 heartily glad of it, and v/ilh you would ride there, 
 and Dinghy go in a coach. I have had no fit 
 ilnce my firft:, although fametimes my head is not 
 quite in good order. — At night. 1 was this morn- 
 ing to vifit Mr. Pratty who is come over with 
 poor fitk lord Shelhum ; they made m.e dine with 
 them, and there I ftaid, like a booby, till eight, 
 looking over them at ombre, and then came 
 
 St, A/ia're-vj\ day. 
 
 lome,
 
 ( 90 ) 
 
 home. Lord Shelburn's giddinefs is turned into a 
 chiilick, and he looks miferably. 
 
 2. Steele, the rogue, has done the impudenteft 
 thing in the world : he (aid fomething in a Tathr, 
 that we ought to ufe the word Great Britain, and 
 not England, in common converfation, as. The 
 jinejl lady in Great Britain, CS'f. Upon this, Rowe, 
 Prior, and I fent him a letter, turning this into 
 ridicule. He has to-day printed the letter, and 
 figned it J. S. M. P. and N. R. the firft letters 
 of all our names. Congreve told me to-day, he 
 fmoakt it immediately. Congreve and I and Sir 
 Charles IVager dined to-day at Delaval's, the Por- 
 tugal evwoy ; and 1 (laid there till eight, and came 
 home, and am now writing to you before I do 
 bufinels, becaufe that dog Patrick is not at home, 
 and the fire is not made, and I am not in my gear. 
 Pox take him ! — I was looking by chance at the 
 top of this fide, and find 1 make plaguy mift-akes 
 in words; To that you muft fence againft'that as 
 well as bad writing. Faith, I can't nor won't 
 read what I have written. (Pox of this puppy !) 
 Well, I'll leave you till I am got to bed. and then 
 I'll fay a word or two. — Well, 'tis now almoft 
 twelve, and I have been bufy ever fincc, by a 
 fire too, (I have my coals by half a bufliel at a 
 time, ril afTure you) and now I am got to bed. 
 Well, and what have you to fay to Prejlo now he 
 is a-bed ? Come now, let us hear your fpeeches. 
 No, 'tis a lie, I an't flecpy yet. Let us fit up 
 a little longer, and talk. Well, where have you 
 been to-day, that you are but jurt this minute 
 come home in a coach ? What have you loft ? 
 Pay the coachman, Stella. No, faith, not I, he'll 
 grumble. — What new acquaintance have you got? 
 come, let u§ hear. I have made Delaval promife 
 
 to
 
 ( 91 ) 
 
 to fend me fome Brazil tobacco from Portugal for 
 you, madam Dingl.y. I hope you'll have your 
 chocolate and fpectacles before this comes to you. 
 
 3. Pfiiav/, I muft: be writing to thefe dear 
 faucy brats every night, whether 1 will or no, let 
 me have what bufinefs I will, or come home ever 
 io late, or be ever fo fleepy ; but an old laying, 
 and a true one. Be you lords, or be you earls, 
 you muft write to naughty girls. I was to-day 
 at Court^ and faw Raymond among the Beef-eaters^ 
 flaying to fee the queen : fo I put him in a better 
 ftation, matie two or three dozen of bows, and 
 went to church, and then to Ccurt again, to pick 
 up a dinner, as I did with Sir John Stanley , and 
 then we went to vifit lord Mountjcy, and juft now 
 left him, and 'tis near eleven at night, young 
 women, and methinks this letter comes pretty near 
 to the bottom, and 'tis but eight days fmcc the 
 date, and don't think I'll write on t'other fide, 
 I thank you tor nothing. Faith, if I v/ould ufc 
 you to letters on fheets as broad as this room, you 
 would always exped^ them from me. Oh, faith, 
 I know you well enough ; but an old faying, ^c. 
 Two fidcs in a (heet, and one in a ftreet, I think 
 that's but a filly old faying, and fo I'll gotoilccp, 
 and do you fo too. 
 
 4. I dined to-day with Mrs. Vanhomrigh^ and 
 then came home, and ftudied till eleven. No 
 adventure at all to-day. 
 
 5. So I went to the court of requefts (we have 
 had the Devil and all of rain by the bye) to pick 
 up a dinner; and Henley made me go dine with 
 him and one colonel Brag at a tavern, coil me 
 money, faith. Congreve was to be there, but 
 
 came
 
 C 92 ) 
 
 came not. I came with Henley to the Coffee-houfe^ 
 where lord Salijbury feemed mighty delirous to 
 talk with me ; and while he was wriggling him- 
 felf into my favour, that dog Henley afkcd me 
 aloud, whether I would go to fee lord Somers^ as 
 I had promifed (which was a lie) and all to vex 
 poor Lord Salifjiiry^ who is a high Tory. He played 
 two or three other fuch tricks, and I was forced 
 to leave my lord, and I came home at feven, and 
 have been writing ever fmce, and will now go to 
 bed. T'other day I faw Jack Temple in the court 
 of requefLS : it was the firft time of feeing him ; 
 fo we talked two or three carelefs words, and 
 parted. Is it true that your recorder and mayor, 
 and fanatick * aldermen, a month or two ago, at 
 a folemn feaft, drank Mr. Harlrys^ lord Rochejler'sy 
 and other Tory healths ? Let me know ; it was 
 confidently faid here. — The fcoundrels ! It (han't 
 do, Tom, 
 
 6. When is this letter to go, I wonder : harkee, 
 young women, tell me that. Saturday next for 
 certain, an 1 not before : then it will be juft a 
 fortnight ; time enough for 'naughty girls, and long 
 enough for two letters, faith. Co?igreve and Dclaval 
 have at laft prevailed on Sir Godfrey Kneller to in- 
 treat him to let him draw my pi6lure for nothing ; 
 but I know not yet when I Ihall fit. — It is fuch 
 nionftrous rainy weather, that there is no doing 
 with it. Secretary St. 'John fent to me this morn- 
 ing, that my dining with him to-day was put off 
 
 * The aldermen of Dublin were fanatical in thofe 
 4ays ; but for thefe eight or ten years part, the pro- 
 tellant party have fo far prevailed, that they have kept 
 out faiuuicks of ail denominations, and feem deter- 
 mined never to adjait one more into their body. 
 
 till
 
 ' ( 93 ) 
 
 till to-morrow ; fo I peaceably fat with my neigh- 
 bour Ford^ dined with him, and came home at lix, 
 and am now in bed as ufual ; and now it is time 
 to have anotlier letter from A//), yet I would not 
 have it till this goes ; for that would look like two 
 letters for one. Is it not whimfical that the dean 
 has never once written to me? And I find the 
 archbifhop very filent to that letter I fent him 
 with an account that the bufinefs was done. I 
 believe he knows not what to write or fay ; and I 
 have fmce written twice to him, both times with 
 a vengeance. Well, go to bed, firrahs, and fo 
 will I. But have you lolt to-day ? Three fbilhngs. 
 O fye, O fye. 
 
 7. No, I won't fend this letter to-day, nor 
 till Saturday^ faith ; and I'm fo afraid of one from 
 y^/Z) between this and that: if it comes, I'lljuft 
 fay I received a letter,, and that's all. I dined 
 to-day with Mr. fecretary St. John, where were 
 lord Jnglefea, Sir Thotnas Hamner^ Prior, Friend, 
 &c. and then made a debauch after nine at P/vsr's 
 houfe, and have eaten cold pye, and I hate the 
 thoughts of it, and I am full, and I don't like it, 
 and I'll go to bed, and it is late, and fo good 
 night. 
 
 8. To-day I dined with Mr. P.arley and Prior ; 
 but Mr. St. John did not come, though he pro- 
 mifed : he chid me for not feeing him oftner. 
 Here's a damned libellous pamphlet come out 
 againft lord Wharton^ giving the characler firft, 
 and then telling fome of his acStions : the character 
 is very well, but the faiSs indifferent. It has been 
 fent by dozens to feveral gentlemen's lodgings, 
 and Lhad one or two of them, but nobody knows 
 the author or printer. We arc terribly afraid of 
 
 the
 
 ( 94 ) 
 
 the plague ; they fay it is at Newcajlle. I begged 
 Mr. Harley for the love of God to take fome care 
 about it, or we are all ruined. There have 
 been orders for all fnips from the Baltick to pafs 
 their quarantine before they land ; but they 
 pegle£l it. You remember 1 have been afraid 
 thefe two years. 
 
 9. O faith, you are a faucy rogue. I have 
 had your fixth letter juft now, before this is gone j 
 but I won't anfwer a word of it, only that I never 
 was giddy fuice iv.j fiift fit, but I have had a cold 
 juft a fortnight, ajid cough with it (till morning 
 and evening ; hut it will go off. It is, however, 
 fuch abominable weather that no creature can walk. 
 They fay here three of your commifTioners will be 
 turned out. Ogle, South, and St. Quintain, and 
 that Dick Stuart and Ludlow will be tv/o of the 
 new ones. I am a little foliciting for another; 
 'tis poor lord Abcrcorn^ but that is a fecret, I 
 mean, that I befriend him, is a fecret ; but I 
 believe it is too late, by his own fault and ill for- 
 tune. I dined with him to-day. I am heartily 
 forry you don't go to Clogher, faith, I am ; and 
 fo God Almighty prote61: poor dear, dear, dear, 
 deareft AdD. Farewel till to-night. I'll begin 
 my eleventh to-night j fo I am alwavs writing to 
 little MD. 
 
 LETTER XL 
 
 London, Dec. 9, 17 10. 
 
 ^ O, young women, I have juft fent my tenth 
 to the poft-office, and, as I told you, have re- 
 ceived your feventh (faith I'm afraid I miftook, 
 and laid your fixth, and then we fhall be all in 
 confufion this month.) Well,. I told you I dined 
 
 with
 
 ( 95 ) 
 
 with lord Abercom to-day, and that's enough till 
 by and bye; for I muft go write idle things ; and 
 twittle twattle, What's here to do with your little 
 MD's ? and fo I put this by for a while. — 'lis 
 now late, and I can only fay MD's a dear faucy 
 rogue, and what then ? Prejio loves them the 
 better. 
 
 10. This fon of a b — Patrick is out of the 
 way, and I can do nothing ; am forced to borrow 
 coals : 'tis now fix o'clock, and I am come home 
 after a pure walk in the park ; delicate weather, 
 begun only to-day. A terrible ftorm laft night : 
 we hear one of your pacquct-boats is caft away, 
 and young Beaj. Swift in it, and general Sankey : 
 I know not the truth ; you will before me. Ray- 
 ms7id tzlks of leaving the town in a few days, and 
 going in a month to Ireland, ix>r fear his wife 
 Ihould be too far gene, and forced to be brought 
 to-bed here. I think he is in the right ; but per- 
 haps this pacquet-boat will flight him. He has 
 no reli/h for London ; and I do not wonder at it. 
 He has got fome Templars from Ireland that fhcw 
 him the town. I do not let him fee me above 
 twice a week, and that only while I am drefiing 
 in the morning. — So, now the puppy is come in, 
 and I have got my own ink, but a new pen ; and 
 fo now you are rogues and fauce-boxes till I go 
 to bed ; for I muft go ftudy, firrahs. Now I 
 think of it, tell the bifliop of Clogber he fhall not 
 cheat me of one inch of my Bell Metal. You 
 know it is nothing but to- fave the town money ; 
 and E;uJkiUing can afford it better than Laracor : 
 he Ihall have but one thoufand hve hundied 
 weight. I have been reading, kSc. as ufual, and 
 am now going to bed j and 1 find this day's arti- 
 cle
 
 ( 96 ) 
 
 cle'is long enough : fo get go gone till to-morrow 
 and then. I dined with fir Matthew Dualey. 
 
 11. I am come again as yeftcrday, and • the 
 puppy had again lockt up my ink, notwithftand- 
 ing all I faid to him yellerday ; but he came 
 home a little after me, fo all is well : they are 
 lighting my fire, and I'll go ftudy. The fair 
 weather is gone again, and it has rained all day. 
 I do not like this open weather, though fome fay 
 it is healthy. They fay it is a falfe report about 
 the plague at NewcaJIle. I have no news to-day : 
 I dined with Mrs. Va7iho7nrtgh^ to defire them to 
 buy me a fcarf ; and lady Abercorn is to buy, me 
 another, to fee v/ho does beft : mine is all in rags. 
 I faw the duke o{ Richmond yefterday at Court again ; 
 but would not fpeak to him : 1 believe we are 
 fallen out. I am now in bed ; and it has rained 
 all this evening, like wild-fire : Have you fo much 
 rain in your town ? Raytnond was in a fright, as I 
 expelled, upon the news of this fhip-wreckj but 
 I perfuaded him, and he leaves this town in a 
 week. I got him acquainted with fir Robert Ray- 
 mond, the foiicitor general, who ov/ns him to be 
 of his family ; and 1 believe it may do him a kind- 
 refs, by being recommended to your new lord 
 chancellor. — I had a letter from Mrs. Lomr, that 
 has quite turned mv ftomach againil her : no lefs 
 than two nafty jefts in it with daflies po fuppofe 
 them. She is corrupted in that country town * 
 with vile converlation. — 1 won't anfwer your let- 
 ter till I have Icifure : fo let this go on as it will, 
 what care I ? what cares faucy Pre/lo ? 
 
 12. T was to-day at the fecretary's office vi'ith 
 Lewis, and in came lord Rivers, who took Lmis 
 
 * Lvnn-Rrais. 
 
 out
 
 ( 97 ) 
 
 out and whlfpcred him ; and then came up to 
 mc to defire my acquaintance, ^c. (o we bowed 
 and complimtiited awhile, and parted ; and I 
 dined with Phil. Savage fj and his /r//^ Club^ at 
 their boarding place; and, paffing an evenino- 
 fcurvily enough, did not come home till eight. 
 Mr. Ad^ifon and I hardly meet once a fortnight; 
 his Parliamait % ^nd my different friendlhips keep 
 us afunder. Sir Matthau Dudley turned away his 
 butler yelterday morning, and at night the poor 
 fellow died fuddenly in the ftreets : Was not it 
 an odd event ? But what care you ; but then I 
 knew the butler. — Why, it fr.°ms your pacquet- 
 brat is not loft : pfh.th, how filly that is, when I 
 had alre:idy gone through the forms, and fiid it 
 was a fad thing, and that I was forry for it. But 
 when muft I anfwer this letter of our MD's ? Here 
 it is, it lies between this paper on t'other fide of 
 the leaf: one ofthefe odd-come-fhortly's I'll con- 
 fider, and fo good night. 
 
 I 3. Morning. I am to go traping with lady 
 Kerry and Mis. Pratt to fee fights all this day : 
 they engaged me yefterday morning at tea. You 
 hear the havock making in the army : Aleredith, 
 Macartney^ and colonel Hmcywood^ are obliged to 
 fell their commands at half value, and leave the 
 army, for drinking Deftru6lion to the prefent mi- 
 niftry, and drefling up a hat on a flick, and call- 
 ing it Harley ; then drinking a glafs with one hand, 
 and difcharging a pillol with the o^her at the 
 maukin ; vvifhing it were Harley himfelf ; and a 
 hundred other fuch pretty tricks, as enflaming 
 their foldiers, and foreign miniftcrs, againft the 
 
 -f- Chancellor of the Exchequer in Ireland. 
 X i. e. his attendance in parliament. 
 
 Vol. IV^ H late 
 
 e
 
 ( 98 ) 
 
 late changes at Court. Cadogan has had a little 
 paring : his mother told me yeftcrday he had loft 
 the place of envoy ; but I hope they will go no 
 f*urther with him, for he was not at thofe mutinous 
 meetings. Well, thefe faucy jades take up fo 
 much of my time, with writin^^ to them in a 
 morning ; but faith I am glad to fee you whenever 
 I can : a little fnap and away; and To hold your 
 tongue, for I muft rife : not a word for your life. 
 How nowwv/ ? So, very well 3 fiay till I come 
 home, and then, perhaps, you may hear further 
 from me. And where will you go to-day, for I 
 can't be with you for thefe ladies ? It is a rainy 
 ugly day. I'd have you fend for IValls, and go to 
 the dean's ; but don't play fmall games when you 
 lofe. You'll be ruined by Manilio^ Bajio^ the 
 ^ueen^ and two fmall Trumps in red. I confefs 
 'tis a good hand: againft Lhe player : but then 
 there ai'e $l^adilio^ l^wito^ the King^ flrong Trumps 
 againil: you, which, with one Trump more, are 
 three tricks ten ace : for, fuppofe you play your 
 Manilio — Oh, filly, how I prate and can't get 
 away from this MD in a morning. Go, get you 
 gpne, dtar naughty girls, and let me rife. There, 
 PatrJcliXozYt up my ink again the third time laft 
 nifrht : the rogue gets the better of me j but 1 
 will rife in fpi:e of you, firrahs. — At night. Lady 
 Kerry., Mrs. Pratt., Mrs. Cadogan^ and I, in one 
 coach ; lady Ktrrys fon and his governor, and 
 two ger\tlemen in another ; maids and miffes, and 
 little mailer (lord Shelhurri's children) in a third, 
 all hackneys, fet out at ten o'clock this morning 
 from lord Shsiburns houfc in Piccadilly to the Tower ^ 
 and fawall the fights, lions, i^c. then to Bedlam;, 
 then dined at the Ch.p-houfc behind the Exchange ^ 
 then to Grejham College (but the keeper was not 
 4 at
 
 ( 99 ) 
 
 at home) and ccncludcd the night at the Pr/ppef- 
 Shewy whence we came home lafe at eight, and 
 I left them. The ladies were all in mobbs ; how 
 do you call it? undreft; and it was the rainieft 
 day that ever dript j and I'm weary, and 'tis 
 now pad eleven. 
 
 14. Stay, I'll anfwer fome of your letter this 
 morning in bed : let me fee ; come and appear, 
 little letter. Here I am, fays he, and what fay 
 you to Mrs. MD this morning frefli and fad- 
 ing ? Who dafes think AdD negligent ? I allow 
 them a fortnight, and they give it me. I could 
 fill a letter in a week ; but it is longer every day, 
 and fo I keep it a fortnight, and then 'tis cheaper 
 by one half. ' I have never been giddy, dear Stella, 
 fince that morning: I have taken a whole box of 
 pills, and keckt at them every night, and drank 
 a pint of brandy at mornings. — Oh then, you 
 kept PrcJlo% little Birth day : v/ouid to God I had 
 been with you. 1 forgot it, as I told vou before. 
 Ridiculous, madam; 1 fuppofe you me^n R;di- 
 culous : let me have no more of that ; 'tis the 
 author of the Atalanih\ fpelling. I have mended 
 it in your letter. And can Stella read this writ- 
 ing without hurting her dear eyes? O, faith, 
 i'm afraid not. Have a care of thofe eyes, pray, 
 pray, pretty Stella. — 'Tis well enough what you 
 ohferve. That if I writ better, perhaps you would 
 not read fo well, being ufed to this manner ; 'tis 
 an alphabet you are ufed to : you know fuch a 
 pothook makes a letter ; and you know what let- 
 ter, and fo, and lo — I'll fwear he told me fo, 
 ^nd that they were long letters too ; but I t'id 
 him it was a Gajconnade of yours, ^c, I am talk- 
 ing of the bifliop of Clogher^ how he forgot. 
 
 H 2 turn
 
 ( ICO ) 
 
 Turn over *. T had not room on t'other fide to 
 fay that, fo I did it on this : I fancy that's a good 
 Jrijh blunder. Ah, v hy don't you go down to 
 Clogher naiitinautinautidcrugirls ; I dare not fay 
 nauti without dear : O, fviith, you govern me. 
 But, ferioufly, I'm forry you don't go, as far as 
 I can judge at this diftance. No, we would get 
 you another horfe : I will make Parvifcl get you 
 one. I always ^'oviV d tbat horfe of yours : 
 prythee fell him, and let it be a prcfent to me. 
 My heart akcs when I think you ride him. 
 Order Parvifol to (ell him, and that you are to 
 return me the money : I fhall never be eafy until 
 .he is out of your hands. Fai'h, I have dreamt 
 five or fix times of horfes tumbling fmce 1 had 
 your letter. If he can't fell hiin, kt him run this 
 IVJnter. Faith, if I was near you, I would whip 
 vour — to feme rune, for your grave faucy anfwer 
 about the dean and 'Jonjonihui ; I would, young 
 women. And did the dean preach for me ? Very 
 Well. Why, would they have me ftand here and 
 prtach to them ? No, the Tatler of the Shilling 
 was not mine, more than the hint, and two or 
 three- general heads for it. I have much more 
 important bufmefs on my hands : and, befides, 
 the miniftry hate to think that I ihould help him, 
 and have made reproaches on it ; and I frankly 
 told them, 1 wo. 'Id do it no more. This is a 
 fecret though, Madam Stella. You win eight 
 ftiillings ; you win eight ficidle-flicks. Faith, you 
 fay nothing of what you lofe, young women. — 
 T hope ManLy is in no great danger ; for Ned 
 Southtvell is his friend, and fo is fir Thojnoi Frank- 
 landy and his brother 'John Manley ftands up 
 
 * He feems to have written thefe words in a whim, 
 for the fake of what follows, 
 
 heartily
 
 ( lor ) 
 
 heartily for him. On t'other fide, all the gentle- 
 men of Ireland here are furioufly againff him. 
 Now, M'ftrefs Dingley, an't you an impudent flut 
 to expert a letter next pacquet from Pre/io^ when 
 you confefs yourfelf, that you had fo lately two 
 letters in four days ? Unreafonable baggage ! No, 
 little D'wffJey, I am always in bed by twelve ; I 
 mean my candle's out by twelve, and I take great 
 care of myfelf. Pray let every body know, upon 
 occafjon, that Mr. HarUy got the Firjl-Fruits 
 from the queen for the clergy of Ireland, and that 
 nothing remains but the forms, ^c. So you fay 
 the dean and you dined at ^tsyte's^ and Mrs. Stoyte 
 was in raptures that I remembered her. 1 mull 
 do it but feldorn, or it will take off her rapture. 
 — But, what now, you faucy flats, all this written 
 in a morning, and I muft rife and go abroad. 
 Pray flay till night : don't think I'll fquander 
 mornings upon you, pray good IVIadam. Faith, 
 if I go on longer in this trick of writing in the 
 morning, I fhall be afraid of leaving it off, and 
 think you expedl it, and be in awe Good mor* 
 row, firrahs, I will rife. - — At night. 1 went 
 to-day to the court of requefts (I will not anfwer 
 the reft of your letter yet, that by the way) in 
 hopes to dine with Mr. Harley : but lord Duppliny 
 his fon in-law, told me he did not dine at home ; 
 fo I was at a lofs, until I met with Mr. fecretary 
 St. jfohn, and went home and dined with him, 
 where he told me of a good bite. Lord Rivers 
 told me two days ago, that he was refolved to 
 come Sunday fortnigiit next to hear me preach 
 before the queen. 1 affured him the day was not 
 yet fixt, and i knew nothing of it. To-day the 
 fecretary told mc, that his father, fir Harry St. 
 "John,, and lord Rivers^ were to be at St. Ja?nes's 
 church, to hear me preach there ; and were af- 
 
 H 3 fured
 
 ( J02 } 
 
 fured I was to preach : fo there will be another 
 bite ; for I know nothing of the matter, but that 
 Mr. Harley and St. 'John are refolved I muft preach 
 before the queen, and the fecretary of ftate has 
 told me he will give me three weeks warning j 
 but I defncd to be excufed, which he will not. 
 St. ychn^t " you fhall not be excufed :" however, 
 1 hope they will forget it ; for if it fhould hap- 
 pen, all the puppies hereabouts will throng to 
 hear me, and expeil: fomething wonderful, and 
 be plaguily baulkt ; for I fhall preach plain honeft 
 fluff*. 1 ftaid with St. Jchn till eight, and theii 
 came home, and Patrick ^c^ned leave to go abroad, 
 and by and by comes up the girl to tell me, a 
 gentleman was below in a coach who had a bill 
 to pay me ; fo I let him come up, and who fhould 
 it be but Mr. Jddifon and Sam Dapping., to haul 
 me out to fupper, where I have ftaid till twelve. 
 If Patrick had been at home I fhould have fcaped 
 this; for I have taught him to deny me almoft 
 
 as well as Mr. Harley s porter. Where did I 
 
 leave off in MD's letter : let me fee. So, now 
 I have it. You are pleafed to fay, Madam Ding- 
 iey^ that thofe that go for England, can never tell 
 when to come back. Do you mean this as a 
 refledion upon Prejlo., Madam ? Sauce-boxes, 
 ril come back as foon as I can, as hope faved, 
 and I hope with feme advantage, unlefs all mini- 
 flries be alike, as perhaps they may. I hope Hawk" 
 Jhaw is in Dublin before now, and that you have 
 your things, and like your fpc£tacles : if you do 
 rot, you fhall have better. I hope Dinghy's to- 
 bacco did not fpoil Stella's chocolate, and that all 
 is fafe : pray let me knov/. Mr. Jddifin and I 
 
 * The miniflry never could prevail upon the doc- 
 tor to preach before the queen. 
 
 are
 
 ( 103 ; 
 
 are different as black and white, and I believe 
 our friendftiip will go off, by this damned bufi- 
 nefs of party : he cannot bc.\r feeing me fall in 
 fo with this miniltry ; but I love him ftill as well 
 as ever, though we feldom meet. — Huffy, Stella, 
 you jeft about poor Corigrcvis eyes ; you do fo, 
 
 huffy ; but I'll banrr )'our bones, faith. Yes, 
 
 Steele was a little while in prifon. or at lead in a 
 fpunging houfe, fome time before I came, but not 
 fince. — Pox on your convocations, and your Lam- 
 hefts ; they write with a vengeance ! I fuppofe 
 you think it a pitxc of affedation in me to wifh 
 your /r//?^ folks would not like my Sboiccr -y but 
 you aie miftaken. I (hould be glad to have the 
 general applaufe there as I have here (though I fay 
 it) but I liave only that of one or two, and there- 
 fore I would have none at all, but let you all 
 be in the wrong. I don't know, this is not what 
 I would fay ; but I am fo tofticated with fispper 
 and fluff that I can't exprefs m) felf — What )0U 
 fay of Sid Ha?n.t is viell enough ; that an eneniy 
 fliould like it, and a friend n 't ; and that telling 
 the author would make both change their opi- 
 nions. Why did not vou tell Grlffyth that you 
 fancied there was fomething in it of my manner ; 
 but firft fpur up his commendation to the height, 
 as we ferved my poor uncle about the fconce that 
 I mended. Well, I defired you to give what I 
 intended for an anfwer to Mrs. Fenton^ to fave 
 her poftage, and myfelf trouble j and I hope I 
 have done it, if you han't. 
 
 15. Lord, what a long day's writing was yef- 
 terday's anfwer to your letter, firrahs ? I dined 
 to-day with Lcivii and Ford^ whom I have brought 
 acquainted. Lc-ucis told me a pure thing. I had 
 been hankering with Mr. Hurley to fave Stetle his 
 ^ ■ ^ j^ other
 
 ( 104 ) 
 
 ether emplovment, and have a little mercy on 
 him, and I had been faying the fame thing to 
 Lewis, who is Mr. Harleyh chief favourite. Lewis 
 tells Mr. Harley how kindly I fhould take it, if 
 he would be reconciled to Steele, &c. Mr. Har- 
 ley, on my account, falls in with it, and appoints 
 Steele a time to let him atrend him, which Stede 
 accepts with great fubmiffion, but never comes, 
 nor fends any excufe. Whether it was blunder- 
 ing, fullennefs, infolence, or rancor of party, I 
 cannot tell ; but I fhall trouble myfelf no more 
 about him. I believe Addifon hindered him out 
 of meer fpight, being grated to the foul to think 
 he fhould ever want my help to fave his friend ; 
 yet now he is foliciting me to make, another of 
 his friends queen's fecietary at Geneva ; and I'll- 
 do it if I can, it is poor Pajioral Pbiiips. 
 
 i6. O, why did you leave my pi£lure behind 
 you at t'other lodgings ; forgot it ? Well j but 
 pray remember it: now, and don't roll it up, d'ye 
 hear, but hang it carefully in fome part of your 
 room, where chairs and candles, and mop-fticks 
 won't fpoil it, firrahs. No truly, I will not be 
 godfather to goody IValls this bout, and I hope 
 /h.e'11 'ave no more. There will be no quiet nor 
 cards for this child. I hope it will die the day 
 after the chriftening. Mr. Harley gave me a 
 paper, with an account of the fentence you fpeak 
 of againft the lads that defaced the flatue *, and 
 
 that 
 
 * An equrftrian ftatue of king William the Tlld, in 
 CcUege-Gree", Didlin. It was common inthe days of 
 party, for wild young Piudents of theuniverfity of Z)«^- 
 lin to play feveral tricks with this flatue. Sometimes 
 in their frolicks they would fet a mavvkin behind the 
 
 efr'giea
 
 ( ^05 ) 
 
 that hgoUJhy reprieved that part of it of (landing 
 before the ftatue. I hope it was never executed. 
 We have got your Broderick out j Doyne is to 
 fucceed him, and Cox Doyne. And fo there's an 
 end of your letter ; 'tis all anfwered, and nov^r I 
 mufl go on upon my own flock ; go on, did I 
 fay ? Why, 1 have written enough ; but this is 
 too foon to fend it yet, young women ; faith I dare 
 not ufe you to it, you'll always expe£l it ; what 
 remains fhall be only fhort journals of a day, and 
 fo I'll rife ; for this morning. — At night. 1 dined 
 with my oppofue neighbour, Darteneufy and I 
 was foliciting this day, to prefent the bifhop of 
 
 effigies of the king ; fometlmes drefs up the horfe and 
 rider with bows and fheaves of ftraw ; but their infer- 
 nal fin was that of whipping the truncheon out of the 
 rider's hand, and thereby leaving the poor ftatue de- 
 fencelefs. For thefe and the like freaks, many young 
 gentlemen were in forn.cr days expelled the univerfity. 
 Jbut, in after-times, there was ample amends made 
 to the ftatue for thefe affronts ; if wheeling round its 
 pedeftal with all gravity and folcmnitv, then alighting 
 from coaches, falling down upon the knees, and drink- 
 ing to the glorious and immortal memory of the dead, 
 with eyes lifted up to the llatue, could exprcfs the gra- 
 titude and devotion of its adorers. It is faid, that 
 what originally gave the fiudents offence, was the fits 
 of the ftatue the front of it being directed to the city, 
 and the back diametrically oppoftte to the great and 
 beautiful entrance of the college; which is certainly a 
 great deformity : and belides, it caufes fo very aukward 
 an interruption in the paffage to tbe univerfity, and is 
 generally fo bedaubed with filth and dirt, that every 
 man of tafte would be glad it were removed either to 
 S/. Stephen' s,-Green, the Barracks, or fome other place, 
 where it might Ihew to advantage. \i that were done, 
 how beautiful would appear the noble and majeftick 
 front of that learned univerfity ! 
 
 Clogher
 
 ( io6 ) 
 
 Chgher Flee- Chancellor f i but it won't do ; they 
 are all fet againft him, and the duke of Ormond, 
 they fay, has refolved to difpofe of it fomewhere 
 elfe. Well J litt'e faucy rogues, don't liay out 
 too late to-night, becaufe it is 5.7/a?'^^^j; night, and 
 young women fhould come home foon then. 
 
 17. I went to Court to feek a dinner, but the 
 queen was not at church, ihe has got a touch of 
 the gout ; fo the Coi{rt was thin, and I went to 
 the Ccffee-houfe j and Sir Thomas Frankland, and 
 his eldeft fon and I went and dined with his fon 
 William. I talk'd a great deal to Sir Thomas about 
 Manle)\ and find he is his good friend, and fo 
 has Ned Southwell been, and I hope he will be 
 fafe, though all the hijh folks here are his mor- 
 tal enemies. There was a deviliih bite to-day. 
 They had it, I know not how, that I was to 
 preach this morning at 5/. James's Church, an 
 abundance went, among the reft lord Radnor^ 
 who never is abroad till three in the afternoon. 
 I walk'd all the way home from Hatton-Garden 
 at fix, by moon -light, a delicate night. RayTnond 
 called at nine, but I was denied, and now I am 
 in bed between eleven and twelve, juft going to 
 fleep, and dream of my own dear roguifh impu- 
 dent pretty MD. 
 
 18. You will now have fhort days works, juft 
 a few lines to tell you where I am, and what I 
 am doing i only I will keep room for the Lift day 
 to tell you news, if there be any worth fending. 
 I have been fometimcs like to do it at the top of 
 my letter, until I remark it would be old before 
 it reached you, i was hunting to dine with Mr. 
 Harley to-day, but could not find him j and fo I 
 
 f Of the Univerfity of Dublin, 
 
 dined
 
 ( 107 ) 
 
 dined with honefl: Dr. Cockbiirn^ and came home 
 at fix, and was taken out to next door by Dap- 
 ping and Ford^ to drink bad claret and oranges, 
 and we let Raymond come to us, who talks of 
 leaving the town to-morrow, but 1 believe will 
 llay a day or two longer. It is no'A^ late, and I 
 will fay no more, but end this line with bidding 
 my own dear faucy MD good night, &c. 
 
 19. I am come down proud ftomach in one in- 
 flance, for I went to-day to fee the duke of Buck- 
 ingham ; but came too late ; then I vifited Mrs. 
 'Barton^ and thought to have dined with feme of 
 .the miniftry j but it rained, and iVIrs. Vanhsmrigh 
 \vas nigh, and I took the opportunity of paying 
 her for a fcarf fi:ie bought me, and dined there ; 
 ^t four I went to congratulate with lord Shelburn^ 
 for the death of poor lady Shclburn dowager ; he 
 was at his country houfe ; and returned while I 
 was there, and had not heard of it, and he took 
 it very well. 1 am now come home before fix, 
 and find a pacquct from the bifhop oi Clogher, with 
 one inclofed to the duke of Ormond, which is ten 
 days earlier dated than another I had f"rom Par- 
 •vifol ; however, 'tis no matter, for the duke has 
 already difpofed of the vice chancellorfhip to the 
 archbifhop of Tuam *, and I couid not help it, 
 for it IS a thing wholly you know in the duke's 
 power ; and I find the bifhop has enemies about 
 the duke. I write this wliile Patrick is folding up 
 my fcarf, and doing up the fire (for I keep a fire, 
 it cofts me twelve- pence a week) and fo be quiet 
 till I am gone to bed, and then fit down by me a 
 little, ard we'll talk a few words more. Well ; 
 inow MD is at my bed fide j and now what (hall 
 
 * Dv. Fe/ey, 
 
 wc
 
 ( io8 ) 
 
 we fay ? How does Mrs. Stoite ? What had the 
 dean for fupper ? How much did Mrs. ff^al/s win ? 
 poor lady Shelbur?i : well, go get you to bed, 
 llrrahs. 
 
 20. Morning. I was up this morning early, 
 and (haved by candle-light, and write this by the 
 iire-fide. Poor Raymond ]uii came in and took his 
 leave of me ; he is fummoned by high order from 
 his wife, but pretends he has had enough of Lon- 
 don. I was a little melancholy to part with him; 
 he goes to Brijhl, where they are to be with his 
 merchant brother, and now thinks of flaying till 
 Afay ; fo (he muft be brought to bed in England, 
 He was fo eafy and manageable, that I almoft re- 
 pent I fufFered him to fee me fo feldom. But he is 
 gone, and will fave Patrick fome lies in a week ; 
 Patrick is grown admirable at it, and will make 
 his fortune; How now, firrah, muft I write in 
 a morning to your impudence ? Stay till night, 
 And then I'll write in black and white. By can- 
 dle-light Of wax fo bright, It helps the fight, A 
 bite a bite — Marry come up, miftrefs Boldface. 
 — At night. Dr. Raymond C2ivat back, and goes 
 to-morrow. I did not come home till eleven, and 
 found him here to take leave of me. I went to 
 the court of requefts, thinking to find Mr. Harley 
 and dine with him, and refufed Henley^ and every 
 body, and atlaft kixw not where to go, and met 
 'Jcminy Leigh by chance, and he was juft in the 
 lame way, fo 1 dined at his lodgings on a beef- 
 fteak, and drank your health, then left him and 
 went to the tavern with Ben Tooke and Portlack^ 
 the duke of Ormond's fecretary, drinking nafty 
 white-wine till eleven. I am fick, and -afhamed 
 of it, occ. 
 
 21. I
 
 ( 1C9 ) 
 
 21. I met that beaft Ferris, lord Berkeley t 
 fleward formerly ; I walkt with him a turn in the 
 Park, and that fcoundrel dog is as happy as an, 
 cmp-Tor, has manied a wife with a confiderable 
 eftate in land and houfes about this town, and 
 lives at his eafe at Hammcrfmith. See your con- 
 founded feci. — Well ; I had the fame luck to- 
 day with Mr. Harky ; 'twas a lovely day, and 
 went by water into the city, and dined with 
 Stratford at a merchant's houfc, and walkt home 
 with as great a dunce as Ferris^ I mean honeft 
 colonel Cauficld, and came home by eight, and 
 now am in bed, and going to flcep for a wager, 
 and will fend this letter on Saturday, and fo ; but 
 firft ril \\ifh you a merry Chrijimai and a happy 
 Ntw-Tear, and pray God we may never keep 
 them afundcr again. 
 
 22. Morning. I am going now to Mr. Harhy% 
 Levee on purpofe to vex him ; I'll fay I had no 
 other way of feeing htm, &:c. Patrick fays, it is a 
 dark morning, and that the duke of Argyle is to be 
 knighted to-day, the booby means inftallcd at 
 Windfor. But I muft rife, for this is a fliaving- 
 day, and Patrick fays, there is a good fire ; I wilh 
 MD were by it, or 1 by MD's. — At night. I 
 forsjot to tell you, madam Dingley, that 1 payed 
 nine {hilling for your glafs and fpe£tacles, of 
 which three were for thebifhop's cafe : I am forry 
 I did not buy you fuch another cafe ; but if you 
 like it, I wil' bring or.e over with me, pray tell 
 me: the olafs to read was four (hillings, the fpec- 
 taclcs two. And have you had your chocolate ? 
 Leigh fa)s, he fent the petticoat by one A4r. 
 Spencer,. Pray have you no further commiiTions 
 for me ^ I paid the glafs-man but lafl night, and 
 he would have made me a prefent of the cnicrof- 
 
 cope
 
 ( 110 ) 
 
 cope worth thirty fhillings, and would have fent 
 it home along with me ; I thought the deuce was 
 -in the man : he faid I could do him more fervice 
 than that was worth. Sec. I refufed his prefent^ 
 but promiled him all fervice 1 could do him j and 
 fo now I am obliged in honour to recommend hira 
 to every body. — At night. I went to Mr. Harky's 
 Levee', he came and afked me, what I had to do 
 there, and bid me come and dine with him on a 
 family dinner; which I did, and it was the firft 
 time 1 ever faw his lady and daughter ; at five my 
 lord keeper came in : I told Mr. Harky^ he had 
 formerly prefented me to fir ^hnon Harcourt^ biit 
 now muft to my lord keeper, fo he laughed, &c. 
 
 23. Morning. This letter goes to-night with- 
 out fail ; I hope there is none from you yet at the 
 Coffce-houfe ; I'll fend and fee by and bye ; and let 
 you know, and fo and fo. Patrick goes to fee for 
 a Ittter : what will you lay, Is there one front 
 AID or no ? No, I fay ; done for fix-pence, 
 Why has the dean never once written to me ? 1 
 won fix-pence ; I won lix-pence j there's not on'^ 
 letter to Prejio. Good morrow, dear firrah5 : Sfraf- 
 fcrdzndi 1 dine to-day with lord Mouvtjoy. God 
 Almighty prefurve and blefs you ; farewell, &c. 
 
 I have been dining at lord Mownjoys \ and aiti 
 come to ftudy ; our news from Spain this poft 
 takes off fome of our fears. The -Parluiment is 
 prorogued to day, or adjourned rather till after the 
 Hcly-days. Bank fiock is 105, 'io 1 may get ill. 
 for my bargain already. Patrick the puppy is 
 abroad, and how {hall I fend this letter ? Good 
 night little dears both, and be happy, and remem- 
 ber your poor Prejio^ that wants you f^idly, as 
 hope favcd. Let mt go (tudy, naughty girls, and 
 
 don't
 
 Cm) 
 
 don't keep me at the bottom of the paper. O 
 faith, if you knew what lies on my hands con- 
 ftantly, you would wonder to fee how I could 
 write fuch long letters ; but we'll talk of that 
 fome other time *. Good night again, and God 
 blefs dear MD with his beft bleflings, yes, ycsj 
 and Dinghy and Stella and me too, &c. 
 
 A(k the bifhop of Clogher about the pun I font 
 him of lord Stawell's brother ; 'twill be a pure 
 bite. This letter has 199 lines in it, bcfidi: all 
 poftfcripts ; 1 had a curiofity to reckon. 
 
 There's a long letter for you. 
 
 It Is longer than a fermon, faith. 
 
 I had another letter from Mrs. Fcnton, •w'ho 
 fays vou were w ith her ; I hope you did not go on 
 purpofe. I will aniwcr her letter foon j it 
 about fome money in lady G'tjfarcC^ hands. 
 
 IS 
 
 They fay you have had eight pacqucts due to 
 you ; fo pray, madams, don't blame Prejlo^ but 
 the IVind. 
 
 My humble fervice to Mrs. Walk and Mrs. 
 Btoiu ; I mifs'd the former a good while. 
 
 LETTER XII. 
 
 London, Dec. 13, ^1^m. 
 
 \ Have fent my i ith to-night as ufual, and begin 
 
 the dozenth, and I told you I dined with Strat' 
 
 ford at lord Mountjoys^ and I'll tcli you no more 
 
 * V/iitIng the Examiner, 
 
 at
 
 ( tl2 ) 
 
 at prefent, guefs for why ; becaufe I am going to 
 mind things, and mighty affairs, not your nafty 
 Fir/i'Fruits : I let them alone till Mr. Harley gets 
 the queen's letter, but other things of greater 
 moment, that you fhall know one day, when the 
 ducks have eaten up all the dirt. So fit ftill a 
 while juft by me while 1 am ftudying, and don't 
 fay a word, I charge you, and when I am going 
 to bed, I'll take you along, and talk with vou a 
 little while, fo there, fit there. — Come then, let us 
 fee what we have to fay to thefe faucy brats, that 
 will not let us go fleep at paft eleven. Why, I 
 am a little impatient to know how you do ; but 
 that I take it for a fianding m^xim, that when 
 you are filent, all is pretty well, becaufe that is 
 the way 1 will deal with you ; and if there was 
 anything vou ought to know now, I would write 
 by the firft poft, although I had written but the 
 day before. Remember this, young women, and 
 God Almighty preferve you both, and mJtke us 
 happy together ; and tell me how accounts (land 
 between us, that you may be paid long before it 
 is due, not to want. I will return no more 
 money while I ftay, fo that you need not be in 
 pain to be paid ; but let me know at leaft a month 
 before you can want. Obferve this, d'ye hear, 
 little dear firrahs, and love Prejlo^ as Pre/lo loves 
 MD^ Sec. 
 
 24. You will have a merrver Chr'ijinias-Eve 
 than we here. I went up to Court befoie church, 
 . and in one of the rooms, there being but little 
 company, a fellow in a red coat without a fword 
 «ame up to me, and after words oF courfe afkt me 
 how the ladies did. I afkt, what ladies .'' He faid, 
 Mrs. Dinghy and Mrs. Johnfon : Very well, faid 
 1, when I heard from them laft : And pray when 
 
 came
 
 ( 113 > 
 
 <!ame you from thence, fir ? he faid, I never wat 
 in Inland \ and juft at that wo;d lord Winchclfea 
 comes up to me, and the man went off: as T 
 went out I faw him again, mid recollected him, 
 it was Vedeaii with a pox : i then went. and made 
 my apologies that my head was full of furacthing 
 I had to fay to lord IVmchdJea^ &c. and 1 a(kt 
 ^iftcrhis wife, and fo all was well, and he enquired 
 after my lodging, becaufe he had fome favour to 
 defire of me in Ireland^ to recommend fomcbody 
 to fomebody, I know not what it is. When 'I 
 came from church I went up to Court again, 
 where fir Ednmid Bacon told me the bad news 
 from Spai?!^ which you will hear before this reaches 
 you ; as we have it now, wc arc undone there, 
 and it was odd to fee the whole countenances of 
 the court changed fo in two hours, l^z^y Mount - 
 joy carried me home to dinner, where I ftaid 
 not long after and came homie early, and now 
 am got into bed, for you muft always write to 
 your MDs in bed, that's a maxim. Mr. JVlnte 
 and Mr. Red, Write to MD when abed ; Mr. 
 Black and Mr. Bravn, write to AID when you're 
 down ; Mr. Oak and Mr. iViliow, Write to MD 
 on your pillow. — What's this ? faith I fmcll fire j 
 what can it be; this houfe has a thoufand f — ks 
 in it. I think to leave it on T-JniifLy, and lodge 
 over the way. Faith I muft rife, and look at my 
 chimney, for the fmell grows ftionger, ftay — I 
 have been up, and in my room, and found all 
 fafe, only a moufc within the fender to warm 
 himfelf, which I could not catch. I fmelt nothing 
 there, but now in mv bed-chamber I fmell it 
 again ; I believe 1 have finged the woolen curtain, 
 and that's ail, though I cannot fmoak \t. Pre/Jo's 
 plaguy filly to-night, an't he ? Yes, and fo he be. 
 Vol. IV. 1 A'C,
 
 f 114 ) 
 
 Aye, but if I fliouM wake and fee fire. Well j 
 I'll venture ; fo good night, Sec. 
 
 25. Pray, young women, if I write fo much 
 as this every day, how will this paper hold a 
 fornight's work, and anfwer one of yours into 
 the bargain f You never think of this, but let 
 me go on like a firrTpIeton. I wifh you a nnerry 
 Chrijlmas^ and many, many a one with poor 
 Prejio at fome pretty place. I was at church to- 
 day by eight, and received the facrnment, and 
 came home by ten ; then went to Court at two, 
 it was a Collar-day^ that is, when the knights 
 6f the garter wear their collars ; but the queen 
 ftay'd fo late at facrament, that I came back, 
 Snd dined with my neighbour Ford^ bccaufe alt 
 people dine at home on this day. This is like- 
 wife a Collar-day all over England \n every houfe, 
 at leart where there is Brazen: that's very well — 
 1 tell you a good pun ; a fellow hard by pretends 
 to cure yfgues, and has fet out a fign, and fpells it 
 £goes ', a pentleman and I obferving it, faid, How 
 does that fellow pretend to cure Agues ? I faid, I 
 did not know, but I was fure it was not by a 
 Spell. That's admirable. And fo you afkt the 
 bifhop about that pun of lord Stazceli's brother. 
 Bite. Have 1 caught you, young women ? Mufl" 
 you pretend to afk after roguifh puns, and Lat!?i ones 
 too ? Oh but you fmoakt me, and did not aflc the 
 hifhop. O but you are a fool, and you did. I 
 met P'edeau again at Court to-day, and I obferved 
 he had a fword on ; I fancy he was broke, and 
 has got a commilTion, but I never afkt him. 
 Vedcau I think his name is, yet Parv/fol's man is 
 I'edcl, that's true. Bank ftock will fall like (lock- 
 fifli by this bad news, and two days ago I could 
 have got ill. by my bargain; but I dcn't intend 
 to fell, and in time it will rife. 'Tis odd, that 
 6 my
 
 C 115 ) 
 
 my lord Peterborow foretold this lofs two monthi 
 ago, one night at Mr. Har/efs, when 1 was there; 
 he bid us count upon it, that Stanhope would lofc 
 Spain before Chrijhnas^ that he would venture his 
 head upon it, and gave us rcafons ; and though 
 Mr. Ha>ley argued the contrary, he ftill held 10 
 his opinion. 1 was telling my lord Anglejea this at 
 Court this morning, and a gentleman by faid, he 
 had heard my lord P etcrbor oxv li^xxu. the fame thing. 
 1 have heard wife folks fay, An ill tongue may 
 do much. And 'tis an odd faying, Once I gucft 
 right, And I got credit by't j Thrice I gueft wrong. 
 And I kept my credit on. No, 'tis you are forry, 
 not I. 
 
 26. By the lord Harry I fliall be undone here 
 with Chrijimas boxes. The rogues of the Coffee^ 
 houfe have raifed their tax, every one eivinir a 
 crown, and 1 gave mine for fhame^ befides a 
 great many half-crowns to great mens porters, l^c. 
 1 went to-day by water into the city, and dined 
 with no Icfs a man than the city printer. There 
 is an intimacy between us, built upon reafons 
 that you fliall know when I fee you ; but the 
 rain caught me within twelve-penny length of 
 home. 1 called at Mr. Hurleys^ who was not 
 within, dropt my half-crov.n with his porter, 
 drove to the Coffce-houfe^ where the rain kept me 
 till nine, I had letters to-day from the archbifhop 
 of Dublin^ and Mr. Bernage ; the latter fends me 
 a melancholy account of lady She/bum's death, 
 and his own difappointments, and would gladly be 
 a captain 3 if 1 can help him I will. 
 
 27. Morning. I befpoke a lodging over the 
 way for to-morrow, and the dog let it ycflerday 
 to another ; I gave him no earneft, fo it feems 
 he could do it J Patrick would have had me give 
 
 I 2 hinj
 
 ( ii6 ) 
 
 him earnefr to bind him ; but *I would not. So T 
 muft o;o fauntcr to-dav for a lod^ino; fomewhere 
 elfe. Did you ever fee fo open a winter in Eng- 
 hmd? We have not had two frofty days; but it 
 pays it ofF in rain: we have not had three fair 
 days thefe fix weeks. O faith I dreamt mightily . 
 of MD lad ni2:ht : hut fo confufed I can't tell a 
 word. I have made Fcrd acquainted with Lntjts^ 
 and to-day we dined together ; in the evening I 
 called at one or two neighbour's, hoping to fpend 
 a Chrijittiai evening ; but none were at home, 
 they were all gone to be merry with others. I 
 have often obferved this, That in merrv times 
 every body is abroad ; where the duce are they ?• 
 So I went to the Coffee-hohfe, and talkt with Mr. 
 Addifoji an hour, who at Lift remembered to give 
 iTie two letters, which 1 can't anfwer to-night, 
 rior to-morrow neither, I can afTure you, young 
 women, count upon that. I have other things to 
 do than to aniwer naughty girls, an old faying 
 and true. Letters from MDs Muft not be an- 
 fwered m ten days : 'tis but bad rhyme, l^c. 
 
 28. To-day I had a mefTage from fir Thomas 
 Hanmer to dine with him, the famous Dr. Small- 
 rid^e wzs of the com.pany, and we fat till fix, and 
 i came home to my new lodgings in St. /l ban 
 Street., v/here I pay the fame rent (eight fliillings 
 a week) for an apartment two pair of rtairs ; but 
 i have the ufe of the j-arlour to receive perfons of 
 quality, and 1 am got into my new bed, i^c. 
 
 2Q. Sir AJrcw Fountain has been^ very ill this 
 week ; and feiit to mc early this morning to have 
 prayers, which you know is the laft thing. I 
 lound tlie dcdtors and all in defpair about him. 
 I read prayers t.» him, found he had fettled all 
 things J and when I came out, the nurfc: afkt me, 
 
 whether
 
 whether I thought it pofliblc hccouhl l!\rej-,fvr 
 the doclors thought not. : 1 faiJ, I believed )jc 
 would live ; for 1 found the (beds of life in him, 
 which I obferte leldom fail ;) (and 1 found the/ii 
 in poor deareft Sul/a, when, fhe was ill ma;,iy 
 years ago) and to-night I was with Jiim agfiin, 
 and he was mightily recovered, and Thope hc,,vv;il! 
 
 •' do well, and the doiior iipproveJ my rcafons j. ^irut 
 if he fhould die, I fhould come ofFicurvily. .The 
 
 _ fecretary of ftate (Mr. St: Jo/m) {oiit to m; .to 
 
 " dine wiih him ; Mr. h'ar/ey And Ion], p^ierityr^iu 
 dined there too, and at ni;;l)t cam,e hn<i,-^iytirs. 
 Lord Peterho7-Gw goes to'Viiniia jn a daj or tx«P : 
 
 ^ he has promifed to make n>e; write -to hijrn,- j^ir. 
 
 ; -,Ho.rky y^^ViX. away at fix, '^but av^ .ft^iJ tilK fe-v«n. 
 
 I' I tooTc the feeretary "nfide^ gr\d coiriplai:icd-,^phjni 
 of Mr. Harley^ that he had g-ot^ihe queen trvgrj^nt 
 the Fir ft- Fruits^ promiltcl, tp bring, rne to, hcf,., ana 
 get her letter to tlic biniopSj,0,fj,/n7wjj5/; ,V^t.,^ha 
 Jafl part he had not dbne in fix weeks, and I was 
 in danger to lofe reputatioTi, i^a; \\z X.<^q^i the 
 
 . matter right, defired me^ t^ b'e . with ; him -,cii 
 Sunday m.orning, and promifcs -me to finifh, ^he 
 affair in f<;ur days.; fo I TaaiLknow Jn a Jii^le 
 time what I have to truft- to.rr^^— It-is yVi^i^^of 
 
 .clock, and I mufl: go ftudy,..yqjLi. little logufb j 
 
 and fo good nigl+t, ci c. 
 
 
 30. Morning. Th^' ■weather grows c^ld,, ,3[ou 
 fauce-boxes. Wkx JtidreipFpuntajn-, they bring, pie 
 word, -is better. I'll go rife, for rny hap^s^^^^re 
 ■itarving while I write in bed..-- rNight. , I>.'q,vy.-pir 
 Andrew Fountcin is lecq-venl^ig, he xjcfues ^^,^ "'t 
 eaf« ; for I.^sallgd in the morning, to read\prjly^rs 
 but he; had., given orders nyt .t/?,^l^ cL:rtu:[b.;f/^^ I 
 liave Ipft.. a legacy ; by h^s; 1 Jy^if^jVI ^o""-!^-^ M^ f^^ 
 'lie had. left. me a piclur,<^-)-iiid,i<i,m<;. bouka, ^^'.^^ I 
 
 I" 3 ^'' called
 
 ( ii8 ) 
 
 called to fee my quondam neighbour Ford (do you 
 know what quondam is ? though) and he engaged 
 me to dine with him ; for he always dines at home 
 on Opera- days. I came home at fix, writ to the 
 archbifhop, then ftudied till paft eleven, and ftole 
 to bed, to write to MD thefe few lines to let you 
 know I am in good health at the p'-efent writing 
 hereof, and hope in God A4D is fo too. I wonder 
 I never write politicks to you : I could make you 
 the profoundeft politician in all the lane. — Well, 
 but when fhall we anfwer this letter N. 8. of 
 MD's\ Not till next year, faith. O Lord — bo 
 —but that will be a Monday next. Cod's fo, is 
 it; and fo it is : never faw the like. — I made a 
 pun t'other day to Ben Portlack about a pair of 
 
 drawers. Poh, faid he, that's mine a all 
 
 over. Pray, pray. Dinghy^ let me go fleep ; 
 pray, pray, Stella^ let me go flumber, and put 
 out my wax candle. 
 
 31. Morning. It is now feven, and I have 
 got a fire, but am writing a-bed in my bed-cham- 
 ber. 'Tis not (having-day, fo I fhall be ready 
 early to go before church to Mr. St. 'J:ihn^ 
 and to-morrow I will anfwer our AID's letter. 
 Would you anfwer AJD's letter. On Neiv-year's- 
 day you'll do it better : For when the year with 
 y^/D'gins, It without MD never lins. (Thefe 
 Proverbs have always old words in them ; lins is 
 leaves off.) But if on New-year you write nones, 
 JldD then will bang your bones. — But Patrick 
 fays I miift rife. — Night. I was early this morn- 
 ing with fecretary St. 'John., and gave him a me- 
 morial to get the queen's letter for the Firji fiuifs^ 
 who has promifed to do it in a very few rtays. 
 He told me he had been with the duke of M'trl- 
 boreughi who was lamenting his former wrong 
 
 (Icpa
 
 r "9 ) 
 
 {leps in joining with the IPl/igs^ and faid he was 
 worn out with age, fatigues, and misfortunes. I 
 fwear it pityed me ; and I really think they will 
 not do well in too much moriifying that man, 
 although indeed it is his own fault. He is cove- 
 tous as Hell, and ambitious as the Prince of it : 
 he would fain have been general for life, and has 
 broken all endeavours for Peace, to keep his great- 
 nefb and get money. He told the queen, he was 
 neither covqjous nor ambitious. She faid, if (he 
 could have conveniently turned about, Ihe would 
 have laughed, and could hardly forbear it in his 
 face. He fell in with all the abominable me i- 
 fures of the late niiniftry, becaufe they gratified 
 him for their own defi<rns. Yet he has been a 
 
 O 
 
 fuccefsful general, and 1 hope he will continue 
 his command. () Lord, fmoak the politics to 
 MD. Well ; but if you like them, I will fcatter 
 a little now and then, and mine are all frefh from 
 the chief hands. VVfll, I dined with Mv. Harlty^ 
 and came away at fix : there was much company, 
 and 1 was not merry at all. Mr. Harley made me 
 read a paper of verfes of Prior\. I read them 
 plain without any fine manner, and Prior fwore I 
 fhould never read any of his again ; but he would 
 be revenged, and read fome of mine as bad. I 
 excufed myfelf, and faid, I was famous for read- 
 ing verfes the word \.\ the world *, and that 
 every body fnatcht them from me when I offered 
 to begin So we laughed, — Sir Jlnd>evj Fcwita':n 
 ftill continues ill. He is plagued with fome fort 
 of bile. 
 
 yan. I. Morning. I wifh my deareft pretty 
 Dinghy and Siilla a happy new-year, and health, 
 
 * Although it be faid in jcfl, there is fome. truth 
 in this. 
 
 I 4 and
 
 C 120 ) 
 
 and mirth, and good ftomachs, and i^r's company. 
 Faith, I did not know how to write Fr. I woir- 
 dsred what was the matter ; but now I remtmbcr 
 I always write pdfr f. Patrick wifties me a happy 
 New-year, and defires I would rife, for it is a 
 good fire, and faith 'tis cold. I was fo politick 
 lafl: night with MD^ never faw the like. Get the 
 E^:amh7ers^ and read them ; the laft nine or ten 
 are full of the reafons for the late change, and of 
 the abufes of the laft miniftry; and the great men 
 allure me they are all true. They are written by 
 their encouragement and direction. I muft rife 
 
 O 
 
 and go fee Sir Andrew Fountain ; but perhaps to- 
 night I m.ay anfv/er MD's letter : fo good morrow, 
 my miftrefl'es all, good m.orrow. I wifh you both 
 a merry New-year, Roaft beef, minced pyes, and 
 good ftrong beer, And me a fhare of your good 
 cheer. That I was there, or you were here, And 
 you're a little fancy dear. — Good morrow again, 
 dear firrahs ; one cannot rife for your play. — At 
 night. I went this morning to vifit lady Kerry 
 and lord Shelburn, and they made me dine with 
 them. Sir Andrew Fountain is better. And now 
 let us come and fee what this fancy dear letter of 
 MD fays. Come out, letter, come out from 
 bet^A'een the flieets : here it is underneath, and 
 it won't come out. Come out again, 1 fay : fo 
 there. Here it is. What fays Prejio to me, 
 pray ? fays it. Come, and let me anfwer for you 
 to your ladies. Hold up your head then, like a 
 good letter. There. Pray, how have you got up 
 with PreJlo ? madam Stella. You write your eighth 
 when you receive mine : now I write my twelfth, 
 when 1 receive your eighth. Don't you allow for 
 what afe' upon the road, fimpleton ? What fay 
 you to that ? And fo you kept Pj-ijh's little birth- 
 t PrcJIo. 
 
 day,
 
 C 121 ) 
 
 ^ay, I warrant : would to God I had been at the 
 health rather than here, where I have no manner 
 of pleai'ure, nothing but eternal buiinefs upon 
 my hands. I fhall grow wife in time ; but no 
 more of that : only 1 lay Amen with my heart and 
 vitals, that we may never be afunder again ten 
 days together while poor Prejio lives. - 
 
 I can't be merry 
 fo near any fplcniticlc talk ; fo I made that long 
 line, and now all's well again. Yes, you arc a 
 pretending llut, indeed, with your fouith and 
 fifth in the miargin, and your journal, and every- 
 thing. Wind — we faw no wind here, nothing at 
 all extraordinary at any time. We had it once 
 when you had it not. But an old faying and a 
 true ; 1 hate all wind. Before and behind. From 
 cheeks with eyes, or from blind .Your chim- 
 ney fall dov/n ! God preferve you. 1 fuppofe you 
 only mean a brick or two : but that's a damn'd lie 
 of your chimney being carried to the next houfe 
 with the wind. Don't put fuch things upon us ; 
 thofe matters won't, pafs here: keep a little to 
 poffibilitics. My lord Hertford would have been 
 afhamed of fuch a ftretch. You fhould take care 
 of what company you converfe with : when onb 
 gets that faculty, 'tis hard to break one's felf of 
 it. yernmy Leigh talks of going over ; but qiiando ? 
 I don't know when he'll go. O, now you have 
 had my ninth, now you are come up with me ; 
 marry come up with you, indeed. I know all 
 
 that bufinefs of lady S . Will nobody cut 
 
 that D )'s throat? Five hundred pounds do 
 
 you call poor pay for living three months the life 
 of a king? They fay fhe ditd with grief, partly, 
 being forced to appear as witnefs in Court about 
 
 fomc fqiiabble among their fcrvarts. The 
 
 bifliop of Cioghcr Ihewed you a pamphlet. Well, 
 
 but
 
 { 122 I 
 
 but you muil not give your mind to believe thofe 
 things ; people will lay any thing. The character 
 is here reckoned admirable, but moCt of the fails 
 are trifles. It was firft printed privately here ; 
 and then fome bold cur ventured to do it publickly, 
 and fold two thoufand in two days : who the au- 
 thor is mufl remain uncertain. Do you pretend 
 to know, impudence? How durft you think fo ? 
 Pox on your parliaments : the archbifhop has told 
 me of it J but we do not vouchfafe to know any 
 thing of it here. No, no, no more of your gid- 
 dinefsyct; thank you, Ste'la^ for afking after it ; 
 thank you ; God Aim'ghty blefs you for your 
 kindnef- to poor Prejio. You write to lady Giffard 
 and your mother upon what 1 advi'e when it is 
 too late. But yet I fancy this bad news will bring 
 down flocks fo low, that one might buy to great 
 advantage. I defign to venture going to fee your 
 mother fome day when lady Giffurd is abroad. 
 Wei!, keep your Rathbum and itufF. I thought 
 he v/as to pay in your money upon his houfes to 
 be flung down about the what d'ye call it. — Well, 
 ;nadam Dinghy^ I fcnt your inclofcd to Brijiol, 
 but have not heard from Raymond fince he went. 
 Come, come, young women, I keep a good fire j 
 it cofts me twelve-pence a week, and I fear fome- 
 thing more ; vex me, and I'll have one "in my 
 bed chamber too. No, did not I tell you but jult 
 now, we have no high winds here. Have ynu 
 forgot already? — Now ynu're at it again, filly 
 Stella ; why docs your mother fay, my candles are 
 fcandalous ? They are good fixes in the pound, 
 arid fhe faid, I was extravagant enough to burn 
 th^m by day-light. I never burn fewer at a time 
 than cnc. What v.'ould peoplf have ? The D — 
 bu:fl }-Lzi-hfl:aw. He t Id me he had not the box, 
 and the next day St.ms told n.e he had fent it a 
 
 fortnight
 
 ( 123 ) 
 
 fortnight ago ; Patrick could not find him t'other 
 jlay, but he fliall to-morrow : Dear life and heart, 
 do you teaze me ? does .SV^/Za teaz,e Prc/io ? That 
 palfy-water was in the box ; it was too big for a 
 pacquet, and 1 was afraid of its breaking. Leigh 
 was nut in tov/n then, or i would not have 
 trufted it to Stare, whom yet I have befriended 
 cnou2;h to do me more kindnefs than that. I'll 
 pever reft till you have it, or till it is in a way 
 for you to have it. Poor dear rngue, naughty to 
 think it teazes me ; How could I ever forgive my- 
 felf for negle£ting any thing that related to your 
 
 health ? Sure I were a Dcvii if 1 did. 
 
 See 
 
 how far I am forced to fraud from Ste'Ia^ becaufe 
 I am afraid flie thinks poor Pre//o has not been 
 careful about her little things ; I am furel bought 
 them immediately according to order, and packt 
 them up with my own hands, snd fent them to 
 Sterne^ and was iix times with him about lending 
 them away. I am glad you arc p!eafcd with your 
 glafle':. 1 have got another velvet cap, a new 
 one lord Herbert bought and prefented me one 
 morning I WiS at breakfaft with him, where he 
 was as merry and eafy as ever J faw him, yet had 
 received a challcno-e half an hour before, and half 
 an hour after fought a due', it was about ten 
 days ago. You are miftaken in your gueffcs about 
 Toilers : I did neither write that on Nofcs nor Re- 
 l'tgio7i^ nor do I fend him of late' any hints at all. 
 —Indeed, Stella, when I nad your ktter, I was 
 not uneafy at all ; but when I came to anfwcr 
 'the particulars, and found that you had not re- 
 ceived your b')x, it grated me to the heart, be- 
 caufe I thouch': through your little words that 
 you imagined I h^d not taken the care I ought, 
 ^ut there has been fonie blunder in this matter, 
 
 which
 
 C 124 ) 
 
 tn'hich I will know to-morrow, . and write to 
 Sterne^ for fear he fhould not be wirhin. — And 
 pray, pray Pre/lo^ V^^J now do.— N.o, Raymond 
 was not above four times with me while he ftaid, 
 and then only while I was dretTing. Mrs. Fen- 
 'ton * has written me another letter about fome 
 ' money of hers hi lady Gijfard's hands, that is in- 
 truded to me by my mother, not to come to her 
 hufband. I fend my letters conftantly every fort- 
 night, and if you will have. them oftener y®u 
 mav, but then they will be the fhorter. Pray, 
 Jet Parvifjl fell the horfe. J think I fpoke to you 
 of it in a fo''mer letter : I am glad you are rid of 
 him, and was in pain while I thought you rode 
 him ; but if he would buy you another, or apy 
 body elfe, and that you could be oken able .to 
 lide, why don't you do it ? 
 
 2. I went this morning early to the fecretary of 
 Hate, Mr. St. John,, and he told me from Mr. 
 Harley^ that the v/arrant was now drawn, in order 
 for a patent for the Firji-Fruits : it mull pafs 
 through feveral ofnces, and take up fome time, 
 becaufe in things the queen gives they are always 
 confiderate ; but that he afTures me 'tis granted 
 and done, and paft all difpute, and defires I will 
 ret be in any pain at all. I will write again 
 to the archbifhop to-morrow, and tell him this, 
 2nd I defire you will fay it on occafion. From 
 the fecretary I went to Mr. Sterne^ who faid 
 he would write to you to-night, and that the box 
 rDuO: be at Chejiei\ and that fome friend of bis 
 goes very foon, and will carry it over. I dined 
 ■with Mr. fecretary St. John, and at fix went to 
 Darteneuf's houfc to drink punch with him, and 
 
 * Mrs. F^/z/cTLwasTiiler to Dr..iS{iu//7. : 
 
 Mr.
 
 ( 1^5 ) 
 
 Mr. JihUfofi, and little Harrifon^ a young poet 
 whofe fortune I am making. Steele was to have 
 been there, but came not, nor never did twice, 
 fincc I knew him, to any appointment. 1 {laid 
 till paft eleven, and am aovw in bed. Steele's laft 
 Tatter came out to-day. You will fee it before 
 this comes to you, and how he takes leave of the 
 world. He never told (o much as Mr. Addifon 
 of it, who was furprized as much as I ; but, to 
 fay the truth, it was time, for he grew cruel dull 
 and dry. To my knov/ledge he had feveral good 
 hints to go upon ; but he was fo lazy and weary 
 of the work, that he would not improve them, 
 I think I'll fend this after * to-morrow : Shall I 
 before 'tis full Dinghy f 
 
 3. Lord Peterborcw yefterday called me into a 
 barber's fhop, and there we talkt deep politicks : 
 he defired me to dine with him to day at the Glohf 
 in the Strand ; he faid he would flicw me fo 
 clearly how ta get Spain^ that 1 could not pof- 
 fibly doubt it. I went to-day accordingly, and 
 faw him among half a dozen lawyers and attor- 
 nies and hanir-do2;s, fi»nin^ of deeds and flufF 
 before his journey ; for he goes to-morrow to 
 Vienna, I fat among that fcurvy company till 
 after four, but heard nothing of Spain j only I lind, 
 by what he told me before, that he fears he Ihall 
 do no good in his prefcnt journey. We are ta 
 be mighty conftant correfpondcnts. So 1 took my 
 leave of him, and called at Sir Ar.drciv FouKttins.^ 
 who mends much. 1 came home, and pleafc 
 you, at fix, and have been ftudying till uow pult 
 eleven. 
 
 4. Morning. Morrow, little dears. O, faith, 
 I have been dreaming ; i was to be put in prifon, 
 
 * A/Lr is interlined. 
 
 I don^t
 
 ( I2b ) 
 
 1 (Joh't know why, and I was (o afraid cf a Ijlack 
 dungeon ; and then all I had been enquiring yef- 
 terday of Sir Jvrirew Fountains fickneis I thought 
 was of poor Stell'i, The worft of dreams is, 
 that one wakes juH in the humour they leave 
 one. Shall I fend this to-day ? With all my 
 heart : it is two days within the fortnight ; but 
 may be MD are in hade to have a round dozen, 
 and then how are you come up to me with your 
 eighth, young women ? But )ou indeed ought to 
 write twice flower than I, becaufe there are two 
 ©f you ; I own that — Well then, I'll feal up 
 this letter by my morning candle, and carry it 
 into the city with me, where I go to dine, and 
 put it in the poft-officc with my own fair hands.. 
 So, let me fee whether I have any news to tell 
 MD. They fay, they will very foon make fome 
 enquiries into the corruptions of the late mini* 
 dry; and they mud do it, to juftify their turn- 
 ing them out. Attcrhwy we think is to be dean 
 of Chrijl-Church in Oxford \ but the College would 
 rather have Smair'ulge — What's all this to you ? 
 What care you for Attrhuryi and Smallridges ? 
 No, you care for nothing but Prejlo^ faith. So 
 I'll rife, and bid you farewel ; yet I'm loth to do 
 fo, becaufe there is a great bit of paper yet to 
 talk upon ; but Dinghy will have it fo : Yes, fays 
 (he, makes your journals fliorter, and fend them 
 oftener ; and fo I will. And I have cheated you 
 another way too; for this is dipt paper, and holds 
 at lead fix lines lefs than the former ones. I'll 
 tell )Ou a good thing I faid to my lord Carteret. 
 
 So, fays he, my lord came up to me, and 
 
 afkt me, i^c. No, faid I, my lord never 
 
 did, nor ever c.;n come up to you. Wc all pun 
 here fomctimcs. Lord Ca:teict fct down Prior 
 t'other day in his chariot, and Pri:r thanked him 
 
 for
 
 ( 1^7 T 
 
 for his Chanty ; that was fit for DiUy *. I don't 
 remember I heard one good one from the minilirv, 
 which is really a fhame. Henley is gone to the 
 country for Chnjimas. The puppy comes here 
 without his wife, and keeps no houfe, and would 
 have me dine with him at eating -houfes ; but I 
 have only done it once, and will do it no more. 
 He had not feen me for fome time in the Ccff'ie- 
 boufe^ and afking after me, defired lord Hetbert 
 \o tell me, I was a Bea/i for ever after the order 
 of Mclhifedcc. Di.i you ever read the Scri[ture ? 
 It is only changing the word Prieji to Btaj}. — I 
 think i am bewitched to write fo much in a morn- 
 ing to you, little J/D. Let me go, will you ? 
 and I'll co.me again to night in a fine clean ihcet 
 of paper ; but I can nor will ftay no longer row ; 
 no, I won't, for all your wheedling ; no, no, look 
 off", don't fmile at me, and fay. Pray, prav, Prejioy 
 write a little m.ore. Ah ! you're a wheedling flur, 
 you be fo. Nay, but prithee turn about, and 
 let me go, do ; 'tis a grod girl, and do. O 
 faith, my morning candle is juft out, and I mud 
 go now in fpight of my teeth ; for my bed-cham- 
 ber is dark with curtains, and I'm at the wrong 
 fide. So farewel, tsc. ^V. . 
 
 I am in the dark almoft : I muft have another 
 candle, when I am up, to feal this ; but I'll fold 
 it up in the dark, and make what you can of 
 this, for I can only fee this paper I am writing 
 upon. Service to Mrs. IValls and Mrs. Stoite. 
 
 God Almighty blefs you, Uc. What I am 
 doing I can't lee j but I'll fold it up, and not look 
 on it again. 
 
 • Dillon AJht.
 
 f 128 ) 
 
 LETTER XIII. 
 
 London, January 4, 1710-ir, 
 
 _£ WAS going into the city (where I dined) 
 and put my 12th, with my own fair hands, into 
 the pofl-ofiice as I came back, which was not 
 till nine this night. I dined with people that you 
 never heard of, nor is it worth your while to 
 know ; an authorefs and a printer. I walked home 
 for exercife, and at eleven got to bed, and all 
 the while 1 v/as undreffing my felf, there was I 
 fpeaking monkey things in air, juft as if A4D had 
 been by, and did not recoileil myfclf till I got 
 into bed. I v/rit laft night to the archbifliop, 
 and told him the warrant was drawn for the 
 Firji-Fniks, and I told him lord Peterborcw was 
 fet out for his journey to Eicnna ; but it feems 
 the lords have addrefled to have him flay to be 
 examined about Spanijh affairs, upon this defeat 
 there, and to know where the fault lay, &c. 
 So I writ to the archbifhop a lie j but I think it 
 was not a fin. 
 
 5. Mr. fccrctary St. "John fent for me this morn- 
 ing fo early that I was forced to go without fhav- 
 ing, which put me quite out of method : I called 
 at iVIr. Forci'st and defired him to lend me a (hav- 
 ing, and fo made a fnift to get into order again. 
 Lord ! here's an impertinence : Sir Andreiv Foun- 
 taiti's mother and fiCter are come above a hundred 
 miles from JVorcefier to fee him before he died. 
 They got here but yeftcrday, and he muft hav^e 
 been paft hopes, or paft fears, before they could 
 reach him. I fell a fcolding w'hen I heard they 
 were cominfr ; and the people about him won- 
 dered at me, and faid what a mighty eontent it 
 8 would
 
 ( 129 ) 
 
 Vpould be on both fides to die when they were 
 with him. I knew the mother ; fhe is the oreateft 
 Overdo upon earth, and the fifter, they fay, is 
 worfe ; the poor man will relapfe again among 
 them. Here was the fcoundrel brother always 
 crying in the outer room till iir Andrew was in 
 danger, and the dog was to have all his eftate if 
 he died ; and 'tis an ignorant, worthlefs, fcoun- 
 drel rake : and the nurfes were comforting him, 
 and defiring he would not take on fo. 1 dined 
 to-day the firft time with Ophy Butler and his 
 wife ; and you fupped with the dean, and loft 
 two and twenty pence at cards. And fo Mrs. 
 JValh is brought to -bed of a girl, who died two 
 days after it was chriftened ; and betwixt you and 
 me, fhe is not very forry : (lie loves her eafe and 
 diverfions too well to be troubled with children. 
 I'll go to bed. 
 
 6. Morning. I went laft night to put fome 
 coals on my fire after Patrick was gone to bed ; 
 and there I faw in a clofct a poor linnet he has 
 boaght to bring over to Din-rley : it coft him fix- 
 pence, and is as tame as a dormoufe. I believe he 
 does not know he is a bird : where you put him, 
 there he (lands, and feems to have neither hope 
 nor fearj I fuppofe in a week he will die of the 
 fplcen. Patrick advifed with me before he bought 
 him. I laid fairly before him the greatnefs of the 
 fum and the rafhnefs of the attempt ; fhewed hov/ 
 impniTible it v/as to carry him fafe over the fait 
 fea : but he would not take my counftl, and he'll 
 repent it. 'lis very cold this morning in bed, 
 and 1 hear there is a g')od fire in the room with- 
 out, what do you call it, the dining-room I 
 hope it will be good weather, and fo let rne rife, 
 firrahs. do fo.— At iiigh'. 1 was this mornin;^ 
 Vol. IV. K to
 
 ( 13© ) 
 
 to vifit the dean, or Mr. Prolocutor, I think you 
 call him, don't you ? Why fhould not I go to the 
 dean's as well as you ? A little black man of 
 pretty near fifty ? Aye, the fame. A good pleafant 
 man ? Aye, the fame. Cunnino- enouirh ? Yes. 
 One that underltands his own interefts ? As well 
 as any body. How comes it MD and I don't 
 meet there (bmetimes ? A very good face, and 
 abundance of wit ; do you know his lady ? O- 
 Lord ! * whom do you mean ? I mean Dr. At- 
 terbury, dean- of Carlijle and Prolocutor. Pfhaw, 
 Prejio, you are a fool : I thought you had meant 
 ©ur dean of St. Patrick's. — Silly, filly, filly, you 
 are filly, both are filly, every kind of thing is 
 filly. As I walked into the city, I was ftopt 
 with clufters of boys and wenches buzzing about 
 the cake-fhops like flies. There had the fools 
 let out their fhops two yards forward into the 
 flreets, all fpread with great cakes frothed with 
 fugar, and ftuck with fl:reamers of tinfel. And 
 then I went to BatemarCs the bookfeller, and laid 
 out elgixt and forty (hillings for books. I bought 
 three little volumes of Lnclan in French for our 
 Stella, and fo and fo. Then I went to Garroivay's 
 to meet Stratford and' dine with him ; but it was 
 an idle day with the merchants, and he was gone 
 to our end of the town : fo I dined with Sir Tho- 
 Tiias Frankland at the port- office, and we drank 
 your Mauley's health. It was in a news-paper 
 that he was turned out ; but fecretary St. John 
 told me it was falfe, only that news-writer is a 
 plaguy Tory. I have not feen one bit of Chrijl^ 
 mai merriment. 
 
 • Dr. Sterne, dean of St. Patrick''s, was not a mar- 
 ried man, which fecms to have been the caufe of this 
 Airprize in MD* 
 
 7, Mom-
 
 ( ni ) 
 
 7. Morning. Your new lord chancellor fets 
 out to-morrow for Inland : I never faw him. He 
 carries over one Trap a parfou as his chaplain, a 
 fort of pretender to wit, a fecond-rate pamphle- 
 teer for the caufe, whom they pay by fending him 
 to heland. I never faw Trap neither. 1 met 
 Tighe and your Sm)th of Lovefs yefterday by the 
 Exchange. 'Tighe and I took no notice of each other j 
 but I ftopt Sniylh^ and told him of the box that 
 lies for you at Chejier^ becaufe he fays he g^es 
 very foon to Ireland., I think this week: and I 
 will fend this mornino- to Sterne^ to take meafures 
 with Symth •, fo good morrow, firrahs, and let me 
 rife, pray. I took up this paper when I came in 
 at evening, I mean this minute, and then faid I, 
 No, no, indeed, MD^ you muft ftay, and then 
 was laying it afide, but could not for my heart, 
 though I am very bufy, till I juft afk you how 
 you do fmce morning; by and bye we Ihall talk 
 more. To let me leave you foftly down, little pa- 
 per, till then ; fo there — now to bufinefs ; there, 
 1 fay, get you gone ; no, I won't pufh you nei- 
 ther, but hand you on one fide — So — Now I am 
 got into bed, I'll talk with you. Mr. fecretary 
 St, John fent for me this morning in all hafte ; 
 but I would not lofe my (having, for fear of mif- 
 fme church. I went to Court, which is of late 
 always very full, and young Manley and I dined at 
 fir Matthciu Dudley's. — I muft talk politicks. I 
 prcteft I am afraid we fliall all be embroiled with 
 parties. The JFhigs^ now they are fallen, are 
 the moft malicious toads in the world. We have 
 had now a fecond misfortune, the lofs of feveral 
 Virginia (hips. I fear people will begin to think 
 that nothing thrives under this miniftry : and if 
 the minill:ry can once be rendered odious to the 
 people, the parliament may be chofen W/ig or 
 
 K 2 Tor^
 
 ( 132 } 
 
 Tory as the queen pleafes. Then I think our 
 friends prefs a little too hard on the duke of Mcrl- 
 lorctigh. The country members * are violent 
 to have paft faults enquired into, and they have 
 rcafon ; but I do net obferve the miniftry to be 
 very fond of it. In my opinion we have no- 
 thing to fave us but a Peace, and I am fure we 
 cannot have fuch a one as we hoped, and then 
 the IVhigs will bawl what they would have don© 
 had they continued in power. 1 tell the miniftry 
 this as much as I dare, and (hall venture to fay 
 a little more to them, efpecially about the duke 
 of Marlbcrcugh, who, as the TVhigs give out, will 
 lay down his command ; and I queftion whether 
 ever any wife ftate laid afide a general who had 
 been fuccefsful nine years together, whom the 
 enemy (o much dread ; and his own foldiers can- 
 not but believe muft always conquer; and you 
 know that in war opinion is nine parts in ten. 
 The miniftry hear me always with appearance 
 of regard, and much kindnefs ; but I doubt they 
 let perfonal quarrels mingle too much with their 
 proceedings. Mean time, they feem to value all 
 this as nothing, and are as eafy and merry as if they 
 had nothing in their hearts or upon their fhoul- 
 ders, like pbyficians, who endeavour to cure, 
 but feel no grief, whatever the patient fufFers. — 
 Pflvaw, what's all this ? Do you know one thing, 
 that I find 1 can write politicks to you much eafier 
 than to any body alive. But I fwear my head is 
 full, and I wifli I were at Laracor with dear 
 charming MD^ t^c. 
 
 8. Morning. Methink?, young women, T have 
 made a great progrefs in four days, at the bottom 
 of this lide already, and no letter yet come from 
 
 • Thofe were afterwards called the Oilolcr Club. 
 
 MD..
 
 C 133 ) 
 
 MD. (that word interlined is mornino-,) I find 
 I have been writing ftate affairs to AdD. How do 
 they rclifli it ? Why, any thing that comes from 
 Prejio is welcome ; though really, to confvfs the 
 truth, if they had their choice, not to difguife 
 the matter, they had rather, ^'c. Now, Pre/h^ 
 I muft tell you, you grow filly, fays Stella. 
 That's but one body's opinion, madam. I pro- 
 mifed to be with Mr. fecretary St. John this 
 morning ; but I am lazy and won't go, becaufe I 
 had a letter from him ycfterday to defire I would 
 dine there to-day. I fhall be chid; but what 
 care I ? — Here has been Mrs. South with me, juft 
 come from Sir Andrew Fountain^ and going to 
 market. He is dill in a fever, and may live or 
 die. His mother and filler are now come up and 
 in the houfe, fo there's a lurry. I gave Mrs. 
 South half a piftole for a New-year's gift. So good 
 morrow, dears both, till anon. — At night. Lord, 
 I have been with Mr. Secretary from dinner till 
 eight ; and though I drank wine and water, I am 
 {o hot ] Lady Stanley came to vifit Mxs. St. 
 "John., and fent up for me, 10 make up a quarrel 
 with Mrs. St. John^ whom I never yet faw ; and 
 do you think that devil of a fecretary would et 
 me go, but kept me by main force, though I told 
 him I was in love with his lady, and it was a 
 fhame to keep back a lover, ^c. But all would 
 not do ; fo at laft I was forced to break away, 
 but never w^nt up, it was then too late ; <nnd 
 here I am, and have a great deal to do to-night, 
 though it be nine o'clock ; hut one muft fay 
 fomcthing to th^fe naughty MDs^ elfc there will 
 be no quiet. 
 
 9. To-day Ford and I fet apart to go into the 
 eit^ to buy books 3 but we only had a fcurvy din- 
 
 K 3 iier
 
 ( 134 ) 
 
 ner at an alehoufe, and he made me go to the 
 tavern, and drink Florence, four and fix-pence a 
 flafk ; damned wine ! fo I fpent my money, which 
 I feldom do, and paft an infipid day, and faw no- 
 body, and 'tis now ten o'clock, and I have no- 
 thing to fay, but that 'tis a fortnight to-morrow. 
 fmce I had a letter from A/O, but if I have it 
 time enough to anfwer here, 'tis well enough, 
 otherwife wo betide you, faith ; I'Jl go to the toy- 
 man's, here juft in Pall-mall^ and he fells great 
 hugeous battoons ; yes, faith, and fo he does. 
 Does not he, Dmgley ? Yes, faith. Don't lofe 
 your money this Chrijimas. 
 
 10. I muft go this morning to Mr. fecretary 
 St. John. I promifed yefterday, but failed, fo 
 can't write any more till night to poor dear MD. 
 At night. O faith, Dmgley y I had com- 
 pany in the morning, and could not go where I 
 defjgned ; and I had a bafket from Raymond at 
 Brijlol, with fix bottles of wine and a pound of 
 chocolate, and fome tobacco to fnuff; and he 
 writ under, the carriage was paid ; but he lied, or I 
 am cheated, or there is a miftake ; and he has 
 written to me fo confufedly about fome things, that 
 Lucifer could not underftand him. This wine is 
 to be drank with Harlcy\ brother and Sir Robert 
 Rayrnond, folicitor-general, in order to recommend 
 the do6lor to your new lord chancellor, who left 
 this place on Monday^ and Raymond fays he is 
 
 hading to Cbe/ler to go with him. 1 fuppofc 
 
 he leaves his wife behind ; for when he left Lon- 
 don he had no thoughts of (lirring till Summer. So 
 I fuppofe he will be with you before this. Ford 
 came and defired I would dine with him, becayfe 
 it was Opera-day, which I did, and fent excufes 
 to lord Sheliurn who had invited me, 
 
 II. I
 
 ( 135 ) 
 
 11. I am fettrng up a new Tathr^ little Harii- 
 fottj whom I have mentioned to you. Others have 
 
 put him on it, and 1 encourage him -, and he was 
 with me this morning and evening, fhewin'^ me 
 his firft, which comes out on Saturday. I doubt 
 he will not fucc.eed, for I do not much approve 
 his manner ; but the fcheme is Mr. fecretary St. 
 'Johns and mine, and would have done well 
 enough in good hands. I recommended him to 
 a printer, whom I fent for, and fettled the mat- 
 ter between them this evening. Harrifon ha$ 
 jufl: left me, and I am tired with correfting his 
 trafn. 
 
 12. I was this morning upon fome bufmef* 
 with Mr. fecretary St. John^ and he made me 
 promife to dine with him, which otherwife 1 would 
 have done with Mr. Hariey^ whom I have not 
 been with thefe ten days. I cannot but think 
 they have mighty difficulties upon them ; yet I 
 always find them as eafy and difengaged as fchool- 
 boys on a holiday. Harley has the procuring of 
 five or fix millions on his fhoulders, and the If^higs 
 will not lend a groat ; which is the only reafoa 
 of the fall of flocks : for they are like quakers 
 and fanaticks, that will only deal among them- 
 felves, while all others deal indifferently with 
 them. Lady Marlborough offers, if they will let 
 her keep her employments, never to come into 
 the queen's prefence. The JVJngs fay the duke 
 of Marlborough will ferve no more ; but I hope 
 and think otherwife. I would to Heaven I were 
 this minute with MD at Dublin ; for I am weary 
 of politicks, that give me fuch melancholy pro- 
 ipe£ls. 
 
 K 4 13- O
 
 C 136 ) 
 
 13. O faith, I had an ugly giddy fit lail: night 
 in my chamber, and I have got a new box of 
 pills to take, and hope I fhall have no more this 
 good while. I would not tell you before, becaufe 
 It would vex you, little rogues ; but now it is 
 over. I dined to-day with lord Shelburn, and to- 
 day little Harrifori's new Tatler came out : there 
 is not much in it, but I hope he w^ill mend. You 
 muft underftand that upon Steele's leaving ofF, 
 there were two or three fcrub Toilers came out, 
 and one of them holds on ftill, and to-day it ad- 
 vertifed againft Harrijons ; and fo there muft be 
 difputes which are genuine, like the ftraps for 
 razors. I am afraid the little toad has not the 
 true vein for it. Til tell you a copy of verfes. 
 When Mr. St. John was turned out from being 
 fecretary at war, three years ago, he retired to 
 the country : there he v/as talking of fomething 
 he would have written over his fummer-hoiife, and 
 a gentleman gave him thefe verfes j 
 
 From bufinefs and the noify world retir'd. 
 Nor vex'd by love, nor by ambit en fir'd ; 
 Gently I wait the call of Charon s boat, 
 Still drinking like a hfh, and — like a ftoat. 
 
 He fwore to me he could hardly bear the jeft ; 
 for he pretended to retire like a philofopher, though 
 he was but twenty eight years old : and I be- 
 lieve the thing was true ; for he had been a 
 thorough rake. I think the three grave lines do 
 introduce the laft well enough. Od fo, but I'll 
 go fleep ; 1 fleep early nov/. 
 
 14. O faith, young women, I want a letter 
 from MD ; 'tis now nineteen days fince I had 
 the l^ft : and where have I room to anfwer it, 
 
 pray ?
 
 ( 137 ) 
 
 pray ? I hope I fhall fend this away without any 
 anfwer at all ; for I'll haftcn it, and aw-iy it goes 
 on Tuefday^ by v/hich time this ftde will be Tull. 
 I'll fend It two days fooncr on purpofe out of 
 fpight, and the very next day after, you muft 
 know, your letter will come, and then 'tis too 
 late, and I'll fo laugh, never faw (he like ! 'Tis 
 Spring witli us already. I eat afparagus t'other 
 day. Did you ever fee fuch a froft'cfs winter ? 
 Sir Andrew Fcu.i:iain lies flill extreamly ill ; it 
 cofls him ten guineas a day to docl^ors, furgeons, 
 and apothecaries, and has done fo thefe three 
 weeks. I dined to-dr.y with Mr. Ford \ hefome- 
 times chufes to dine at home, and I am content 
 to dine with him : and at nis-ht I cilled at the 
 Coffee-hoiife^ v^^here I had not been in a week, and 
 talk'd coldly a v.'hile v/ith Mr. Aduif.n ; all our 
 friendfhip and dearnefs arc ofF: wc are civil ac- 
 quaintance, talk words of courfe, of when v/c 
 fhall meet, and that's all. I have not been at 
 any houfe with him thefe fix weeks : t'other day 
 we were to have dined together at the comptrol- 
 ler's ; but I fint my excufcs, being engaged to 
 the fecre'ary of Oate. Is not it odd ? But 1 think 
 he has ufed me ill, and I have ufed him too well, 
 at leaft his friend Steele. 
 
 15. It has cofl: me three guineas to-day for a 
 periv/ig. I nm tmdone ! It was maHe by a Lei- 
 cejler lad, v/ho married Mr. JVorrall^ daughter, 
 where my mother lodged ; fo I thougiit it would 
 be cheap, and erpcci^illy fince he lives in the city. 
 Well, London lick-penny : I find it true. I have 
 given Harrifon hints for another Tat'er to-mor- 
 row. The jackanapes wants a right tafte ? I 
 douht he won't do. I dined with my friend Levj:s 
 pf the fecretary's office, and am got home early, 
 
 becaufe
 
 ( 138 ) 
 
 Becaufe I have much bufinefs to do ; but before 
 I begin I mufl needs fay fomething to MD, faith 
 —No, faith, I lie, it is but nineteen days to-day 
 fince my !aft from MD. I have got Mr. Hurley 
 to promife, that whatever changes are made iji the 
 council, the bifnop of CLgher flial! not be removed, 
 and he has got a memorial accordingly. I will 
 iet the bifhop know fo much in a polt or tv/o. 
 This is a fecret ; but I know he has enemies, and 
 they fhall not be gratified, if they defigned any 
 iuch thing, which perhaps they might ; for fome 
 changes there will be made. So drink up your 
 claret, and be quiet, and don't lofe your money. 
 
 i6. Morning. Faith I'll fend this letter to- 
 ^ay to fhame you, if i han't one from MD be- 
 fore night, that's certain. Won't you grumble 
 for want of the third fide, pray now ? Yes, I 
 warrant you ; yes, yes, you fliidl have the third, 
 you fliall fo, v/hen you can catch it, fome other 
 
 time 5 when you be writing girls. O faith, I 
 
 think I won't ftay till night, but feal up this juft 
 row, and carry it in my pocket, and whip it into 
 the pofl-ofFice a^ I come home at evening. I am 
 going out early this morning. — Patrick\ bills for 
 ^onls and candles, l^c. come fometimes to three 
 fhillings a week; I keep very good fires, ^though 
 the weather be warm. Ireland will never be happy 
 till you get fniall coal likewife ; nothing fo eaiy, 
 fa convenient, fo cheap, fo pretty for lighting a 
 fire. My fervice to Mrs. Stoite and Walls ^ has 
 fhe a boy or a girl ? A girl, hmm ; and died in a 
 week, hmmm, and was poor Stella forced to ftand 
 
 for godmother ? Let me know how accounts 
 
 f^artd, that you may have your money betimes. 
 There's four mohths for my lodging, that muft 
 be thought on too ; and fo go dine with Mcmlry, 
 
 and
 
 ( 139 ) 
 
 and lofe your money, do extravagant fluttikln, 
 but don't fret. — It will be juft three weeks when 
 I have the next letter, that's to-morrow. Farc- 
 wel, deareft beloved MD^ and love poor, poor 
 Pre/io^ who has not had one happy day fiiite he 
 left you, as hope faved. — It is the laft fally I will 
 ever make, but I hope it will turn to fome ac- 
 count. I have done more for thefe, and I think 
 they are more honefl: than the laft j however, f 
 will not be difappointed. I would make MD and 
 me eafy j and I never dcfired more. — Farcwel, ^V. 
 
 LETTER XIV. 
 
 O London, Jan. 16, 1710-11. 
 
 Faith, young women, I have fent my letter 
 N. 13. without one crumb of an anfwer to any 
 of MD's, there's for you now ; and yet Prejio 
 ben't angry faith, not a bit, only he will begin 
 to be in pain next h'tjh poft, except he fees MD's 
 little hand writing in the glafs-frame at the bar 
 of St. ya;i:es's Coffee-houje^ where Prejlo would 
 never go but for that purpofo. Prejlo's at home, 
 God help him, every night from fix till bed-time, 
 and has as little enjoyment or pleafure in life at 
 prefent as any body in the world, although in full 
 favour with all the miniftry. As hope faved, 
 nothing gives Prcjio any fort of dream of happi- 
 nefs but a letter now and then from his own 
 deareft MD. I love the expciStation of it, and 
 when it docs not come, I comfort myfelf, that I 
 have it yet to be happy with. Yes faith, and 
 when I write to AID^ 1 am happy too ; it is juft 
 as if methinks you were here and I prating to you, 
 and telling you where I have been : Well, fays 
 
 you,
 
 ( HO } 
 
 you, Prejio^ come, where have you been to-day ? 
 come, let's hear now. And fo then I anfwerj 
 Ford^uA I were vifiting Mr. Lczuis, and Mr. Prior, 
 and Prior has given me a fine Plautus, and then 
 Fcrd would have had me dine at his lodi^inirs, 
 and fo T would not -, and fo I dined with him at 
 an eating-houfc ; which I have not done five times 
 fince I came here ; and fo I came home, after 
 vifiting Sir Andrew Fountains mother and fifter, 
 and Sir Andrew Fountain is mending, though 
 llovvlv. 
 
 17. I was making, this m.orning, fome gene- 
 ral vifits, and at twelve I called at the Coffie-houfe 
 for a letter from AID -, fo the man faid, he had 
 given it to Patrick ; then I went to the court of 
 requcfts and treafury, to find Mr. Harlcy, and after 
 fome time fpent in mutual reproaches, I promifed to 
 dine with him ; I {laid there till feven, then called 
 at Sterne's and Leigh's to talk about your box, and 
 to have it fent by Smyth ; Sterne fays, he has been 
 n^.aking enquiries, and will fct things right as 
 foon as poflible. 1 fuppofe it lies at Che/ier, at 
 Icaft I hope fo, and only wants a lift over 10 you. 
 Here has little Harrifon been to complain, that 
 the printer I recommended to him for his Tatler^ 
 is a coxcomb ; and yet to fee how things will 
 happen ; for this very printer is my coufin, his 
 name is Dry den Leach j did you never hear of 
 Drydcn Leach ^ he that prints the Poji-man ? He 
 acted Oroncho, he's in love with Mifs CroJJe. — 
 Well, fo 1 came home to read my letter from 
 Stella, but the dog Patrick was abroad ; at laft he 
 came, and I got my letter; I found another hand 
 had fuperfcribed it ; when I opened it, I found it 
 written all in French, and fuhfcribed Bernage : 
 faiih I was ready to fling it at Patrick's head. 
 
 Birrw^e
 
 ( HI ) 
 
 Btrnage tells me, he had been to dcfire your rtf- 
 commendation to me to make him a captain, and 
 your cautious anfwer, " That he had as inuch power 
 *' imth me as ym^^' was a notable one ; if you 
 were here I would prefent you to the miniftry as 
 a perfon of ability. Bernage ihould let me know 
 where to write to him ; this is the fecond letter I 
 have had without any dire£lion ; however, I beg 
 I may not have a third, but that you will afk him, 
 and fend me how I fhall dire£l to him. In the 
 mean time, tell him, that if regiments are to be 
 raifed here, as he fays, I will fpeak to George 
 Granville^ fecretary at war, to make him a cap- 
 tain ; and u{q what other intereft I conveniently 
 can. I think that is enough, and fo tell him, 
 and don't trouble me w^ith his letters, when I 
 expetH: them from AID j do you hear, young wo- 
 men, write to Prejio. 
 
 1 8. I was this morning with Mr. fecretary St. 
 'John^ and we were to dine at Mr. Harleys alone, 
 about fome bufinefs of importance ; but there were 
 two or three gentlemen there. Mr. fecretary and 
 1 went together from his office to Mr. Harleyhy 
 and thought to have been very wife ; but the 
 deuce a bit, the company ftaid, and more came, 
 and Hariey went away at feven, and the fecretary 
 and 1 ftaid with the reft of the company till 
 eleven ; I would then have had him come away ; 
 biit he was in for't ; and though he fvvore 
 he would come away at that flafk, there I lett 
 him. I wonder at the civility of thcfe people ; 
 when he faw I would drink no more, he would 
 always pafs the bottle by me, and yet I could not 
 keep the toad from drinking hi;nfelf, nor he would 
 not let me 20 neither, nor Majham, who was 
 with us. When I got hoine, I found a parcel 
 directed to me, and opening it, I found a pam- 
 phlet
 
 C" 142 ) 
 
 phlet written entirely againft myfelf, not by name, 
 but a, ainft fomethingi writ : it is pretty civil, and 
 afredts to be fo, and I think I will take no no- 
 tice ot it ; 'tis againft fomething written very 
 lately ; and indeed I know not what to fa)', nor 
 do i care ; and fo you arc a fawcy rogue for lof- 
 ing your money to-day at Sioifc's; to let that 
 bungler beat you, fye Stei/a^ an't you afhamed ? 
 Well, I forgive you this once, never do fo again; 
 no, noooo. Kifs and be friends, firrah. — Come, 
 let me go fleep, I go earlier to bed than formerly j 
 and have not been out fo late thefe two months ; 
 but the fecretciy was in a drinking humour. So 
 good night myownlittledtarfawcyinfolentrogues. 
 
 ig. Then you read that long word in the lafl: 
 line, no * faith han't you. Well, when will 
 this letter come from our AID f to-morrow or 
 next day v.ithout fail ; yes faith, and fo it is 
 coming. This was an infipid fnowy day, no 
 walking day, and I dined gravely with Mrs. ran^ 
 hcmrigh^ and came home, and am now got to 
 bed a little after ten ; I remember old Culpepper^s 
 maxim. Would you have a fettled head. You 
 mui\ early go to bed : I tell you and I tell't again. 
 You muft be in bed at ten. 
 
 20. And fo I went to-day with my new wig, 
 o hoao, to vifit lady Worjhy, whom I had not 
 feen before, although (he v/as near a month in 
 town ; then I walkt in ihe Park to find Mr. 
 Ford, whom I had promifed to meet, and coming 
 down the^Jt^aU, who fliould come towards me 
 but Patrick, and gives me five letters out of his 
 pocket. I read the fupcrfcription of the firlt, 
 
 % In that word there were fome puzzling charaftcrs. 
 % Pilioh,
 
 ( 143 ) 
 
 Pihoh, hid I ; of the fecond, Pllioh a^ain ; of 
 the third, Pfliah, Pllaah, Pfhah ; of the" fourth, 
 A Gad, A Gad, A Gad, I'm in a rage ; of the 
 fifth and laft, O hoooa ; aye many this is fomc- 
 thing, this is our iWZ), fo truly we opened it, I 
 think immediately, and it began the moft impu- 
 dently in the world, thus j Dear Prcjio, We arc 
 even thus far. Now we are even, quoth Stephen^ 
 when he o-ave his wife fix blows for one. I re- 
 ceived your ninth four days after I had font my 
 thirteenth. But I'll reckon with you anon about 
 that, young women. Why did not you recant at the 
 end of your letter when you got my eleventh, tell 
 mc that huzzies bafe, were we even then, were 
 we, fnrah ? liut I won't anfv/er your letter now, 
 I'll keep it for another time. We had a great deal 
 of Ihow to-day, and 'tis terrible cold, I dined 
 with Ford, becaufe it was his Opera-day and fnowed, 
 fo I did not care to ftir further. I'll fend to-mor- 
 row to Smyth. 
 
 21. Morning. It has fnowed terribly all night, 
 and is vengeance cold. I am not yet up, but can- 
 not write long ; my hands will freeze. Is there 
 a good fire, Pat7-ick P Yes, Sir; then I'll rrfe,. 
 come take awav the candle. You muft know I 
 write on the dark fide of my bed chamber, and 
 am forced to have a candle till 1 rife, for the bed 
 {lands between me and the window, and I keep- 
 the curtains fhut this cold weather. So pray let 
 me rife, and, Patrick^ here take awav the can- 
 dle. — At night. We are now here in high froil 
 and fnov/, the largeft fire can hardly keep us 
 warm. It is very ugly walking, a baker's boy 
 broke his thigh yefterday. I walk flow, make 
 flioit fteps, and never tread on my heel. *Tis x 
 good proverb the Drujnjkirs p'.-oplc ha\c ; Walk
 
 ( 144 ) 
 
 fad in fnow. In froft walk flow. And ftill ?s 
 you go. Tread on your toe : When froft and 
 inow are both together, Sit by the fire and fpare 
 ihoe-Ieather. 1 dined to-day with Dr. Cockburn, 
 but will not do fo again in hafte, he has generally 
 iuch a parcel of Scots with him. 
 
 22. Morning. Starving, ftarving, Uth, uth, 
 i]th, uth, uth. — Don't you remeniber I ufed to come* 
 into your chamber, and turn Stella out of her chair, 
 and rake up the fire in a cold morning, and cry 
 Uth, uth, uth ? if^c. O faith I muft rife, my hand 
 is fo cold I can write no more. So good morrow, 
 firrahs.— — At night. I went this morning to 
 lady Giff'ard's houfe, and faw your mother, and 
 made her give me a pint bottle of palfey water, 
 which I brought home in my pocket ; and fealed 
 and tyed up m a paptr, and fent it to Mr. Smyth, 
 who goes to-mortow for Ireland., and fent a letter 
 to him to dcfire his care of it, and that he would 
 enquire ^t Chejler about the box. He was not 
 within, fo the bottle and letter were left for him at 
 his lodgings, with ftrict orders to give them to 
 him ; and I will fend Patrick in a day or two, to 
 know whether it was given, is'c. Dr. Stratford 
 and I dined to day with Mr. Stratford in the city, 
 by appointment ; but I chofe to walk there for 
 exercife in the froft. J3ut the weather had given 
 a little, as you women call it, fo it was fomething 
 flobbery. 1 did not get home till nine. And now 
 I'm in bed To break your head. 
 
 27. Mor'.ing. They tell me it freezJes again, 
 but 'tis not fo cold as ycfterday : fo n(;w I will 
 anf'wcr a bi-t of your letter. — At night. O faith, 
 ] was juft going to anfwer fome of our MD's 
 letter ihis mornin^j when a printer came in about 
 
 fome
 
 ( us ) 
 
 fome bufinefs, and ftaid an hour ; To I rofe, and 
 then came in Ben Tcoke^ and then I fhaved and 
 fcribbled, and it was fuch a terrible day 1 coviKI not 
 ftir out till one, and then J called at Mrs. Bartons, 
 and we went to lady IVcrJIey's, where we were to 
 dine by appointment. The earl of Berhlev is 
 going to be married to lady Lcuifa Leftox, the duke 
 of Richmond's daughter. I writ this ni jht to dean 
 Sierne, and bid him tell you all about the bottle of 
 palfey water by Smyth^ and to-morrow morning I 
 will fay Ibmething to your letter. 
 
 24. Morning. Come now to your letter. As 
 for your being even with me, I have fpoken to that 
 already. So now, my dearly beloved, let us pro- 
 ceed to the next. You are always grumbling that 
 you han't letters faft enough, furely we fhall have 
 your tenth * ; and yet before )ou end your letter, 
 you own you have my eleventh. — And why did 
 not AID go into the country with the bifhop of 
 Clogher ? faith fuch a journey would have done 
 you good ; Stella fhould have rode, and Dinghy 
 gone in the coach. The bifliop of Kilmcre J know 
 nothing of ; he is old and may dye; he lives ia 
 fome obfcure corner, for I never heard of him. 
 As for my old friends, if you mean the It^hig^^ I 
 never fee them, as you may find by my journals, 
 except lord Hallifax, and him very feldom ; lord 
 Somej's never fmcc the fir(t vifit, for he has been a 
 falfe deceitful rafcal. My new friends arc very 
 kind, and I have promifcs enough, but I do not 
 count upon them, and b;.fides my prerences arc 
 very voung to ihem. However, we will fee what 
 may be doi.e, and if nothing at all, I fliall not be 
 difappointcd ; although perhaps poor J.u'D may, 
 
 • Thefe are the words of AID. 
 Vol. IV. L and
 
 ( 146 ) 
 
 and then I fhall te forryer for their fakes than my 
 
 6wn -^-Talk of a merry Chrijlmas (why do you 
 
 write it fo then young women ? fawce for the 
 
 goofe is fawce for the gander) I have wifht you 
 
 all that two or three letters ago. Good lack ; and 
 
 your news, that Mr. St. John is going to Holland ; 
 
 he has no fiich thoughts to quit the great ftation 
 
 he is in, nor if he had, could I be fpared to go 
 
 with him. So faith, politick Madam Stella^ you 
 
 come with your two eggs a penny, ^r. Well, 
 
 Madam Dinghy, and fo Mrs. State invites you, 
 
 and fo you Itay at Donnybrook f, and fo you could 
 
 not write. You are plaguy exacl in your journals 
 
 from Dec. 25, to Jan. 4th. Well, Smyth and the 
 
 palfey water 1 have handled already, and he does 
 
 not lodge (or rather did not, for poor man, now 
 
 he is gone) at Mr. Je//?s^ and all that ftufr; but 
 
 we found his lodging, and I v/ent to Stellas 
 
 mother on my own head, for I never remembered 
 
 it was in the letter to defire another bottle; but 
 
 I was fo fretted, fo tofticated, and fo impatient, 
 
 that Stella fhould have her water (I mean decently, 
 
 don't be rogue;) and fo vext with Sterne's careleiT- 
 
 nefs. — Pray God Stella's illncfs may not return. 
 
 If they come feldom they begin to be weary ; I 
 
 judge by myfelf; for when I feldom vifit, 1 grow 
 
 weary of my acquaintance. — Leave a good deal 
 
 of my tenth unanfwered I — Impudent flut, when 
 
 did you ever aniwer my tenth, or ninth, or any 
 
 other number ? or who defires you to anfwcr, 
 
 provided you write ? I defy the D — to anfwer 
 
 my letters : fometimes there may be one or tv/o 
 
 things I fliould be glad you would anfwcr, but I 
 
 forget them, and you never think of them. I 
 
 Ihall never love anPvvering letters again, if you 
 
 f About a mile from Dublin. 
 
 talk
 
 ( 147 ) 
 
 talk of anfwcring. Anfwcring, quotl:a ; pretty 
 
 anfwcrcrs truly. As for the pamphlet yoa 
 
 fpeak of, and call it fcandalous, and that one ivlr. 
 Prejlo is fald to write it, hear my anfwcr. Fyc, 
 child, ycu mufl not mind what every idle body 
 tells you — I believe you lie, and that the dogs 
 were not crying it when you faid fo ; come, tell 
 truth. I am forry you go to 5/. Mary% \ fo foon, 
 you'll be as poor as rats ; that place will drain you 
 tvith a vengeance : befides, I would have you 
 think of being in the country in Summer. Indeed, 
 Stella, pippins produced plentifully j Parvifol covAd 
 not fend from Laracdr : there were about half a. 
 fcorc, I would be glad to know whether they v/ere 
 Tood for any thing. — Mrs. JFcilU at Donnybroch 
 with you ; why is not (he brought to bed ? Well, 
 well, well, Dingley, pray be fatisfted ; you talk, 
 as if you were angry about the bifl:iop's not offer- 
 ing vou convcniencies for the journey ; and fo he 
 
 fliould. What fc^rt ol' Chri/lmns?' Why I have 
 
 had no Cbrijlmas at all ; and has it really been 
 Chri/hnas of late ? I never once thought of it. 
 My fervlce to Mrs. Slcite, and Catherine, 'and let 
 Catherine get the coil'ce ready againft I come, and 
 not have fo much care on iicr conntenance ; for 
 
 all will go well Mr. Berncige, Mv. Beniagey 
 
 Mr. FiddlcKo^e, I liave had three letters from him 
 now fucccJrivcly ; ' he fends ro dirciStions, an.l 
 how the D — (hall I write to him r I would have 
 burnt his lail, if I had not fcfii StcP.a<, hand at 
 the bottom : his rcquefi: is all nonfenfe. How 
 can I afiiil him in buying ? and if he be ordered 
 to go to Spain, go he muU, or clfe fell, and I 
 believe one can'hardly f.ll in fuc-h a jundure. 
 
 X MD's lodgings oppoiite to St. W<7-;/3 Chitrcli in 
 
 ^lafford-Strect.
 
 ( h8 ; 
 
 If he had ftaid, and new regiments raifed, I wouItT 
 have ufcd my endeavour to have had him removed j 
 alihough I have no credit that way, or very little : 
 but if the reginiciu goes, he ought to go too ; he 
 has had great indulgence, and opportunities of 
 faving J i^nd 1 have urged him to it a hundred 
 times. \Vhat can I do? whenever it lies in my 
 power to do him a good cfHce,. I will do it. Pray 
 <!raw up this into a handfomc fpeech, and repre- 
 ient it to him from me, and that I would write* 
 if I knew where to direct to him -, and fo 1 have 
 told you, and defired you would tell him, fifty 
 times. Yes, Madam Stella, I think I can readi 
 )our long concluding word, hut you ean't read 
 mine alter bidding you good night. And yet,, 
 jnethinks, I mend extremely in my writing ; but 
 when Sttllaa eyes are well, I hope to write as 
 bad as ever. — So now I have anfwered your letter, 
 i'.nd mine is an anfwer ; tor 1 lay yours before me^ 
 and I look and write, and write and look, and. 
 look and write again. — So good morrow. Madams 
 both, and I'll go rife, for I muil rife; for 1 take 
 pills at night, and fo I mufl rife early, I don't 
 know vvhy.— — — 
 
 ?5. Morning. I did not tell you how I paft 
 my time^jcflerday, nor bid you good night, and 
 there was gcod reafon. 1 wen: in the morning to 
 iecretary St. jorj» about, fome bufmcfs; he had got 
 a great /V/:ig with him ; a creature of the duke 
 of Alcirlbc7-cugh, who is a Go-hcHvcen to make peace 
 between the duke and the miniilry ; fo he cnm.e 
 out cf his clofet ; and after a few word . dcfned 
 1 would dine with him at three, hut Mr. LcvAs 
 flaid till fix before he came ; and there we fat 
 talking, and the time f!ipt fo, that .-.t Lifl, when 
 1 was [cfitive to go, it was j^aft two cf clock ; fo 
 
 1 came
 
 ( 149 ) 
 
 I came hom« and went ftraight to bcJ. He woiikl 
 «cver let ms look at his watci), and I cojld not 
 imagine it above twelve when we went away. So 
 I bid you good night for lall: night, and now I bid 
 you good morrow, and I am dill in bcJ, thouTii 
 it be near ten, but I muft rife. 
 
 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. I have been fo lazy and 
 negligent thcfc lart four days that I could noc 
 write -to MD. My head is not in order, and yet 
 it is not abfolutcly ill, but giJJyifli, anJ mak.cs 
 me liftlefs ; I v/alk every day, anJ take drops of 
 X)r. Cockburr.^ and I havejufc done a b 'X of pills, 
 and to-day lady Kerry fent me fomc of h;r bitter 
 drink, which I defign to take twice a day, and 
 hope I fliall grow better. I wiQ\ I were with 
 MDt I long for Spring and good weather, and 
 then I will come over. My ridin.^ in IreUni 
 keeps me well. I am very temperate, and cat of 
 the eafieft meats as I am directed, and hope the 
 malignity will go ofF; but one fit fliakes me a 
 longtime. I dined to-day with lord Almntjjy^ 
 yei\ercVky at Mr. Stone i in the city, on Sun lay at 
 Vankommgh's^ Saturday with Fordy and Friday I 
 think' at '/anhonirigh'Sy and that's all the journal 
 I can iend AID, for I was fo -lazy while I was 
 weU/ that I could not write. I thoight to have 
 
 it this to-night, but 'tis ten, and I'll go to bed, 
 id write on t'other fide to Parvijol to-moirow, 
 and fend it on Tbnrfday ; and io good night my 
 dears, and love Prtjio^ and be healthy, and Prcjh 
 will be fo too, l^c. 
 
 Cue off thefe notes handfomely, d'ye hear, 
 firrahs, and give Mrs. Hrent hers, and keep youfcj. 
 till you fee Parv'ifol^ and then make up t >e letter 
 •Co him, and fend it him by the hrft opportunity, 
 
 L 3 and
 
 ( 150 \ 
 
 and- fo God Almighty blcfs you bo^th, here an(i 
 ever, iind poor Prejio. 
 
 What, 1 warrant you thought at firfl: that thefe 
 laft lines were another letter. 
 
 Dinghy^ Pray pay Stella fix Fiflies, and place 
 them to the account of your humble lervant, 
 Prtjlo. 
 Stella, Pray pay Dinghy fix Fifhes, and place 
 them to the account of your humble fervant, 
 Prefro. 
 There's Bills of Exchange for you. 
 
 LETTER XV. 
 
 London, Jan, 31, i7ic-Ti» 
 
 J. AM to fend you my fourteenth to-morrow, 
 but niv head havin<'- fome little dil'ordcr?, confounds 
 all my journals. I v/as early this mornina; with 
 Mr. fecretary St. 'John about fome bufmefs, io I 
 could not fcribhle my morning lines to MD. They 
 are here intending to tax all little printed penny 
 papers a half penny every half-fheet, which will 
 utterly ruin Gruh-Jhcct, and I am endeavouring to 
 prevent it. Befides, I was forwarding an im- 
 peachment againft a certain grfeat perfon j that 
 \vas two of my buhnelTcs with the fecretary, were 
 they* not v/orihy ones r It was Ford's Birth-day.^ 
 and I rcfufcd the fecretary and dined with Ford. 
 "VVe are here in as fmart a froft for the time as I 
 have feen ; delicate walking weather, and the 
 Canal and Rcjajncnd's Pofid full of the rabble 
 flidiiig and with fkates, if you know what thofe' 
 ure. Pi'.trick's bird's water freezes in the gally- 
 pot, and my hands in bed.
 
 { I5J ) 
 
 Feb. I. I was this morning with poor lady 
 Kerry, who is much worfe in her head than 1. 
 Slie fends mc bottles of her bitter, and \vc are fo 
 fond of one another, bccaufe our ailments are the 
 fame; don't you know that. Madam Stella^ 
 Han't I feen you. conning ailments with 'Jqe's 
 wife *, and fome others, firrah ? I walkt into the 
 city to dine, bccaufe of the walk, for we muft 
 take care of PrejWs health you know, becaufe of 
 poor little MD. But I walkt plaguy carefully, 
 for fear of Aiding againft my will ; but I am very 
 bufy. 
 
 2. This morning Mr. Ford came to me to walk 
 into the city, where he had bufmefs, and then, to 
 buy books at Batemans ; and I laid out one pound 
 five fliilling for a Straho and Arijiopbnnes, and 
 I have now cot books enouoh to make me 
 
 D to 
 
 another fhelf, and I will have more, or it (hall 
 coft me a fall ; and fo as we came back, we drank 
 a flafk of right French wine at Ben Tookeh chamber; 
 and when I got home, Mrs. Vanbo7nrigh fent me 
 word her eldeft daughter was taken fuddenly very 
 ill, and defired I would come and fee her ; 1 went, 
 and found it was a filly trick of Mrs. Jrmlhong^ 
 lady Ltufs fifter, who, with Moll Stanlv.pc, was 
 vifiting there : however I rattled off the daughter. 
 
 3. To-day I went and dined at lady Lucys, 
 where you know I have not been this long time ; 
 they are plaguy TFhigs^ efpccially the fifter Jrm- 
 ftrong, the mofl infupportable of all women, pre- 
 tending to wit, without any taftc. She was run- 
 ping down the laft Examiner, the prettied I had 
 read, with a charafter of the prefent miniftry. — 
 
 • Mrs. Beaumont. 
 
 ha, I left
 
 ( 152 ; 
 
 I left them at five, and came home. But I forgot 
 to tell you, that this morning my coufin, Drydeit 
 Leach the printer, came to me with a heavy com- 
 plaint, that Harrifon * the new Taller had turned 
 him oiF, and taken the laft Tatler's printers again. 
 He vowed revenge ; I anfwered gravely, and fo 
 he left me, and I have ordered Patrick to deny 
 me to him from henceforth : and at night comes a 
 letter from Harrifon, telling me the fame thing, 
 and excufed his doing it without my notice, be- 
 caufe he would bear all the blame ; and in his Tatler 
 of this day he tells you the ftory, how he has 
 taken his old officers, and there is a moft humble 
 letter from Morphew and Lilly to beg his pardon, 
 iJc. And laflly, this morning Ford fent me two 
 letters from the Coffec-houfe (where I hardly ever 
 go) one from the archbifhop of Dublin, and t'other 
 
 from Who do you think t'other was from? 
 
 — I'll tell you, becaufe you are friends j why then 
 it was, faith it was from my own dear little 
 MD, N. 10. Oh, but won't anfwer it now, no, 
 tioooooh, I'll keep it between the two ftieets ; 
 here it is, juft under ; oh, I lifted up the (h'eet 
 and faw it there : lie ftill, you jlian't be anfwered 
 yet, little letter; for I muft go to bed, and take 
 care of my head. 
 
 I avoid going to church yet, for fear of my head, 
 though it has been much better thcfe laft five or 
 fix days, fincc I have taken lady Kerry^s bitter. 
 Our froft: holds like a dragon. I went to Mr. 
 Jd'lifons^ and dined Vv^iih him at his lodgings ; T 
 had not feen him thefe three weeks, we are grown 
 common acquaintance ; yet what have not 1 done 
 
 * See an account of this gentleman in DodJIrys Col- 
 leftion, No. 76. 
 
 for
 
 ( 153 ) 
 
 for his friend Steele? Mr. Hurley reo reached ma 
 the laft time I faw him, that to pieafe me he 
 would be reconciled to Steele., and had promifed 
 and appointed to lee him, and that Steele never 
 came. Harr'ij'in^ whom Mr. Addifon recommended 
 to me, I have introduced to the fecretary of Hate, 
 who has promifed me to take care of him ; and £ 
 have reprefen:cd Addifon himfclf fo to the minillry, 
 tliat they think and talk in his favour, though 
 
 they hated him before. Well; he is now ia 
 
 my debt, and there's an end ; and I never had the 
 lealt obligation to him, and there's another end. 
 This evening I had a meflage fiom Mr. Hurley, 
 dcfiring to know v^hether i was alive, and that f 
 would dine with hini to-morrow. They dine fo 
 late, that fince my head has been wrong I hive 
 avoided beinsj with them. — Patrick has been out 
 of favour thefe ten days ; I talk dry and crofs to 
 him, and have called him Friend three or four 
 times. But, firrahs, get you gone, 
 
 5. Morning. I am going this morning to fee 
 Prior, who dies with me at Mr. Harleys ; (o I 
 can't ftay fiddling and talking with dear little brars 
 in a morning, and 'tis ftill terribly cold. — I wifli 
 my cold hand was in the warmeft place about you, 
 young women, I'd give ten guineas upon that ac- 
 count with all my heart, faith ; oh, it flarves my 
 thigh ; fo I'll rife and bid you good morrow, my 
 ladies both, good morrow. Come Hand away. 
 Jet me rife : Patrick^ take awav the candle. Is 
 >here a good fire .'' — So — up a-dazy. — At nignt. 
 Mr. Horley did not fit down till fix, and 1 llaid 
 till eleven ; henceforth 1 will chufe to vifit him 
 in the evenings, and dine with him no more if [ 
 can help it, Jt breaks all my meafures, and hurts 
 
 my
 
 ( 154 ) 
 
 jny health ; my head i? diforderly, but not ill, 
 iind I hope it will mend. 
 
 6. Here has been fuch a hurry with the ^leens 
 Birth-day^ fo much fine cloaths, and the Court fo 
 crowded that I did not go there. All the froft is 
 gone. It thawed on Sunday^ and fo continues, 
 yet ice is ftill on the Canal (I did not mean that of 
 Laracor^ but St. y.nnes's Park) and boys Aiding on 
 it. Mr. Ford preffed me to dine with him in his 
 chamber.— Did not I tell you Pafrick has got a 
 bird, a linret, to carry oVer to Dinghy ? It was 
 very tame at firft, and 'tis nn\v the wildeft I ever 
 faw. Me keeps it in a clofct, where it makes a 
 terrible litter; but I fay nothing : I am as tame 
 as a clout. When muf!: we anfwer our MD'$ 
 Jetter ? One of thefe odd-come-fhortlies. This 
 is a week old, you fee, and no further yet. Mr. 
 Harley defired I would dine with him again to-day j 
 but 1 refufed him, for 1 fell out with him yefter- 
 day, and will not fee him again till he makes me 
 amends ; and fo 1 so to bed. 
 
 :=" 
 
 7. I was this morning early v/ith Mr. Lewis of 
 the fecretary's ofHce, and faw a letter Mr. Harley 
 had fent to him, defiring to be reconciled ; but I 
 Was deaf to all intreaties, and have defired Lewis 
 to go to him, and let him know I expe£l: further 
 fatisfatSlion. if we let the'e great minifters pre- 
 tend too much, there will be no governing them. 
 He promifes to make me eafy, if I will but come 
 and fee him ; but I won't, and he (hall do it by 
 melTage, or I wiil caft him off. I'll tell you the 
 caufe of our.Ojiiarrel when I iee you, and refer it 
 to yourfelves. in that he did fomething, which 
 he intended for a favour ; and I have taken it 
 quite othcrwife, difliking both the thing and the 
 
 manner,
 
 ( 155 J 
 
 Hianner, and it ha^ heartily vexed me, and all J 
 riave laid is truth, though it looks like jeft -, and 1 
 abfolutclv rcfufed to fubmit to his intended favour, 
 and expedl: further fatisfadtion, Mr. Fcrd and I 
 dined with Mr. Lewis. Vv^e havb a monflrcus 
 deal cf fnow, and it has colt me two fhillings to- 
 day in chair and coach, and vvalk'd till I was dirty 
 befides. I know net what it is now to read or 
 write after I am in bed. The laft thing I do up 
 is to write fomething to our MD, and then get 
 into bed, and put out my candle, and fo go fleep 
 as faft as ever I can. But in the mornings I do 
 
 O 
 
 write fometimes in bed, as you kjicw. 
 
 8. I».Iorning. 1 have defirnl Aproiiia to he always 
 CureftiU cfpccially about the lcg<. Pray, do yoU fee 
 an.y fuch great v/it in that fentence ? I muil freely 
 town that I do not. But party carries every thing 
 n-ow-a-days, and what a fplutter have I heard about 
 the wit of that fayinpr^ repeated with admiration 
 above a hundred times in half an hour. Pray read it 
 over again this moment, and confider it. I think 
 the word is advifed^ and net dtfired. I Ihould not 
 not have remembered it if I had not heard it fo 
 often. Why — sye — You m.nft know I dreamt it 
 jurt now, and waked with it in my m^uth. Are 
 you bit, or are you not, firrahs ? I met Mr, Har- 
 ley in the court of requefts, and he afkt me how 
 long I had learnt the trick of writing to myielf ? 
 He had feen your letter through the glafs-cafe at 
 the Coffee-hoitfe, and would fwear it was my hand ; 
 and Mr. Ford^ who took and fent it me, was of 
 the fame mind. I remember others have formerly 
 laid fo too. I think I was little AJD's writing- 
 niafter *• — But come, what's here to do, writing 
 
 * SiiUati hand had a great deal of the air of the 
 4o61or's ; but flic wilt more le->ible, and rather better. 
 
 lo
 
 ( 156 ) 
 
 to young women in a morning ? I h.ivc other fifli 
 to fry ; fo goo'J morto^', my ladies all, good 
 morrow. Perhaps I'll anfwer your letter to-night» 
 perhaps I woij't ; that's as faucy little Pref.o takes 
 ^X^z humour. — At night. I walk'd in the Park to- 
 day in Jpight of the weather, as I do always 
 when it docs not aflually rain. Do you know 
 what ? It has gone and done ; we had a thaw for 
 three days, then a monftrous dirt and fnow, and 
 iiow it freezes, like a pot-lid, upon our fnow. I 
 dined with lady Bdty Gertnahiy the firft time fince 
 I came for Etiglaitd-, and there did I fit, like a 
 booby, till eight, looking over her and another 
 Jady at picquet, when I had other bufinefs enough 
 to do. It was the coloeft day I felt this year. 
 
 9. Aborning. After I had been a-bed an hour 
 laft night, I was forced to rife and call to the 
 landlady and maid to have the fire removed in a 
 chimney below ftairs, which made my bed-cham- 
 ber fmoke, though 1 had no fire in it. I have 
 been twice ferved fo. I never lay fo miferable an 
 bour in my life. Is it not plaguy vexatious ?— 
 It has fnovved all night, and rains this morning. 
 — — ComiC, wherc's MD's letter? Come, Mrs. 
 Letter., make your appearance. Here am I, fays 
 ihe, anfwer me to my face. — Oh, faith, I am forry 
 you had my twelfth fo foon ; I doubt you will 
 ftay longer for the reft. I'm fo 'fraid you have 
 got my fourteenth while I am writing this j and 
 I would always have one letter from Prejio reading, 
 one travelling, and one writing. As for the box, 
 I now believe it loft. It is direded for Mr. Curry 
 at his houfe in Capd-Jireet^ kc. 1 had a letter 
 yefterday from Dr. Royrnond in Chejier., who fays, 
 he fent his man every where, and cannot find it ; 
 and God knows whether Mr, Smyth will have 
 
 better
 
 ( 157 ) 
 
 better fucccfs. Slerne fpoke to him, nnti I wr'ii 
 to him with the bottle of palfy-wciter ; that bottle, 
 I hope, will not mifcarry : I long to hear you 
 have it. Oh, faith, you have too good an opinion 
 of Prejfo's care. I am negligent enough ot every 
 thing but JUD, and I fhould not have trufted 
 ^/^?-K^.— But it fliall not go fo : I will have one 
 more tug for it. — As to what ) ou fay of goodman 
 Pecijly and Ifaac^ I anfwer as I did before. Fye, 
 child, you muft not give yourfelf the way to 
 believe any fuch thing: and afterwards, only for 
 cariofity, you may tell me how thefe things are 
 approved, and hov/ you like them ; and wlicther 
 they inftru6l you in the prefent courfe of affairs, 
 and whether they are printed in your town, or 
 only fent from hence. — Sir Andrezv Fountoln is 
 recovered ; i:> take your forrow again, but don't, 
 keep it, iling it to the dogs. And does little MD 
 V/alk, indeed ? — I'm glad of it at heart. — Yes, we 
 have done with the plague here : it was very faucy 
 in you to pretend to have it before your betters. 
 Your intelligence that the (lory is falfc: about the 
 officers forced to fell, is admirable. You may fee 
 them all three heie every day, no more in the 
 army than you-. Twelve fhillings for mending 
 the ftrong box ; that is, for putting a farthing's 
 worth of iron on a hin2,e, and gilding it; give 
 him fix fhilhngs, and I'll pay it, and never em- 
 ploy him or hers again. — No — indeeJ, I put off" 
 preaching as much as I can. I am upon another 
 toot : no- body doubts here whether I can preach, 
 and you are fools. — The account you give of th;ic 
 weekly paper * agrees with us here. Mr. Prior 
 was lilcc to be infulted in the Itreet for being fup- 
 poi'ed the author of it j but cne of the \-*Sx papers 
 
 * The Examiner. 
 
 % cleared
 
 C 158 } 
 
 cleared him. No-body knows who it is, but 
 thofe few in the fecret, I fuppofe the miniftry and 
 the printer. — Poor Stellas eyes, God hlefs them, 
 and fend them better. Pray fpare them, and 
 write not above two lines a day in broad day-light. 
 How' does Stella look, madam DinpUy ? Pretty 
 well ; a hand feme young woman flill. Will fiic 
 pafs in a crowd ? Will fhe make a figure in a 
 country church ? — Stay a little, fair ladies. I 
 this minute fent Patrick to Sterne : he brings back 
 word that your box is very fafe with one Mr. 
 Ecirl\ fifter in Chejier^ and that colonel Edg%vorth\ 
 widow goes for Ireland on Mciiday next, and will 
 receive the box at Chefier^ and deliver it you fafe: 
 fo there is fome hopes now. — "Well, let us go on 
 
 to your letter. The warrant is palled for the 
 
 Firji-Fruits. The c-.icen docs not fend a letter; 
 but a patent will be drawn here, and that will 
 take, up time. Mr. Harley of late has faid nothing 
 of prel'enting me to tlie quec.n : — I was overfecn 
 when I mentioned it to you. He has fuch a 
 weight of affairs on him, that he cannot mind all; 
 but he taik'd of it three or four times to me, long 
 before I dropt it to you. What, is not Mrs. 
 IFaWs bufmefs over yet ^ I had hopes fhe was up 
 and well, and the child dead before this time. — 
 You did right, at lafl, to lend me your accounts; 
 but I did not ftny for them, I thank you. I hope 
 you have your bill fent in my lall, and there will 
 be eight pounds intcreft foon due from flaiuk- 
 J])aw y pray look at his bond. I hope you are 
 good managers, and that when I fay fo, Stella 
 won't think I intend flie fliould grudge herfelf 
 wine. But r.:oin:2; to thofe cxpenfive lodtiin^s re- 
 (quires fome fund. I wilh you had flaid till 1 came 
 over, for fome rcafons. 'ili.u Frenchwoman will 
 be grumbling again \\\ a liTrlc time, and if you • 
 6 are
 
 [ 159 ; 
 
 are invited any where to the country, it will vex 
 you to pay in abfence ;• and the country may be 
 neceflary for poor Stellas health ; but do as you 
 Hke, and don't blame Prcjlo. — Ob, but you are 
 telling your rcalbns. — Wtll, I have read them ; do 
 as you pleaie. — Yes, Raymond fays, he muft (lay 
 longer than he thought, becaufc he cannot fettle 
 
 his affairs. Al is in the country at fome 
 
 friend's, comes to 'town in Springs and then goes 
 to fettle in Hcrcfordjhlre. Kcr huiband is a furly 
 ill-natured brute, and cares not flie fliould fee any 
 body. ,0 LorJ, fee how I blundered, and left 
 two lines fliort ; it was that ugly fcore in the 
 
 paper * that made m.c miftake. 1 believe you 
 
 lie about the ftory of the fire, only to make it 
 more odd. Bernagc muft go to Spain^ and I wiil 
 fee to recommend him to the duke of Arg'jh^ his 
 general, when I fee the duke next : but the officers 
 tell me it would be difhonourable in the laft desrec 
 for him to fell now, and he would never be pre- 
 ferred in the army ; fo that unlefs he defi:»ns to 
 leave it for good and all, he muft go. Tcli him 
 fo, and that I would write if I knew where to 
 dire6l to him ; which I have faid four-fcore times 
 already. I h?.d rather any thino; almoft than that 
 you ftiould ftr;:in yourfclvcs to fend a letter when 
 it is inconvenient; we have fettled that matter 
 already. I'll write v.'hen i can, and fo fhall AlD\ 
 and upon occafions extraordinary I will write, 
 though it be a line ; and when v.e have cot let- 
 ters foon, we agree that ail thin~s are well ; and 
 fo that's fetiled for ever, and fo held your tongue. 
 — Well, you fhall have your pins; but for candles 
 ends, 1 cannot promife, bccaufc i burn them to the 
 flumps ; bcfides, I remember what Stella told 
 
 * A creafe in the \vxz*.
 
 f i6o ) 
 
 Dhigtey about them many years ago, and flie may 
 think the fame thing of me. — And DingUy ftiall 
 h.tve her hinged fpedtacles. — Poor dear Stella^ how 
 d-jrftyouwritethofetwolines by candle-light; bang 
 your bones. Faith, this letter fhall go to-morrow, I 
 rhink, and that will be in ten days from the laft, 
 young women ; that's too foon of all confcience : 
 but anfwering yours has filled it up fo quick, and 
 I don't defign to ufe you to three pages in folio, 
 iro nooooh. All this is one morning's work in 
 bed ; — and fo good morrow, little firrahs ; that's 
 for the rhyme f. You want politicks ; faith, I 
 can't think of any ; but may be at night 1 may 
 tell you a pafl&ge. Come, fit ofF the bed, and 
 let me rife, will you ? — At night. I dined to- 
 t-ay with my neighbour VcMho77irigh ; it was fiich 
 difmal weather 1 could not flir further. I have 
 had fome threatenings with my head, but no fits. 
 I ftill drink Dr. RadcUffes bitter, and will con- 
 tinue it. 
 
 10. I was this morning to fee the fecretary of 
 ^,.te, and have engaged him to give a memorial 
 from me to the duke of Argyle in behalf of Bcrnage, 
 The duke is a man that diftinguifhes people of 
 merit, and I will fpeak to him mvfelf j but the 
 fecretary backing it will be very effedual, and I 
 will take care to have it done to purpofe. Pray 
 tell Bernage fo, and that J think nothing can be 
 luckier for h'm, and that J would have him go 
 by all means. I will oidt-r it that the duke fhall 
 fend for him v/hen they are in Spam ; or, if he 
 fails, that he fliall receive him kindly when he 
 
 t fn the original it wa?, good tnaUo-ws, llithfcUcihs, 
 Put in thefe words, and mai.y others, he writes con- 
 fiantiy // for rr. 
 
 goes
 
 ( i6i ) 
 
 goes* to wait on him. Can I do more ? Is not 
 this a great deal ? — I now lend away this letter, 
 that yuu may not flay. — I dined with Ford upon 
 his Opera da)\ and am now come home, and am 
 going to ftudy ; don't you prefume to guefs, fir- 
 rahs, impudent faucy dear boxes. Towjrds the 
 end of a letter I could not f^y faucy boxes with- 
 out putting; dear betv/een. En't that ri'J-lit now? 
 Farewel. T/;/V ihould be lonTrer, but that / fend 
 // to-night *. 
 
 O filly, filly loggerhead ! 
 I fend a letter this poft to one Mr. Staunton^ and 
 I direct it to Mr. Aclori% in St. Michacrs-Lane. 
 He formerly lodged there, but he has not told me 
 where to direct. Pray fend to that Aclon^ whe- 
 ther the letter is come there, and whether he has 
 fent it to Staunton. 
 
 If Bernage defigns to fell his commifllon and 
 ftay at home, pray let him tell me fo, that my 
 recommendation to the dulce of ArgyU may not 
 be in vain. 
 
 LETTER XVI. 
 
 London, Feb. lo, 1710-1 r, 
 
 j| H AV E juft difpatched my fifteenth to the 
 poft ; I tell you how things will be, after 1 have 
 got a letter from MD. J am in furious hafte to 
 finifh mine, for fear of having two of MD\ to 
 anfwer in one oi Prc/io'^^ which would'be fjch a 
 difgrace, never faw the like ; but before you write 
 to me I write at my leifure, like a gentleman, a 
 little every day, juft to let you know how matters 
 
 * Thofe letters which are in Ifalicks, in the oricrinal 
 are of a monllroirs fize, which occafioned his calling 
 himfelf a loggerhead. 
 
 Vol. IV. ' M go,
 
 C 162 ; 
 
 go, and fo and To ; and I hope before this comes 
 to vou, you'll have o-ot vour box and chocolate, 
 and Prejlo will take more care another time. 
 
 11. Morning. I mufl: rife and go fee my lord 
 keeper, which will coit me two fhiliings in coach- 
 liire. Don't vou call them two thirteens ? * — 
 At night. It has rained all day, and there was 
 no walking. I read prayers to Sir Andretv Foun- 
 tain in the forenoon, and I dined with three Irijh- 
 mcn., at one Mr. Copers lodgings ; the other two 
 vrere one Aloiris an archdeacon, and Mr. Ford. 
 When I came home this evening, I expected that 
 little jackanapes Harrifon would have come to get 
 help about his Tatler for Tiicjday : I have fixed 
 two evenings in the week which I allow him to 
 come. The toad never came, and I expeding 
 him fell a reading, and left off other bufmefs. — 
 Come, what are you doing ? How do you pafs 
 TOur time this ugly weather ? Gaming and drink- 
 ing, I fuppofe : fine diverfions for young ladies, 
 truly. I wifli you had fome of our Seville oranges, 
 and we fome of your wine. We have the fineft 
 oranges for two-pence apieoe, and the bafefl wine 
 for fix fhiliings a bottle. They teil me wine grows 
 cheap with you. I am refolved to have half a 
 hogfnead when I get to Ireland, if it be good and 
 cheap, as it ufed to be; and I'll treat MD at my 
 table in an evening, oh hoa, and laugh at great 
 minifters of ftate. 
 
 12. The davs are crown fine and long, 
 
 be thanked. O faith, you forget all our little 
 fayings, and 1 am angry. I dined to-day with 
 Mr. fccretary 5/. John : I went to the court of 
 
 * A fhilling paiTea for thirteen pence in Irelajid. 
 
 requefts
 
 C i<53 ) 
 
 requeds at noon, and fent Mr. Harley into the 
 houfe to call the fecretaxy, to let him know I 
 would not dine with him if he dined late. By 
 good luck the duke of Jrgyle was at the lobby (if 
 the houfe too, and I kept him in talk till the 
 fecretary came out, then told them I was glad to 
 , meet them together, and that 1 had a requeft to 
 the duke which the fecretary muft fecond, and his 
 grace muft grant. The duke faid, he was fure 
 it was fomething infignificant, and wifhed it was 
 ten times greater. At the fecretary's houfe I writ 
 a memorial, and gave it to the fecretary to gi\Q 
 the duke, and fhall fee that he does it. It i?, 
 that his grace will pleafe to take Mr. Bernage into 
 his protecSlion ; and if he finds Bernage anfwers my 
 character, to give him all encouragement. Colo- 
 nel Majham and colonel Hill (Mrs. Majhams bro- 
 ther) tell me my requeft is reafonable, and they 
 will fecond it heartily to the duke too: fo I reckon 
 Bernage is on a very good foot when he goes to 
 Spain. Pray tell him this, though perhaps I will 
 write to him before he goes ; yet where fiiall I 
 diredl i*. for I fuppofe he has left ComWs, 
 
 13. I have left ofF lady Ktny^s bitter, and got 
 another box of pills. I have no fits of giddmefs, 
 but only fome little diforders towards it; and 1 
 walk as much as I can. Lady Kerry isjuftas I 
 am, only a great deal worfe : I dined to-day at 
 lord Sl'clburn'sy where flie is, and we conn ail- 
 ments, which m.akes us very fond of each other. 
 I have taken Mr, Harky into favour again, and 
 called to fee him, but he was not within j I will 
 ufe to vifit him after dinner, for he dines too late 
 for my head : then I went to vifit poor Congrcve, 
 who is juft getting out of a fcvere fit of the gout, 
 gnd I fat wiih him till near nine o'clock. He 
 
 M 2, S^V9
 
 (164) 
 
 gave me a Tathr he had written out, as blind as 
 he is, for little Harrifon. 'Tis about a fcoundrel 
 that was grown rich, and went and bought a 
 Coat of Arms at the HeralcV^^ and a fet of anceftors 
 at Fleet-ditch ; 'tis well enough, and fliall be printed 
 jn two or three days, and if you read thoie kind 
 of things, this will divert you. 'Tis now be- 
 tween ten and eleven, and 1 am going to bed, 
 
 14. This was Mrs. Vanhomrigh''^ daughter's 
 Btrth-dc,y\ and Mv. Ford and I were invited to 
 dinner to keep it, and we fpent the evening there 
 
 sdrinking punch. That was our way of beginning 
 Lent j and in the morning lord Shelburn, lady 
 Kerry, Mrs. Prott and I went to Hyele-Park, in- 
 Ikad of going to church ; for till my head is a 
 little fettled, I think it better not to go ; it would 
 be fo filly and troublefome to go out fick. Dr. 
 Duke died (uddenly two or three nights ago ; he 
 was one of the Wits when we were children, but. 
 turned parfon, and left it, and never writ further 
 than a prologue or recommendatory copy of verfcs. 
 He had a fine living given him by the bifhop of 
 Winchejier about three months ago; he got his 
 living luddenly, and he got his dying fo too. 
 
 15. I walked purely to-day about the Vark^ the 
 rain being juft over, of which v/e have had a 
 great deal, mixt with little fliort frofts. I went 
 to the court of rcquefts, thinking if Mr. Harley 
 dined early, to go with him. But meeting Leigh 
 and Sterne^ they invited me to dine with them, 
 and away we went. When we got into his room, 
 
 one H , a worthlefs Lijh fellow, was there 
 
 rea<^y to dine with us, fo I ftept out and whifpered 
 them, that I would not dine with that fellow ; 
 they made excufes, and begged me to ftay, but 
 
 3 »way
 
 ( i65 } 
 
 »way I went to Mr. Harkys^ and he did not dine 
 at home, and at 1 aft 1 dined at Sir yohn Germain s, 
 and found lady Betty but juft recovered of a mif- 
 carriage. I am writing an infcription for lord 
 Berkley's tomb : you know the young rake his 
 fon, the nev/ earl, is married to the duke of 
 jRichmond's daughter, at the duke's country ho ;fe, 
 and are now coming to town. She'll be fluxed in 
 two months, and they'll be parted in a year. You 
 ladies are brave, bold, venterfome folks ; and the 
 chit is but feventcen, and is ill-natured, covetous, 
 vicious, and proud in extreams. And {o get you 
 gone to Stoiie to-morrow. 
 
 1 6. Faith this letter goes on but flow, 'tis a 
 week old, and the firft fide not written. I went 
 to-day into the city for a walk,, but the perfon I 
 defigned to dine with was not at home j fo I 
 came back and called at Congreve's, and dined 
 with him and Eaftconrt^ and laughed till fix, then 
 went to Mr. Harlefs^ who was not gone to din- 
 ner ; there I ftaid till nine, and we made up our 
 quarrel, and he has invited me to dinner to-mor- 
 rov/, which is the day of the week (Saturday) 
 that lord keeper and fecretary St. yohn dine with 
 him privately, and at laft they have confented to 
 let me among them on that day. Atterbury and 
 Prior went to bury poor Dr. Duke. Congreve's 
 nafty white wine has given me the heart-burn. 
 
 17. I took fomc good walks in the Pari to- 
 day, and tlien v/ent to Mr. Harhy. Lord Rivers 
 was got there before me, and 1 chid him for pre- 
 fuming to come on a day when only lord keeper 
 and the fecretary and I were to be there ; but he 
 reoarded me not ; fo we all dined tofrether, and 
 fat down at four 3 and the fecretary' has invited 
 
 M 3 'me
 
 ( i66 ) 
 
 itie to dine with him to-morrow. I told them 1 
 had no hopes they could ever keep in, but that I 
 faw they loved one another (o well, as indeed they 
 feem to do. They call me nothing but Jonathan ; 
 and 1 faid, I believed they would leave me jfona' 
 than as they found me ; and that I never knew a 
 miniftry do any thing lor thofe whom they make 
 companions of tiieir pleafures ; and I believe you 
 will find it fo ; but 1 care not. I am upon a 
 proje6t of getting five hundred pounds, without 
 being obliged to any body ; but that is a fecret, 
 till 1 fee my deare*} AID ; and fo hold your 
 tongue, and don't talk, firrahs, for I am now 
 about it. 
 
 l8. My hesd has no fits, but a little difordered 
 before dinner ; yet 1 w:ilk lioutly, and take pills, 
 and hope to mend. Secretary St. John would 
 needs have me dine with him to-day, and there 
 I found three perfons I never faw, tv/o I had no 
 "acquaintance with, and one I did not care for : 
 fo I left them early and came home, it being nO 
 day to walk, but fcurvy rain and wind. The fe- 
 cretary tells me he has put a cheat on me ; for 
 lord Peierborow fent him twelve dozen flafks of 
 liurgimdy, on condition that I fhould have my 
 fhare ; but he never was quiet till they were all 
 gone, fo I reckon he owes me thirty-fix pound. 
 Lord Pcterboroiv is now got to Vienna, and I muil 
 write to him to-morrow. J begin now to be 
 towards looking for a letter from fome certain 
 Jadies of Preflos acquaintance, that live at &t. 
 Alary s. and are called in a certain language our 
 Jitt'e AID. No, flay, I don't cxpeft one thefe 
 fix days, that will be juft three weeks ; an't I a 
 reafonable creature ? We are plagued here with 
 an Ocicbcr Cluby that is, a fet of above a hundred 
 
 parliament-
 
 ( l67 ) 
 
 parliament- men of the country, who dilnkOJclfcr 
 beer at home, and meet every evening at a tavern 
 near the parliament, to con fu It. affairs, and drive 
 things on to exti earns afiainfts the lyi.nc's, to call 
 the old niiniftry to account, and get oft" five or fix 
 heads. The miniftry feem not to regard them, 
 yet one of them in confidence told me, that there 
 rnuft be fomethino: thouo-ht on to fettle things bet- 
 ter. I'll tell you one great ftate-fecret ; The queen, 
 fcnfible how much fhe was governed by the late 
 miniftry, runs a little into t'other extream, and 
 is jealous in that point, even of thofe who got 
 her out of the others hands. The miniftiy is for 
 gentler meafures, and the other Tories for more 
 violent. Lord Rivers^ talking to me the other 
 day, curfed the paper called The Exatmner^ for 
 fpeaking civilly of the duke of Marlborough ; this 
 I happened to talk of to the fecretary, who blamed 
 the warmth of that lord and fome others, and 
 fwore, that if their advice were followed, they 
 would be blown up in twenty four-hours. And 
 I have reafon to think, that they will endeavour 
 to prevail on the queen to put her affairs more in 
 the hands of a miniftry than (he does at prefent ; 
 and there arc, I believe, two men thought on, 
 one of them you have often met the name of in 
 my letters. But fo much for politicks. 
 
 19. This proved a terrible rainy day, which 
 prevented my v/alk into the city, and I was only 
 able to run and dine with my neighbour Vnnhorri' 
 righ, were Sir Andrew Fountain dined too, who 
 has juft began to fally out, and has fhipt his mo- 
 ther and fifter, who were his nurfes, back to the 
 country. This evening was fair, and I walkt a 
 little in the Fark, till Prior made mc go with him 
 
 M 4 to
 
 ( i68 ) 
 
 to the Smyrna Crffce-houfe^- where I fat a while, and 
 iaw four or five hjj}) perfons, who are very hand- 
 feme genteel fellows, but I know not their names, 
 I came au'ay at feven, and got home. Two days 
 ago I writ to Bcrnagc^ and told him what 1 had 
 done, and dire6ted the letter to Mr. Curry s to be 
 left with Dinghy. Brigadiers Hill and Majham^ 
 brother and hufband to IS/irs. Majham, the queen's 
 favourite, colonel Dijneyznd I, have recommended 
 Bernage to the duke of Argyle ; and fecretary 5/. 
 *John has given the duke my memorial j and be- 
 fides, Hill tells me, that Bernage % colonel. Field- 
 ing^ defigns to make him his captain-lieutenant: 
 but I believe I laid this to you before, and in this 
 letter, but I will not look. 
 
 20. Morning, it fnows terribly again, and 'tis 
 miftaken, for 1 now want a little good weather ; 
 I bid you good morrow, and if it clear up, get 
 you gone to poor Mrs. IValls^ who has had a hard 
 time of it, but is now pretty well again j I am 
 forry it is a girl ; the poor archdeacon too, fee 
 how fimply he lookt when they told him : what 
 did it coft Stella to be goffip ? I'll rife, fo d'ye 
 hear, let me fee you at night, and don't flay late 
 out, and catch cold, firrahs. — At night. It grew 
 good weather, and I got a good walk, and dined 
 with Ford upon his Opera-day ; but now all his 
 wine is gone, I fPiall dine with him. no more. I 
 hope to fend this letter before I hear from MD^ 
 methinks there's — fom.ething great in doing fo, 
 only I can't exprefs where it lies; and faith this 
 {hall go by Saturday^ as fure as you're a rogue. 
 Islrs. EdgzL'orth was to fet out but laft Monday^ fo 
 you won't have your box fo foon perhaps as this 
 letter ; but Sterne told me fmce, that it is fafe at 
 Chcjier^ and that fhe will take care of it. I'd 
 give a guinea you had it, 
 
 2 1. Morn-
 
 ( i69 ) 
 
 11. Morning. Faith I hope it will be fair 
 for me to walk into the city, for I take all occa- 
 fions of walking. — I fhould be plaguy bufy at 
 Laracor if I were there now, cutting down wil- 
 lows, planting others, fcouring my canal, and 
 every kind of thing. If Raymond goes over this 
 fummer, you muft fubmit, and make them a vifit, 
 that we may have another eel and trout fifhing ; 
 and that StcUa may ride by and fee Prejh in his 
 morning-gown in the garden, and fo go up with 
 yoe to the Hill of Bree^ and round by S cur loci's 
 Toivn ; O Lord, how I remember names j faith 
 it gives me fhort fighs : therefore no more of that 
 if you love me. Good nionow, I'll go riie like 
 
 a gentleman, my pills fay I muft. At nighr. 
 
 Lady Kerry fent to defire me to engage fome 
 lords about an affair fhe has in their houfe here : 
 " I called to fee her, but found (lie had already en- 
 gaged every lord I knew, and that tliere was no 
 great difficulty in the matter, and it rained like a 
 dog ; fo I took coach, for want of better exer- 
 cifc, and dined privately with a hang-dog in the 
 city, and walkt back in the evening. The days 
 are now long enough to walk in the Park after 
 dinner j and fo I do whenever it is fair. This 
 walking is a ftrange remedy ; Mr. Prior walks 
 to make himfelf fat, and I to bring myfelf down ; 
 he has generally a cough, which he only calls a 
 cold : we often round the Park together. So I'll 
 go fleep. 
 
 22. It fnowed all this morning prodigioufly, and 
 was fome inches thick in three or four hours. I 
 " dined with Mr. Lewis of the fecretary's office at his 
 lodgings : the chairmen that carried me fqueezed 
 a great fellow againft a v/all, v.'ho wifely turned 
 his back, and broke one of the fide glalfes in a 
 
 thoufand
 
 ( 170 ) 
 
 thoufand pieces. I fell a fcolding, prete^pdcd I 
 \vas like to be cut to pieces^ and made them fet 
 down the chair in the Park, while they pickt out 
 the bits of glaflcs ; and when I paid them, I 
 quarrelled ftill, fo they dared not grumble, and 
 1 came ofF for my fare ; but I was plaguily afraid 
 "would have faid, God blefs your honour, won't 
 you give us fomething for our glafs ? Lewis and I 
 were forming a projedl how I might get three or 
 four hundred pounds, which I fuppofe may come 
 to nothing. I hope Sniytb has brought you your 
 palfy drops ; how does Stc/Ia do ? I begin more 
 and more to defne to know. The three weeks 
 fmce I had your laft is over within two days, and 
 I'll allow three for accidents. 
 
 ^3. The fnow is gone every bit, except the 
 remainder of fome great balls made by the boys. Mr. 
 Sterne was with me this morning about an affair 
 he has before the treafury. That drab Mrs. Edg- 
 vjorth is not yet fet out, but will infallibly next 
 Mdnclay, and this is the third infallible Monday^ 
 and pox take her I So you will have this letter 
 firfl ; and this fhall go tomorrow ; and if I have 
 one from MD in that time, I will not anfwer it 
 till my next ; only I will fay, A4adam, I received 
 you letter, and fo, and fo. I dined to-day with 
 my millrefs Butler^ who grows very difagre^able. 
 
 24. Morning. This letter certainly goes this 
 evening, fure as you're alive, young women, and 
 then you'll be fo fhamed that I have had none 
 from you j and if I was to reckon like you, I 
 would fay, I were fix letters before you, for thij 
 is N. 16. and I have had your N. 10. But I rec- 
 kon you have received but fourteen and have fent 
 eleven. I think to go to-day a minifter-of-ftate- 
 
 hunting
 
 ( 171 ) 
 
 hunting in the court of requcfts ; for I havC 
 fomething to fay to Mr. Harlcy. And 'tis fine 
 cold funfhiny weather ; I wifh dear MD would 
 Walk this morning in your Stephen' s~Green : 'tis as 
 good as our Park, but not fo large *. P'aith this 
 Summer we'll take a coach for fix-pence f to the 
 Crecn JFelU the two walks, and thence all the 
 way to Stoite's §. JVly hearty fervice to goody 
 Stoite and Catherine, and I hope Mrs. JP'alls had 
 a good time. How inconftant i am ? I can't 
 imagine I was ever in love with her. Well, I'm 
 going ; what have you to fay ? / dcni care how I 
 write now if. I don't defign to write on this fide, 
 thefc few lines are bur fo much more than your 
 due, fo ril write large or Imall as I pleafe. Oh, 
 fjith, my hands are ftarving in bed ; I believe it 
 is a hard froft. I muft rife, and bid you good bye, 
 for I'll fea! this letter immediately, and carry it 
 in my pocket, and put it into the poft-office with 
 my own fair hands. Farewcl. 
 
 This letter is jufl a fortnight's journal to-day. 
 Yes, and fo it is, I'm fure, jays you, with your 
 two eggs a penny. 
 
 There, There, There jj. 
 
 O Lord, I am faying 7 here. There, to myfelf 
 in all our little keys : and now you talk of keys, 
 that dog Patrick broke the key general of the cheft 
 
 * It is a meafured mile round the outer wall ; and 
 far beyond any the fineft Square in London. 
 
 f The common fare for a fet-down in Dublin. 
 
 § Mrs. Sfoiie lived at Donnyirvok, the road to which 
 from Stephen s-Green ran into the country about a mile 
 from the Soutb-Eaj} corner. 
 
 X Thofc words in Italicks are written in a very large 
 hand, and fo is the word in one of the next lines. 
 
 II in his Cypher way of writing to Stella, he writes 
 the word Thire, Lek, 
 
 of
 
 ( 17^ ) 
 
 of drawers with fix locks, and I have been As 
 plagued to get a new one, befides my good two 
 ihillings. 
 
 LETTER XVIT. 
 
 London, Feb. 24, 1710 II. 
 
 _[^ O W, young women, I gave in my fixteenth 
 this evening. I dined with Ford^ it was his Opera- 
 day as ufual ; it is very convenient to me to do fo, 
 for coming home early after a walk in the Parky 
 which now the days will allow. I called on the 
 fecretary at his office, and he had forgot to give 
 the memorial about Bcrnage to the dukeof -^r^j/^ ; 
 but two days ago I met the duke, who defired I 
 would give it him myfelf, which fhould have 
 more power with him than all the miniftry toge- 
 ther, as he protefted folemnly, repeated it two or 
 three times, and bid me count upon it. So that 
 I verily believe Berticge will be in a very good 
 way to eflablifh himfeif. I think I can do no 
 more for him at prefent, and there's an end of 
 that J and fo get you gone to bed, for it is late. 
 
 25. The three weeks are out yefterday fince I 
 had your laft, and fo now I will be expecting every 
 day a pretty dear letter from my own MD, and 
 hope to hear that Stella has been much better in 
 her head and eyes ; my head continues as it was, 
 no fits, but a little diforder every day, which I 
 can cafily bear, if it will not grow worfe. I dined 
 to-day with Mr. fecretary St. Jshu, on condition 
 I might chufc my company, which were lord 
 Rlvasy lord Carteret^ Sir Thomas Manfel^ and Mr. 
 Lcwh ; I invited Maff}ani^Hill^'b'\xJchn Sta}iley,znd 
 George Granville^ but they were engaged ; and I 
 did it in revenge of his having fuch bad company 
 
 when
 
 C 173 ) 
 
 when I dined with him before ; fo we laughed; 
 i5fc. And I ventured to go to church to-day, 
 which I have not done this month before, Caa 
 you fend me fuch a good account of Stcllci's health, 
 pray now ? Yes, I hope, and better too. We 
 dined (fays you) at the dean's, and played at 
 cards till twelve, and there came in Mr. French^ 
 and Dr. Travors^ and Dr. JVhittingham^ and Mr. 
 (I forget his name, that I always ttll Mrs. IFalls 
 of) the b'inker's fon, a pox on him. And we 
 were fo merry ; I vow they are pure good company. 
 But I loft a crown ; for you muft know I had 
 always hands tempting me to go out, but never 
 took in any thing, and often two black aces 
 without a manilio; was not that hard, Prejio ? 
 Hold your tongue, ^c. 
 
 26. I was this morning with Mr. fecretary 
 about fome bufmefs, and he tells me, that colo- 
 nel Fielding is' now going to make Bernnge his 
 captain-lieutenant, that is, a captain by commif- 
 fion, and the perquifites of the company, but not 
 captain's pay, only the firft ftep to it. I fuppofc 
 he will like it, and the recommendation to the 
 duke of Argylc goes on. And fb trouble me no 
 more about your Bernage ; the jackanapes unJcr- 
 ftands what fair folicitors he has got, I warrant 
 you. Sir Andrew Fountain and I dined, by invi- 
 tation, with Mrs. Vanhotnrigh. You fay they are 
 of no confequence : why, they keep as good fe- 
 male company as I do male ; 1 fee all the drabs of 
 quality at this end of the town with them ; I faw 
 two lady Bctiyi there this afternoon, the beauty 
 of one, the good breeding and nature of t'other, 
 and the wit of neither *, would have made a iine 
 
 * i. e. without the wit of either, 
 
 woman
 
 ( 174 ) 
 
 vftmzn. Rare walking in the Park now : why 
 don't you walk In the Great of Si. Stephen r* The 
 walks there are finer gravelled than the Mali, 
 What beads the IriJJj women are, never to walk ! 
 
 27. Dartineuf and I and little Harrlfon, the 
 new "Tatler^ and Jervas the painter, dined to-day 
 with 'ja?nes, I know not his other name, but it is 
 one of Dartineuf s dining places, who is a true 
 epicure. Jarnes is clerk of the kitchen to the 
 queen, and has a little fnug houfe at St. yaines's^ 
 and we had the queen's wine, and fuch very fine 
 vI6luals, that J could not eat it f, — Three weeks 
 and three days fmce my laft letter from MD^ rare 
 doings : why truly we were fo bufy with poor 
 Mrs. JValh^ that indeed, Prejloy we could not 
 write, we were afraid the poor woman would 
 have died ; and it pitied us to fee the archdeacon, 
 how concerned he was. The dean never came 
 to fee her but once ; but now fhe is up again, and 
 we go and fit with her in the evenings. The 
 child died the next day after it was born, and I 
 believe, between friends, fhe is not very forry for 
 it. — Indeed, Prejto^ you are plaguf filly to night, 
 and han't gueft one word right ; for fhe and the 
 child are both well, and it is a fine girl, likely to 
 live ; and the dean was godfather, and Mrs. Cathe- 
 rine and I were godmothers ; 1 was going to fay 
 Stoite, but I think 1 have heard they don't put 
 maids and married women together ; though I 
 
 f There feems to be a falfe concord in this pafTage : 
 however, as the word Fi.luah is a peculiar fort of noun, 
 which is never ofed in the fingular number, but, like 
 food, implies cither one or more difhes, the phrafe may 
 be excufed, v/hether Snvift had any authority to back 
 him or not.
 
 ( 175 ) 
 
 know not why I think fo, nor I don't care ; what 
 care I ? but i muft prate, iffc, 
 
 28. I walked to-day into the city for my health, 
 and there dined, which I always do when the 
 weather is fair, and bufinefs permits, that 1 may 
 be under a necellity of taking a good walk, whicli 
 is the beft thing I can do at prefent for my health. 
 Some bookfeller has raked up every thing I writ, 
 and publifhed it t'other day in one volunie ; but I 
 know nothing of it, 'twas without my knowledge 
 «r confent : it makes a four {hillinc: book, and is 
 called Mifcellanies in Profe arid Verje. Took pre- 
 tends he knows nothing of it, but I doubt he is 
 at the bottom. One muft have patience with 
 thefe things ; the beft of it is, 1 fliall be plagued 
 no more. However, I'll bring a couple of tiiem 
 over with me for MD^ perhaps you may dcfire 
 to fee them. I hear they fell mightily. 
 
 March I. Morning. I have been calling to 
 Patrick to look in his Almanack for the day of 
 the month ; I did not know but it might be Leap- 
 year. The Almanack fays 'tis The third after Leap- 
 year., and I always thought till now, that every 
 third year was Leap-year. I'm glad they come fo 
 feldom; but I'm fure 'twas otherwife when 1 was 
 a young man ; I fee times are mightily changed 
 fince then. — Write to me, firrahs, be fure do by 
 the time this fide is done, and I'll keep t'other 
 fide for the anfwer : fo I'll go write to the biftiop 
 
 of Clogher-y good morrow, firrahs. Night, f 
 
 dined to-day at Mrs. P^anhomrigh's, being a rainy 
 day, and lady Bdty Butler knowing it, fent to let 
 me know (he expedted my company in the even- 
 ing, where the Fans (fo we call them) were to be. 
 The duchefs and they do not go over this fummer 
 with the duke ; fo I go to bed, 
 
 2. This
 
 ( 176 ) 
 
 2. This rainy weather undoes me in coaches" 
 and chairs. 1 was traipfing to-day with your Mr. 
 Sterne^ to go along with them to Moor, and re- 
 commend his bufmefs to the treafury. Stt^rns tells 
 me his dependence is wholly on me j but I have 
 abfolutely refufed to recommend it to iVlr. Hurley^ 
 becaufe I have troubled him lately To much with 
 other folks affairs ; and befides, to tell the truth, 
 Mr. Harley told me he did not like Stcniis bufi- 
 nefs ; however, I will ferve him, becaufe I fuppofe 
 MD would have me. ,But in faying his depen- 
 dence lies wholly on me, he lies, and is a fool. I 
 dined with lord Abercorn, v/hofe fon Peafiey will 
 be married at Eajier to ten thoufand pounds. 
 
 3. I forgot to tell you that yefrerday morning I 
 was at Mr. Harlefs levee : he fwore I came in 
 fpight, to fee him among a parcel of fools. My 
 bufmefs was to defire 1 might let the duke of 
 Ormond know how the affair ffood of the Firjl- 
 Fruits. He promifed to let him know it, and 
 engaged m.e to dine with him to-day. Every 
 Saturday lord keeper, fecretary St. John^ and 1 
 dine with him, and fometimes lord Rivers^ and 
 they let in none elfe. Patrick brought me fome 
 letters into the Park j amoag which one was from 
 Walls, and t'other, yes faith, t'other was from 
 our little y^/Z), N. 11. I read the rell in the 
 Park, and MD's in a chair as I went from St. 
 'James's to Mr. Harley, and glad enough I was 
 faith to read it, and fee all right : Oh, but I 
 won't anfwer it thefe three or four days, at leaft, 
 or may be fooner. An't I filly ; Faith your let- 
 ters would make a dog filly, if I had a dog to be 
 filly, but it muff: be a little dog. — I ftaid with Mr. 
 Harhj till paft nine, where we had much difcourfe 
 together afttr the reft were gone 3 and I gave him 
 
 very
 
 C 177 ) 
 
 very truly my opinion where he defiicd it. He 
 complained he was not very wcll,> and has en- 
 gaged me to liine with him again on Alonday. So 
 1 came home afoot, like a line gentleman, to tell 
 Vou all this. 
 
 4. I dined (o-day with Mr. fecretary St. "Johii'y 
 and after dinner he had a note from Mr. Harley^ 
 that he was much out of order ; pray God pre- 
 ferve his health, every thing depends upon it. 
 The ParUameni at prcfcnt cannot go a ftep with- 
 out him, nor the queen neither. 1 long to be in 
 Ireland; but the minillry beg me to ftay : how- 
 ever, when this parliament lurry is over, I will 
 endeavour to (leal away ; by which time I hope 
 the Firjl-Fruit bufinefs will be done. This king- 
 dom is certainly ruined as much as was ever any 
 bankrupt merchant. We muft have Peace., let it 
 be a bad or a good one, though no-body dares 
 talk of it. The nearer I look upon things, the 
 worfe I like them. I believe the confederacy will 
 foon break to pieces ; and our factions at home 
 increafe. The miniflry is upon a very narrow 
 bottom, and (land like an Jjlh/niis between the 
 JVhigs on one fide, and violent Tories \ on the 
 other. They are able feamen, but the tempcft 
 is too great, the fnip too rotten, and the crew all 
 againil: them. Lord So7?iers has been twice in the 
 queen's clofct, once very lately ; and your duchefs 
 of Sotnc^fct., who now has the key, is a moft infi- 
 nuating woman, and I believe they will endeavour 
 to play the fame game th^t has been played againft 
 iheii). — I have told them of all this, which they 
 know already, but they cannot help it. They 
 have cautioned the queen fo much againft being 
 
 t The O.loler Club. 
 Vol. IV. N governed.
 
 ( 1/8 ) 
 
 governed, that (he obferves it too mudi. I could 
 talk till to-morrow upon ihefe things, but they 
 make me melancholy. I could not but obferve, 
 that lately, after much converfation with Mr. 
 Harley^ though he is the moft fearlefs man alive, 
 and the leaft apt to defpond, he confefled to me, 
 that uttering his mind to n^.e gave him eafe. 
 
 5. Mr. Harhy continues out of order, yet his 
 affairs force him abroad : he is fubjedl to a fore 
 throat, and was cupped laft night : I fent and 
 called two or three times. I hear he is better this 
 evening. I dined to-day in the city with Dr. 
 Fre'ind at a third body's houfe, where I was to 
 pafs for feme body elfe, and there was a plaguy 
 filly jeft carried on, that made me fick of it. Our 
 weather grows fine, and I will walk like camomile. 
 And pray walk you to your dean's, or your Stcyie'^y 
 or your ManLy's, or your /Falls'. But your new 
 lodgings make you fo proud, you'll v/alk lels than 
 ever. Come, let me go to bed, lirrahs. 
 
 6. Mr. Harhy's going out yefterday has ptit- 
 him a little backv/ards. I called twice, and fent, 
 for I am in pain for him. Ford caught me, and 
 made me dine with him on his Opera- day -, io I 
 brought Mr. Lewis with me, and fat with him 
 till fix. I have not feen Mr. Jddlfon thefe three 
 weeks ; all our fricndftiip is over. I go to no 
 Coffee- houfe. I prefented a parfon of the bifhop 
 of Cloghers^ one Richardfon., to the duke of 
 Ormond to-di-xy : he is tranflating prayers and fcr- 
 mons into Ir'fn, and has a projedl about inftiud- 
 ing the Irijl) in the protclbnt religion. 
 
 ^, Morning. Faith, a little would make me, 
 I cculd find.in my heart, if it were not for one 
 
 thing,-
 
 ( '79 ) 
 
 thing, I have a good mind, if I had not fomething 
 elfe to do, I would anfvver your dear faucy letter. 
 O Lord, I am going awry with writing in bed. 
 
 faith, but I niuft anfwcr it, or 1 Jfhan't have 
 room, for it muft go on Saturday ; and don't think 
 I'll fill the third lidc, I an't come to that yet, 
 young women. \Vcll then, as for your Bcriiage^ 
 
 1 have faid enough : 1 writ to him laft week.— 
 Turn over that leaf. Now, what fays MD to 
 the world to come ? I tell you, madam Stclhy 
 my head is a great deal better, and I hope will 
 keep (o. How came yours to be fifteen days 
 corning, and you had my fifteenth in fcvcn ? 
 Anfvver me that, rogues. Your being with goody 
 Walls is excufe enough : I find I was miftaken in 
 the fex, 'tis a boy. Yes, I underftand your cy- 
 pher, and Stella guefles right, as (he always does-. 
 He f gave me al l)fadnuk Iboinlpl dfaonr ufainfbtoy 
 dpionufnad %■) vvhich I fent him again by Mr. 
 Lewis, to whom I writ a very complaining letter 
 that was fhcv.'ed him ; and fo the matter ended. 
 He told me he: had a quarrel with me ; I faid I 
 had another with him, and we returned to our 
 friendfliip, nnd I fliould think he loves me as well 
 as a great ininifter can love a man in fo fhort a 
 time. Did not I do right ? 1 am glad at heart 
 you have got your palfey-watcr ; pray God Al- 
 mighty it may do my deareft little Stella good. I 
 fuppofe Mrs. Edgzvorih fet out laft Monday (t'n- 
 night. Yes, i do read the Examiners, and they 
 are written very finely, as you judge §. I do not 
 think they are too fcvere on the duke ; they only 
 
 t Mr. Hcvrlcjy. 
 
 X A ban): note for fifty pounds. 
 § Even to his beloved Stella he had not acknowledged 
 himfclf, at tliis time, to be the author of the Examiner . 
 
 N 2 tax
 
 ( i8o ) 
 
 tax him of avarice, and his avarice has ruined us. 
 You may count upon all things in them to be 
 true. The author has faid, It is not Prior ; but 
 perhaps it maybe Atterbury. — Novi^, madam £>;«^- 
 ley^ fays (lie, 'tis fine weather, fays (he ; yes, fays 
 fhe, and we have got to our new lodgings. I 
 compute you ought to fave eight pounds by being 
 in the others five months ; and you have no more 
 done it tiian eight thoufand. I am glad you are 
 rid of that fquinting, blinking Frenchman. I v/ill 
 give you a bill on Parvijol for five pound for the 
 half year. And muft I go on at four fhillings a 
 week, and neither eat nor drink for it ? Who the 
 D^ — faid Atterbury and your dean were alike ? I 
 never faw your chancellor, nor his chaplain. The 
 latter has a good deal of Icariiing, and is a well- 
 wifher to be an author : your chancellor is an ex- 
 cellent man. As for Patrick's bird, he bought 
 him for his tamenefs, and is grown the wildeft I 
 ever faw. His wings have been quilled thrice, 
 and are now up again : he will be able to fly 
 after us to Ireland^ if he be willing. — Yes, Mrs. 
 Stdla., Dingley writes more like Prejlo than you ; 
 for all you fuperfcribed the letter, as who fhould 
 fay. Why fhould not I write like our Prejlo as 
 well as Dingley? You with your aukward SS' ; 
 can't you write them thus, SS ? No, but always 
 SSS f . Spiteful flurs, to afi-ront Prejlo's v/riting ; 
 as that when you fhut your eyes you write moft 
 like Prejh. I know the time when I did not 
 write to you half fo plain as I do now ; but I 
 take pity on you both, i am very much concerned 
 for Mrs. IValWs eyes. II alls fays nothing of it to 
 
 f Print cannot do jufrice to whims of this kind, as 
 they depend whojly upoa the aukward fliape of the 
 Ictrers. 
 
 6 me
 
 ( iSr j 
 
 jne in his letter dated after yours. You fay. If 
 flie recovers fhe may lofe her fiqht. I hope fhe 
 is in no danger of her life. Yes, Ford is as fober 
 as 1 pleafe : I ufe him to walk with me as an eafy 
 companion, always ready for what I pieale, when 
 1 am weary of buhnefs and minifters. I don't 
 go to a Cojfee-houfe twice a month. 1 am very 
 
 regular in going to fleep before eleven. And 
 
 fo you fay that Stella s a pretty girl ; and io ilie 
 be, and methinlcs I fee her jult now as handfomc 
 as the day's long. D9 you know what ? when I 
 am writing in our language % I make up my 
 mouth juft as if I was ipeaking it. I cau:j;hc 
 myielf at it juft now. And I fuppofe Dingley \s 
 io fair and fofrera as a lafs in AI iy\ and has her 
 health, and no fpleen. — In your account you fent 
 do you reckon as ufual from the ift of November 
 was twelvemonth ? Poor Stella^ won't Dingley Irave 
 her a little day-light to write to Prejio? Well, 
 well, we'll have day-light (hortly, fpight of her 
 teeth ; and zoo § niuft cly Lele, and ilele, and 
 Hele aden. Muft loo mimitate 'pdfi\ pay \ \k^ 
 and fo la fhall. And fo leles fol ee rettle. Dood 
 mollow. — At night. Mrs. Barton fent this morn- 
 ing to invite me to dinner \ and there I dined, 
 juft in that genteel manner that MD ufed when 
 
 X This refers to that flrange fpelling, i^c. wliich 
 abounds in thefe journals ; bat which could be no en- 
 tertainment to the reader. 
 
 § Here is jull one fpecimen given of his way of 
 writing to Stella in thefe journals. The reader, 1 hope, 
 will excufe my omittivig it in all other places where it 
 occurs. The meaning of this pretty language is j 
 '' And you mult cry I here, and Here, and trlere agam. 
 " Mull you imitate Prejlo, pray ? Yes, and fo you Ihall. 
 " And fo there's for your letter. Good morrow." 
 
 N 3 they
 
 ( i82 ) 
 
 they would treat fome better fort of body than 
 ufual. 
 
 8. O dear MD, my heart is almoft broken. 
 You will hear the thing before this comes to you. 
 I writ a full account of it this night to the arch- 
 bifhop of Dublin ; anvi the dean may tell you the 
 particulars from the archbifhop. I was in a forry 
 way to write, but thought it might be proper to 
 fend a true account of the facl ; for you will hear 
 a thoufand lying circumflances. 'Tis of Mr. 
 Harky's being ftabbed this afternoon at three 
 o'clock at a committee of the council. I was 
 playing lady Catherine Morris's cards, where I 
 dined, when young Arundel came in with the 
 ftory. I ran away immediately to the fecretary, 
 which was in my way : no one was at home. I 
 met Mrs. St. "John in her chair; (lie had heard it 
 imperfectly. I took a chair to Mr. Harley^ who 
 was afleep, and they hope in no danger; but he' 
 has been out of order, and was fo when he came 
 abroad to-day, and it may put him in a fever ; I 
 am in mortal pain for him. That defperate French 
 villain, marquis de Guifcard^ ftabbed Mr. Harley. 
 Guifcard was taken up by Mr. fecretary St. Johns 
 Warrant for high treafon, and brought before the 
 lords to be examined ; there he ftabbed Mr. Harley. 
 I have told all the particulars already to the arch- 
 Bifliop. I have now at nine fcnt again, and they 
 tell me he is in a fair way. Pray pardon my 
 diftraftion ; I now think of all his kindnefs to 
 me. — The poor creature now lies ftabbed in his 
 bed by a defperate French popifli villain. Good 
 night, and God preferve you both, and pity mej 
 I want it. 
 
 9. Morning}
 
 ( i83 ) 
 
 9. Morning ; feven, in bed. Pcitrick is juft 
 come from Mr. Harley's. He flept well till four ; 
 the furgcon fat up with him : he is aflcep again : 
 he felt a pain in his wound when he waked : ihcy 
 apprehend him in no danger. This account 
 the furgcon hft with the porter, to tell people 
 that fend. Pray God prcfcrve him. I am rifing 
 and going to I\'Ir. fecreiary St. 'John. They fay 
 Gidfcard will die with the wounds Mr. Si. John 
 and the reft gave him. I fhali tqll you more at 
 night. — Night. Mr. Harhy fiil' continues on the 
 mending hand j but he refted ill laft night, and 
 felt pain. I was early with the fecretary this 
 morning, and I dined with him, and he told me 
 feveral particularities of this accident, too long to 
 relate now. Mr. HarJcy is ftill mending this even- 
 ing, but not at all out of danger ; and till then I 
 can have no peace. Good night, i^c. and pity 
 Prefd. 
 
 10. Mr. Har/iy \v:[S reftlefs laft night; but he 
 has no fever, and the hopes of his mending increafe. 
 I had a letter from Mr. TFalis^ and one from Mr. 
 Bernage. I will anfwer them here, not having 
 time to write. Mr. IValh writes about three 
 things. P'lrft, about a hundred pounds from J3r. 
 Raymond., of which I hear nothing, and 'tis now 
 too late. Secondly, about Mr. Clements : I caa 
 do nothing in it, bccaufe I am not to ment'on 
 Mr. Pratt ; and I cannot recommend without 
 knowing Mr. Pratt's objections, whofe relation 
 Clements is, and who brought him into the place. 
 The third is about ray being godfather to the 
 child : that is in my power, and (fince there is no 
 remedy) will fubmit. I wifh you could hinder it; 
 but if it can't be helped, pay what you think 
 proper, and gee the provoft to ftand for me, and 
 
 N 4 let
 
 ( 1^4 ) 
 
 let his cbriftian name be Harley^ In honour of rny 
 friend, now lying flabbcd and doubtful of his life. 
 As for Eernage^ he writes me word, that his colo- 
 nel has offered to make him captain-lieuter.ant for 
 a hundred pounds. He was fuch a fool to (>ffer 
 him money without writing to tpe till it v/as done,' 
 though I have had a dozen letters fiom him ; and 
 then he dcfiics I would fay nothing of this, for 
 fear his colonel fhould be angry. People are mad. 
 What can I do ? I engaged colonel Difney^ who 
 was one of his folicitors to the fecrctary, and then 
 told him the ftory. He alTured me, that Fielding 
 (Bernage^s colonel) faid he might have got that 
 fum ; but on account of thofc great recommenda- 
 tions he had, would give it him for nothing : and 
 I would have Beryiaire write him a letter of thanks, 
 as of a thing given him for nothing, upon recom- 
 mendations, iJc. Difmy tells me he will again 
 fpeak to Fielding, and clear up this matter ; and 
 then I will write to Bernage. A pox en him for 
 promifing money till I had it promifed to me, 
 and then making it fuch a ticklifh point, that one 
 cannot expoftulate with the colonel upon it : but 
 let him do as I fay, and there's an end. I engaged 
 the fecretary of ftate in it ; and am fure it v/as 
 meant a kindnefs to me, and that no money 
 fliould be given, and a hundred pounds is too 
 much in a S7nithfield bargain, as a major-general 
 told me, whofe opinion I afked. I am. now hur- 
 ried, and can fay no more. Farewel, ^c. i^c. 
 
 How fhall I fuperfcribe to your new lodgings, 
 pray madams ? Tell me but that, impudence and 
 faucy- face. 
 
 An't you fauceboxes to write Ie!c \\. c. there'\ 
 i.ike Prejh ? 
 
 O poor Pre/^o /
 
 ( '85 ) 
 
 Mr. Harky Is better to-niglit, that makes me 
 fo pert, you faucy Cog and Magog. 
 
 LETTER XIV^ 
 
 London, March lo, 1710 11. 
 
 Pretty little MD muft ex-pea little from 
 me till Air. Harlcy is out of d mger. We hope 
 he is fo now, but I am fubjccl to fear for my 
 friends. He has a head hill of the whole bufmefs 
 of the nation, was out of order when the villain 
 ftabbed him, and had a cruel contufion bv the 
 fecond blow. But all goes on well yet. Mr. 
 Ford and 1 dined- with Mr, Lncis^ and we hope 
 the beft. 
 
 11. This morning Mr. fecretary and I met at 
 Ccuit, whcic he went to the queen, who is out 
 of order and aguifh : I doubt the worfe for this 
 accident to Mr. Harky. We went together to 
 his houfe, and his wound looks well, and he is 
 not feverifli at all, and I think it is foolifh in me 
 to be fo much in pain as I am. I had the pen- 
 knife in my hand, which is broken within a quar- 
 ter of an inch of the handle. I have a mind to 
 write and publifli an account of all the particula- 
 rities of this fact : it will be very curious, and I 
 would do it when IMr. hlarley is pad danger. 
 
 1 2. We have been in terrible pain to-day about 
 Mr. Harlcy., who never- flept laft night, and has 
 been very feverifli. But this evening I called there, 
 and young Mr. Harley (his only fon) tells me he 
 is nov/ much better, and was then afleep. They 
 Jet no-body fee him, and that is perfe^ly right, 
 ^he parliaincnt cannot go on till he is well, and 
 
 are
 
 ( iS6 ) 
 
 are forced to ndjourn their money bufinefTes, whick 
 none but he can help them in. Pray God pre- 
 ferve him. 
 
 13. Mr. Harley is better to-day, flept well all 
 night, and we are a little out of our fears. I fend 
 and call three or four times every day. I went 
 into the city for a walk, and dined there with a 
 private man ; and coming home this evening broke 
 my fhin in the Strar.d over a tub of fand left juil 
 in the way. I got home dirty enough, and v/cnt 
 ftraight to bed, where I have been cooking it with 
 gold-beaters fkin, and have been peevifti enough 
 with Patrick^ who was near an hour bringing a 
 rag from next door. It is my right iliin, where 
 never any humour fell v/hen t'other ufed to fwcll ; 
 fo I apirrehend it lefs : however I fhall not ftir till 
 'tis well, which 1 reckon will be in a week. I 
 am very careful in thefe fort of things ; but I wifh 
 
 I had Mrs. J s water : {he is out of tov/n, 
 
 and I muft make a Ciift with allum. I will dine 
 with Mrs. Vanhonirigh till I am well, who lives 
 but five doors ofFj and that I may venture. 
 
 14. My journals are like to be very diverting, 
 now I cannot ftir abroad, between accounts of 
 Mr. Harley s mending, and of my broken fhin. I 
 juft walkt to my neighbour J'onhomrigh at two, 
 and came away at fix, when little Harrijon the 
 toiler came to me, and begged me to dictate a 
 paper to him, which I was forced in charity to 
 do. Mr. Harley ftill mends ; and I hope in a day 
 •or two to trouble you wo more with him, nor with 
 my fhin. Go to bed and deep, firrahs, that you 
 may rife to-morrow and v^^alk to Donnybrook^ and 
 lofe your money with Stohc and the dean ; do fo, 
 dear little rogues, and drink PreJlo% health. O, 
 
 p-ay,
 
 ( iS; ) 
 
 pray, lion't you drink Prejlo^ health fometimes 
 with your deans, and your 6'/iJ/V«'.f, z.nd. youv Ifalh.^ 
 and your Manleys^ and vour every body's, pray 
 now ? 1 drink MD\ to myfelf a hundred ihoui'and 
 times. 
 
 15. T was this morning at Mr. fecretary 5/. 
 'Johrih for all my fhin, ai^d he has given me for 
 young Harrifcn^ the Tatkr^ the prettieft employ- 
 ment in Europe ; fecretary to my lord Rohy^ who 
 is to be ambafiador extraordinary at the Hague^ 
 where all the great affairs will be concerted ; fo 
 we fhall lofe the Tatlcrs in a fortnight. I will 
 /end liarrifon to-morrow morning to thank the 
 ftcretary. Poor Biddy FLyd has got the fmall- 
 pox. I called this morning to lee lady Betty 
 Germain ; and when fhe told me fo, 1 fairly took 
 my leave. I have the luck of it * ; for about ten 
 days ago I was to fee lord Carteret ; and my lady 
 was entertaining me with telling of a young lady, 
 - a coufin, who was then ill in the houfe of the 
 fmall-pox, and is fuice dead : it was near lady 
 Betty's, and I fancy Biddy took the fright by it. 
 I dined with Mr. fecretary, and a phyfician came 
 in juft from Gtiifcard, who tells us he is dying of 
 his wounds, and can hardly live till to- morrow. A 
 poor wench that Giiifcard kept, fent him a bottle 
 offack ; but the keeper would not let him touch 
 it, for fear it was poifon. He had two quarts of 
 old clotted blood come out of his fide to-day, and 
 is delirious. I am forry he is dying; for they had 
 found cut a way to hang him. He certainly had 
 an intention to murder the queen. 
 
 * Dr. Sivift never had the fmall-pox. 
 
 16. I
 
 ( 188 ) 
 
 1 6. I have made but lit'le progrcfs in this let- 
 ter for (o many days, thanks to Gidjcard and Mr. 
 Harley\ and it would be endlefs to tell you all the 
 particulars of that odious fact. I do not yet hear 
 that Gu'ifcord is dead, but they fay 'tis impoffible 
 he {hould recover. I walkt too much yefterday 
 for a man with a broken fhin ; to-day I refted, 
 and went no further than Mrs. Vanhomrigl/s., 
 where I dined j and lady Betty Butler coming in 
 ?ibout fix, I was forced in good manners to fit 
 with her till nine ; then 1 came home, and Mr. 
 Ford czw.t in to vifit my fhin, and fat with me till 
 tleven : fo I have been very idle and naughty. It 
 vexes me to the pluck that I fhould lofe walking 
 this delicious day. Have you feen the Speiiator 
 yet, a psper that comes out every day ? 'Tis writ- 
 ten by Mr. Steele^ who feems to have gathered new 
 Jife, and. have a new fund of wit; it is in the 
 fame nature as his Tatlers^ and they have all of 
 tbern had fomething pretty. I believe Jddlfon 
 and he club. I never fee them ; and I plainly 
 told Mr. Barley and Mr. -S"^. John^ ten days ago, 
 before my lord keeper and lord Rivers^ that I had 
 been foolifn enough to fpend my credit with them 
 in favour of Jddifon and Steele ; but that 1 would 
 engage and promife never to fay one word in their 
 behalf, having been ufed fo ill for what I had 
 alieady dene. — So, now I am got into the way 
 of prating again, there v.-ili be no quiet for me. 
 When Frcjlo begins to prate, Give him a rap upon 
 the p:}te. — O Lord, how I blot] 'tis time to leave 
 pff, ^c. 
 
 17. Guifcard died this morning at two, and 
 the coroner's inqueft have found that he was killed 
 by I rujics received from a meflcnger, fo to clear 
 the -cabinet counfeilors ficm whom he received 
 
 his
 
 ( i89 ) 
 
 his wounds. I had a letter from Roptioti<i, who 
 cannot hear of your box ; but I hope you Hjvc it 
 before this comes to your hands. I dined to-day 
 with Mr. Lewis of the fccretary's office. Air. 
 Hurley has abundance of extravafated blood comes 
 from his breall out of his wound, and will not be 
 well fo foon as we expelled. I had fomethingto 
 fay, but canno; call it to mind (What was it?) 
 
 18. I was to-day at Court to look for the duke 
 of Argyle^ and give him the memorial about 
 Bernage. The duke goes with the firft fair wind : 
 I could not find him, but I have given the memo- 
 rial to another to give him ; and, hov/ever, it 
 fhall be fent after him. Bcrnagc has made a 
 blunder in offering money to his colonel without 
 my advice ; however he is made captain-lieute- 
 nant, only he mull: recruit the cpmpany, which 
 will coft him forty pounds, and that is cheaper 
 than a hundred. I dined to-day with Mr. fecre- 
 tary St. yotm., and ftaid till feven, but would not 
 drink bis Champaign and Burgundy^ for fear of the 
 gout. My fhin mends, but is not well. I hope 
 it will by the time \ fend this letter, next Saturday. 
 
 19 I went to-day into the city, but in a coach, 
 and fofied up m.y leg on the feat ; and as I cume 
 home I went to fee • oor Charles Barnard's books, 
 which are to be fold bv aucl:ion, and I itch to lav 
 out nine or ten pounds for Tome fine editions of 
 fine authors. But 'tis too far, and I fhall let it 
 flip, as I ufually do all fuch opportunities. I 
 dined in a Coff'ee-houfe with Stratford upon chop^^, 
 and fome of his wine. Where did AID dine? 
 Why, poor MD dined at home to-day, bccaufe 
 of the archhilhop, and they could not go abroad, 
 and had a breail of mutton and a pint cf v;ine. I 
 
 hope
 
 { 190 ) 
 
 hope Mrs. Walls mends ; and pray give me an 
 account what fort of godfather I made, and v/he- 
 ther I behaved mylelf handfonicly. The duke of 
 Argyle is gone ; and whether he has my memorial, 
 I know not, till I fee Dr. Arbuthmtt *", to whom 
 I gave it. That hard name belongs to a Scotch 
 dodtor, an acquaintance of the duke's and me ; 
 Stella can't pronounce it. Oh, that we were at 
 Laraor this fine day ! the willows begin to peep, 
 and the quicks to bud. My dream's out : 1 was 
 a-dreamcd laft night that I eat ripe cherries. — ; 
 And now they begin to catch the pikes, and will 
 Ihortly the trcuts (pox on thefe minifters), and \ 
 would fain know whether the floods were ever 
 fo high as to get over the holly bank or the 
 river walk; if lo, then all my pikes are gone{ 
 but I hope not. Why dcn"c you afk Pa.vifol 
 thefe things, firiahs ? And then m.y canal, and 
 trouts, and whether the bottom be fine and clear ? 
 But hearkce, ought not Parvifol to pay in my lafj 
 year's rents and arrears out of his hands ? 1 am 
 thinking, if either of you have heads to take his 
 accounts it {liould he paid in to you ; othcrwifc 
 to Mr. IValh. I will write an order on t'other 
 fide ; and do as you will. Here's a world of bu- 
 fmefs ; but I muft go fleep, I'm drowfy j and fo 
 good night, ISc. 
 
 20. This fore fhin ruins me in coach hire; no 
 lefs than tv/o fliillings to-day going and coming 
 from the city, where 1 dined with one you never 
 
 * It is r?nf'"'r.able to fr.ppofe that S-7vift''s acquaintance 
 with ^ri^wf /'«(?// commenced jull about this time; for 
 in the original letter .*:'«7v/// mifpels his name, and writes 
 it Arthhtirthmt, in a clear large hand, that MD might 
 net miilake any cf the kttcrB. 
 
 heard
 
 ( '9^ ) 
 
 heard of, and pafled an infipiJ day. I writ this 
 poft to Bernagey with the account I told you above. 
 I hope he will like it; 'tis his own fault, or it 
 would have been better. I reckon your next 
 letter will be full of Mr. HarUfs tabbing. He 
 rtill mends, but abundance of extravafated blood, 
 has come out of the wound : he keeps his bed, 
 and fees nobody. The fpeaker's eldeft fon is juft 
 deiid of the fmail-pox, and the houfe is adjourned 
 a week, to give him time to wipe ofi' his tears, I 
 I think it very haridfcnicly done; but I believe 
 one reafon i?, that they want Mr. Harley fo much. 
 Biddy Floyd is like to do well : rnd fo go to your 
 dean's, and roaft his oranges, and lofe your money, 
 do fo, you faucy fluts. i>tella, you loft three {hil- 
 lings and four pence t'other night at Sisiie*s, yes, 
 you did, and Prcjlo ftcod in a corner, and faw 
 you all the while, and then ftole away. I dream - 
 very often I am in Ireland^ and that I have \z\z 
 my cloaths and things behind me, and have not 
 taken leave of any body ; and that the miniftry 
 expect me to-morrow, and fuch nonfenfe. 
 
 21. I would not for a guinea have a letter from 
 you till this goes ; and go it (hail on Saturday, 
 faith. I dined with Mrs. Vimh^jtirigh^ to fave 
 my fliin, and then went on fome bufmcfs to the 
 fecretary, and he was not at home. 
 
 22. Yefterdny was a fliort day's journal : but 
 what care I ? what cares faucy Prejio ? Dartenciif 
 invited me to dinner to-day. Don't you know 
 Darteneuf? That's the man that knows every 
 thing, and that every body knows ; and that 
 knows where a knot of rabble are going on a 
 holiday, and when they were there laft : and then 
 I went to the C fee- houfe. My fliin mends, bitt 
 
 5 's
 
 C 19^ ) 
 
 h not quite healed : I ought to keep it up, but 
 I don't ; I e'en let it go as it comes. Pox take 
 Parvifol and his watch. If I do not receive the 
 ten pound bill I am to get towards it, I will nei- 
 ther receive watch nor chain ; fo let Parvifol 
 know. 
 
 23. I this day appointed the duke of Ormond 
 to meet him at Ned Soutbwell's, about an affair of 
 printing IriJJ} Prayer-Books, iffc. but the duke never 
 came. There Southwell had letters that two pac- 
 quets are taken ; fo if MD writ then, the letters 
 are gone ; for they are pacquers coming here. Mr. 
 Marley is not yet wel', but his extravafated blood 
 continues, and I doubt he will not be quite well 
 in a good while : I find you have heard of the 
 fa6^, by SoiithtveWs letters from Ireland: What 
 do you think of it ? I dined with Sir John Percival, 
 and faw his lady fitting in the bed, in the forms of 
 a lvinp--in womnn : and comine home my fore 
 fhin itched, and i forgot what it v/as, and rubbed 
 cfF the f — b, and blood came ; but I am now 
 got into bed, and have put on allurn curd, and it 
 is almoft well. Lord Rivers told me yeiierday a 
 piece of bad news, as a fccref, that ihc Pretender 
 is going to be -married to the duke of Savoy s 
 daughter. 'Tis very bad if it be true. We were 
 walking in the Alall with fome Scotch lords, and 
 he could not tell it until they were gone, and he 
 bade nie tell it to none but the fecretary of irate 
 and MD. This goes to-morrow, and I have no 
 room but to bid my deareft little MD good night. 
 
 24.. I will now feal up this letter, and fend it ; 
 for I reckon to have none from you ('tis morning 
 now) b,.nwcen this and night j and I will put it 
 
 in
 
 ( 193 ) 
 
 in the port with my own hi^nds. I am goin"- out 
 in great haftc j fo farewcl, ^V. 
 
 LETTER XIX. 
 
 London, March 24, 1710-11. 
 2 T was a little crofs in Prcjlo not to fend to-day 
 to the Coffte-hoJife to fee whether there was a 
 letter from MD before I fent away mine ; but 
 faith I did it on piirpofe, becaufe I would fcorn to 
 aiifwcr two letters of yours fucceffively. This 
 way of journal is the worft in the world for 
 writing of news, unlefs one does it the laft day ; 
 and fo I will obferve henceforward, if there be 
 any politicks or fluff worth fending. My {hin 
 mends in fpite of the fcratching laft night. I 
 dined to-day at Ned SoutbiuelPs with the biihop of 
 Ojjory and a parcel of Irijh gentlemen. Have you 
 yet feen any of the Speclators ? Juft three weeks 
 to-day fince I had your laft, N. ii. I am afraid I 
 have loft one by the pacquet that was taken ; that 
 will vex me, confidering the pains MD take to 
 write, especially poor pretty Stella, and her weak 
 ejes. God blefs them and the owner, and 
 fend them well, and litile me together, I hope ere 
 long. This illncis of Mr. Harley puts every thing 
 backwards, and he is ftill down, and like to be fo, 
 by that extravafated blood which comes from his 
 breaft to the wound : it was by the fecond blow 
 G«ZyCv7/Y/ irave him after the penknife was broken. 
 I am (hocked at that villainy whenever I think of 
 it. Biddy Floyd is paft danger, but will lofe all 
 her beauty : flie had them mighty thick,, efpecially 
 about her nofe. 
 
 Vol, IV. O 25.
 
 ( 194 ) 
 
 25- Morning. I wifli you a merry Ntvj-year % 
 this is the firft day of the year, you know, with 
 us, and 'tis Lady-day. I muft rife and go to my 
 lord keeper: it is not fliaving-day to-day, fo I 
 Ihall be early. I am to dine with Mr. fecretary 
 St. "John. Good morrow, my miftreffes both, 
 good morrow. Stella will be peeping out of her 
 room at Mrs. de Candres' down upon the folks as 
 thev come from church * ; and there comes Mrs/ 
 Prch^ and that's my lady Sauibzvelly and there's 
 lady Betty Roch/sri. I long to hear how you are 
 fettled in your new lodgings. I wi{h 1 were rid of 
 my old ones, and that Mrs. Brent could contrive 
 to put up my books in boxes, and lodge them in 
 fome fafe place, and you keep my papers of im- 
 portance. But I mull: rife, I tell you. — At night. 
 So I vifited and dined as 1 told you, and what oE 
 that ? We have let Guifcard be buried at laft, 
 after fbewing him pickled in a trough this fort- 
 jiight for two pence apiece : and the fellow that 
 fhewed would point to his body, and, See, gen- 
 tlemen, this is the v/ound that was given him by 
 his grace the duke of Onnond\ and this is the 
 wound, ^c. and then the ihov/ was over, and 
 another fet of rabble came in. 'Tis hard our laws 
 would not fufFer us to hcing his boJy in chains^ 
 bccaufe he was not tried ; and in the eye of our 
 law every man is innocent till then. — Mr. Harley 
 is.ftill very weak, and never out of bed. 
 
 26. This was a mod delicious day ; and my 
 j(hin being patt danger, I walkt like lightning 
 above two hours in the Park. We have generally 
 one fair day, and then a great deal of rain for three 
 
 * MD's, lodgings were exa<rJy oppoiite to St. Mtvjs 
 Church. 
 
 or
 
 ( 15 ) 
 
 or four days together. All things arc at a (lop in 
 parliament for want of Mr. Hnlry; they cannot 
 Itir an inch without him in thtir'molt material 
 affairs : and we fear by the caprice of RadcHjfi'^ 
 who will admit none but his own furgeon, he has 
 not been well lookt after. I dined at an alehoui'e 
 with Mr. Lewis^ but had his wine, J^on't you 
 begin to fee the flowers and blofloms of the field ? 
 Hov/ bufy fliould 1 be now at Laracor ? No news 
 of your box ? I hope you have it, and are this 
 minute drinking the chocolate, and that the fmell 
 of the Brazil tobacco has not afFeitcd it. I would 
 be glad to know whether you like it, becaufe I 
 would fend you more by people that are now every 
 day thinking of going to Ireland y therefore pray 
 tell me, and tell me foon : and I will have the 
 ftron? box. 
 
 o 
 
 27. A rainy wretched fcurvy day from morning 
 till night : and my neighbour Fanhomrigh invited 
 me to dine with them : and this evening I pafl'ed 
 at Mr. Prior s with Dr. Frcind -y and 'tis now paft 
 twelve, fo I mull go fleep. 
 
 28. Morning. Oh faith, you're an impudent 
 faucy couple of fluttckins for prcfumini to write 
 fo ioon, faid 1 to myfelf this morning; who 
 knows but there may be a letter from MD at the 
 Coff'ie-h:iufc ? Well, you muft know, and fo, I 
 jult now fcnt Patrick^ and ho brought me three 
 letters, but not one from AID^ no indeed, for I 
 read all t'ne fuperfcriptions ; and not one from 
 MD. One I opened, it was from the archbifhop ; 
 t'other I opened, it was from Staunton ; the thiid 
 I took, and lookt at the hand. V/hofo hand U 
 this } fays I ; yes, fiys I, whofe hand is .this ? 
 Then there was wax between the folds ; th?n I 
 
 O 2 be^jjan
 
 ( 196 ) 
 
 began to fufpeil ; then I peeped ; faith, It was 
 IFalh^s hand after all : then I opened it in a rage, 
 and then it was little MD's hand, dear, little, 
 pretty, charming AdDh fweet hand again. O 
 Lord, en't here a clutter and a flir, and a buftle, 
 never faw the like. Faith, I believe yours lay 
 feme days at the poft-office, and that it came be- 
 fore my eighteenth went, but that I did not ex- 
 pect it, and I hardly ever go there. Well, and 
 lb you think I'll anfwer this letter now ; no faith, 
 and fo 1 won't. I'll make you wait, young 
 ■women ; but I'll 'enquire immediately about poor 
 Dinghy s exchequer trangum *. What, is that 
 Vedel again a foldier ? Was he broke ? I'll put it 
 in BenTooke's hand. I hope Vedel could not fell 
 it. — At night. Vcdd^ Vcdcl^ poh, pox, I think 
 it is Vedcau\ aye, Vedeau, now 1 have it; let me 
 fee, do you name him in yours ? Yes, Mr. 'John 
 Ved^au is the brother; but where does this bro- 
 ther live ? I'll enquire. This was a faft-day for 
 the public ; fo 1 dined late with Sir Maitheiu 
 Dudlcv, whom I have not been with a i2:reat while. 
 He is one of thofe that muft lofe his employment 
 whenever the great fhake comes j and I can't con- 
 tribute to keep him in, though I have dropt 
 words in his favour to the min:ftry ; but he is too 
 violent a Whig^ and friend to tlie lord-treafurer f, 
 to flay in. 'Tis odd to think how long they let 
 thofe people keep their places ; but the reafon is, 
 they have not enough to fatisfy all expciters, and 
 fo they keep them all in hopes, that they may be 
 wood boys in the mean time; and thus the old 
 ones hold in Hill. The comptroller tf)ld mc, that 
 there are eight people exped his fluff. I walkt 
 
 * He muft mean an exchequer tally, 
 j Earl of Godulphin, 
 
 after
 
 ( 197 ) 
 
 after dinner to-day round tlie Pivk. What, do 
 I write politicks to little young women ? Hold 
 your tongue, and go to your dean's. 
 
 29. Morning. If this be a fine day I will 
 walk into the city, and fee Charles Bornarcfs li- 
 brary. What care 1 for your letter, faucy A^ 12 ? 
 I will fdy nothing to it yet : faith, I believe this 
 will he full before its time, and then go it muft. 
 I will always write once a fortnight ; and if it 
 goes fonncr by filling fooner, why then there is fo 
 much clear gain. Morrow, morrow, rogues and 
 JafTes both, I can't lie fcribling here in bed for 
 your play ; I muft rife, and fo morrow again. — 
 At night. Your friend Montgomery and his fifter 
 are here, as I am told by Patrick : 1 have feen 
 him often, but take no notice of him : he is grown 
 very ugly and pimpled. They tell me he is a 
 gamefi:er, and wins money. — How could I help 
 it, pray ? Patrick fnufft the candle too iliort, and 
 the greafe ran down upon the paper f . It cn't 
 my fault, 'tis Patrick's fault ; pray now don't 
 blame Pre/io. I walkt to-day in the city, and 
 dined at a private houfe, and went to fee the 
 autSlion of poor Charles Barnard's books ; they 
 were in the middle of the phyfick books, fo £ 
 bought none ; and they are fo dear, I believe I 
 fhall buy none, and there's an end ; and go to 
 Stoii/s, and I'll go fieep. 
 
 30. Morning. This is Good-Friday, you muft 
 know, and I muft rife and go to Mr. fecretary 
 about fome bufmefs, and Mrs. Vanhcnirigh defircs 
 me to brcakfaft with her, becaufe fhs is to inter- 
 
 t It caufed a violent daub on the paper, which ftill 
 continues much difcoloured in the original. 
 
 O 3 cede
 
 ( 198 ; 
 
 cede for Pf4iriik, who is ib often drunk and quar- 
 relfome in the houfe, that I was refolvcd to fend 
 him over ; hut he knows all the places where I 
 fend, and i, fo ufed to my ways, that it would be in- 
 ccnveiii.nt to me j but when 1 come to /r^Z^/z^/, I 
 will difcharge him. f Sir Thomas Alanfel^ one of 
 the lords of the treafury, fetting me down at my 
 door to-da\ , {d-w Patrick^ and fwore he v/as a 
 Tiagueland.r. I am fo ufcd to his face, I never ob- 
 ferved it,, but thought him a pretty fellow. Sir 
 Andrew FoiniX-un and I fupped this f;iftday with 
 A/lrs. Vanir.mrigb. We were afraid Mr. Hariefs 
 v/ound would turn to a Fijlula\ but we think the 
 danger Is now paft. Ke rifes every day, and 
 walks about his room, and we hope he will be 
 out in a foitnighr. Prior fliev/ed me a handfome 
 paper r-V vcrTes he has writ on Mr. Barley's acci- 
 dent : they are not out ; 1 will fend them to you, 
 if he will give me a copy. 
 
 31. Morning. What fhall we do to make 
 JfrJI Sooh this year, now it happens on Sunday? 
 Fatrick brings word that Mr. Harlcy ftill mends, 
 and is up cve;y day. 1 dellgn to fee him in a few 
 days : and he brings me word too that he has 
 found out' Vedeau^ brother's Ihop : I (hall call 
 there in a day or tv/o. It feems the wife lodges 
 jiext door to the brother. I doubt the fcoundre. 
 was broke, arid got a commiiTion, or perhaps is a 
 volunticr gentleman, and cxpecfls to get one by 
 his valour. Morrov/, firrahs, let me rife. — At 
 right. I dined to-day with Sir T'homr.s Manfel. 
 Wk were walking in the Park^ and Mr. Lewis 
 came to us. Manjel afkt Where v.-e dined ? We 
 
 t He forgot here to fay, At night. See what goes 
 before. 
 
 faid.
 
 C 199 ) 
 
 r?.iJ, Together. He fj'id, we fhould dine with 
 him, only his wife defired him to bring nobodv, 
 becaufe Ihe had only a leg of mutton. I faid, I 
 would dine with him to chufc ; but he would 
 fend a fervant to order a plate or two : yet this 
 man has ten thoufand pounds a year in land, and 
 is a lord of the treafury, and is rot covetous nei- 
 ther, but runs out merely by flaitering and ne- 
 gligence. The worft dinner 1 ever faw at the 
 dean's was better : but fo it is with abundance of 
 people here. I calkd at night at Mr. Harly'sy 
 who begins to walk in his room with a (lick, but 
 
 is mighty weak ^See how much I ha. e loft 
 
 with that ugly gieafe f. 'Tis your fault, pray ; 
 and ril go to bed. 
 
 yfpn'l I. The duke of Buckingham's houfe fell 
 down lafl night with an earth-quake, and is half 
 fwallowed up ; — Won't you go and De it ? — An 
 j^prii fool, an Jp7-il fool, oh ho, young women. 
 Well, don't be angry, I'll make you an Jpj'il 
 fool no more till the next time : we had no fport 
 here, becaife it is Sunday, and Eajier-Sunday. I 
 dined with the fecrctary, who fcemcd terribly 
 down and melancholy, which Mr. Prior and 
 Lewis obfervcd as well rs I : perhaps fomethin? is 
 gone wrong ; perhaps there is nothing in it. Gcd 
 blefs my own dearcfi MD^ and all is well. 
 
 2. We have fuch windy weather, 'tis trouble- 
 fome walking, yet all the rabble have got into 
 our Pork thefe Eajier holidays. I am plagued 
 with one Richardjhi, an L'tjh parfon, and his pro- 
 
 t The candle-greafe mentioned before, which foaked 
 throuQh, deformed this part of tiie paper on the fecond 
 page. 
 
 O 4 j°a
 
 ( 200 ) 
 
 ject of printing mJJ) Bibles^ he. to make you 
 Chrijiians in that country ; I befriend him what 1 
 can on account of the archbifhop and bifliop of 
 
 Clogher. But what bufmefs have I to meddle, 
 
 ^c. Don't you remember thar, firrah Stella ? 
 what was that about, when you thought I was 
 meddling with fomething tliat was not my bufi- 
 nefs ? Oh faith, you are an impudent flut, I re- 
 member your doings, I'll never forget you as long 
 as I live. Leivls and I dined together at his loda;- 
 ings. But where's the anfvver to this letter of 
 MD's. O faith, Prejlo., you muft think of that. 
 Time enough, fays faucy Prejlo, 
 
 3. I was this morning to fee Mrs. Barton ; I 
 love her better than any body here, and fee her 
 feldomer. Why really now, fo it often happens 
 in the world, that where one loves a body beft — 
 pfliah, pfhah, you are {o filly with vour moral 
 obfervations. Well, but fhe told me a very good 
 ftory. An old gentlewoman died here two months 
 ago, and left in her will, to have eight men and 
 eight maids bearers, v/ho fhould have two guineas 
 apiece, ten guineas to the parfon for a fermon, and 
 tv/o guineas to the clerk. But bearers, parfon 
 and clerk muft be all true virgins ; and not to be 
 admitted till they took their oaths of virginity : 
 fo the poor woman flill lies unburicd, and fo muft 
 
 do till the general refurreition. 1 called at Mr. 
 
 fecretary's, to fee what the D — ailed him on 
 Sunday ; 1 made him a very proper fpeech, told 
 him, I obferved he was much out of temper ; 
 that I did not expert he would tell me the caufe, 
 but would be glad to fee he was in better ; and 
 one thing I warned him of. Never to appear cold 
 to me, for I would not be treated like a fchool- 
 boy ; that I had felt too much of that in my life 
 
 alrcadv
 
 ( 201 ) 
 
 already (meaning from Sir TTi III nm Temple) that 
 I exped^cd every great miniftcr, vvlio honoun.-d 
 mc with his aqiiaintance, if he heard or faw any 
 thing to my difadvantage, would let me know it 
 in plain words, and not put me in pain to o-uefs 
 bv the chans;c or coldnefs of his countenance or 
 behaviour; for it w.is what I would hardly bear 
 from a crowned head, and I thought no fubjc6l's 
 favour was worth it ; and that I defigncd to let 
 my lord keeper and Mr. Harky know the fame 
 thing, that they might ufe me accordingly. He 
 took all right ; faid, I had reafon, vowed nothing 
 ailed him but fitting »ip whole nights at bufmefs, 
 and one nitrht at drinking; would have had me 
 dined with him and A4rs. Majhains brother, to 
 make up matters ; but I would nor. I dont know, 
 but I would not. But indeed I was engaged with 
 my old friend RoUinfon, you never heard of him 
 before. 
 
 4. I fomctimcs look a line or two back, and fee 
 pl3::»uy miftakes of the pen ; how do you get 
 over them ? You are puzzled fometimes. Why, 
 I think what I faid to Mr. fecretary was right. 
 Don't you remember how I ufed to be in pain 
 when Sir IVilUam Temple would look cold and out 
 of humour for three or four days, and I ufed to 
 fufpedt a hundred reafons. I have pluckt up my 
 fpirit fince then, faith ; he fpoiled a fine gentle- 
 man. ■ 1 dined with my neighbour FonJmnrigb^ and 
 MD, poor MD, at home on a loin of mutton 
 and half a pint of wine, and the mutton was 
 raw, poor Stella could not eat, poor dear rogue, 
 and Dinghy was fo vext ; but we'll dine at StoyU''^ 
 to-morrow. Mr. Harlcy promifed to fee me in a 
 day or two, fo I called this evenino; ; but his fon 
 and others were abroad, and he aflccp, fo 1 cam^ 
 " - ■■ - away,
 
 C 202 ) 
 
 away, and found out Mrs. Vedeau. She drew 
 out a letter from Dinghy^ and faid fhe would get 
 a friend to receive the inoney. I told her I wouI,d 
 employ Mr. Tooke in it henceforward. Her huf- 
 band b9ught a lieutenancy of foot, and is gone 
 to Portugal, Ke fold his fliaie of the Ihop to 
 his brother, and put out the money to maintain 
 her, all but what bought the commiflion. She 
 lodges within two doors of her brother. She 
 told me, It made her very melancholy to change 
 her manner of life thus, but trade was d?ad, ^V. 
 She fays, flie will write to you foon. I dcfign 
 to engage Ben Tooke, and then receive the parch- 
 ment from her.- 1 gave Mr. Dopplrg a. copy 
 
 of Prior s verfes on Mr. Har!ey^ he fent them 
 yeflcrday to Ireland, fo go look for them, for 
 1 won't be at the trouble to tranfcribe them here. 
 They will be printed in a day or two. Give my 
 hearty fervice to Stoyte and Catherine ; upon my 
 word I love them dearly, and defire you will tell 
 them fo : pray defire j;oody Stoyte not to let Mrs. 
 Walls and Mrs. ychnfon cheat her of her money 
 at ombre, but alTurc her from me, that fhe is a 
 bungler. Dine with her to-day, and tell her fo, 
 and drink my health, and good voyage, and fpeedy 
 ■Teturn, and fo you're a rogue. 
 
 5. Morning. Now let us proceed to examine 
 a faucy letter from one Madam ^T^D. — God Al- 
 mighty blefs poor dear Siclta, and fend her a great 
 many Birth-days, all happy, and healthy, and 
 wealthy, a!;d with me ever together, and never 
 afunder again, unlefs by chance. When I find 
 you are happy or merry there, it makes me fo 
 here, and I can hardly imagine you abfent when 
 I am reading your letter, or writing to you. No 
 ^aith, you are juft here up;)n this little paper, and 
 
 therefore
 
 ( 203 ) 
 
 therefore I fee and talk wilh you every evening 
 conftantly, and -fomctimes in the morning, but 
 not always in the niorning, becaufc that is net 
 
 fo modeft to young ladies. What, you would 
 
 fain palm a letter on me more than you fent ; and 
 I, like a fool, muft look over all yours, to fee 
 whether this was really A^. 12. or more. [Pa- 
 trick has this moment brOuoht me letters from the 
 
 O 
 
 bifhop of Clogber and Pcrvijol ; my heart was at 
 my mouth for fear of one from MD ; what a 
 difgrace would it be to have two of yours to an- 
 fwer together ? But faith this fhnll go to night, 
 for fear, and then come whtn it will, I defy it.] 
 No, you are not naughty at all, write when you 
 are difpofed. And fo the dean told you the flory 
 of Mr. HarJcy from the archbifnop ; I warrant it 
 never fpoiled your fuppcr, or broke off your game. 
 Nor vet, have not vou the box; I wifh Mrs. 
 Edgwcrth had the — . But you have it now, I fup- 
 pofe ; and is the chocolate good, or has the to- 
 bacco fpoiled it .'' L€':gh fl:a\ s till Sterne has done 
 his bufinefs, no longer ; and when that will be, 
 God knows : I befriend him as mvich as I can, 
 but Harky's accident Hops that as well as all things 
 clfe. You gucfs. Madam Dhiglcy^ that 1 Ihall 
 flay a round twelvemonth ; as hope favcd, I would 
 come over, if I could, this minute; but we will 
 talk of that by and bye. — Your affair of Vcdcau 
 1 have told you of already ; now to the n.xt, 
 turn over the leaf. Mrs. Dobbins lies, I have no 
 more provifion here or in Ireland than I had. I 
 am pleafed that Stella the conjurer a'pproves what 
 I did with Mr. Harky * , but your generofity 
 makes me mad ; I know you repine Inwardly at 
 Pre/lo's abfence ; you think he has broken his 
 
 * In relation to the Eank Note. 
 
 .word
 
 C 204 ) 
 
 VJ'oid of coming in three months, and that this is 
 always his trick ; and now Stella fays, fhe does 
 not fee poflibly how I can come away in hafte, 
 and that AID is fatisfied, C3'c. An't you a rogue 
 to overpower me thus ? I did not expect: to hnd 
 fuch friends as I have done. They may indeed 
 deceive me too. But tliere are important reafons 
 [Pox on this greafe, this candle tallow !J why 
 they {hould not *. I have been ufed barbaroufly 
 by the late miniftry ; I am a little piqued in ho- 
 nour to let people fee I am not to be defpifed. 
 The afTurances they give me, without any fcruple 
 or provocation, are fuch as are ufually believed in 
 the world ; they may come to nothing, but the firft 
 opportunity that offers, and is neglecled, I fhall 
 di^pcnd no more, but come away f. I could fay 
 a thoufand things on this head, if I were with 
 you. I am thinking why Stella {hould not go to 
 the Bath^ if (he be told it will do her good ; i 
 will make Parvifol get up fifty pounds, and pay it 
 you ; and you may be good houfcwives, and live 
 cheap there fome months, and reuirh in Autumn, 
 or vifit London, as you pleafe : pray think of it. 
 I writ to Bernagc, dirc£led to Curry's ; I wiih he 
 had the letter. I will fend the bohea tea, if I 
 can. The bifhop of Kilmorc^ I don't keep fuch 
 company ; an old dying fool whom I never was 
 with in my life. So I ani no godfather ; all the 
 better. Pray, Stella, explain thole two words of 
 yours to me, what you mean by VilUau, and 
 
 * Sivift was, at this time, their great fupport and 
 champion. 
 
 f And fo at laft he threatened ; (Vide his letter to 
 Mrs. DJngley, No. go. Docljley's Colleftion) or perhaps 
 he never would have got that trilling Deanry of 5/. 
 Patrick's. 
 
 Dainger^
 
 ( 205 ) 
 
 Dahiger *, and you, Madam Dlrigley, what /<? 
 
 Cbrijiian'ing ? Lay your letter this way\ this 
 
 u'«v, and the devil a bit of difference between this 
 way and t'other way. No ; I'll fhew you, lay 
 them this ivay^ this ivay, and not that way^ that 
 
 zuayf- You (hall have your aprons ; and I'll 
 
 put all your commilTions as they come, in a paper 
 tort-ether, and don't think I'll fbrrret AID's or- 
 ders, becaufe they arc friends ; I'll be as careful, 
 as if they were Grangers. I know not what to 
 do about this Clements. Walls will not let me 
 fav anv thins;, as if Mr. Pratt was aG:ainfl: him ; 
 and now the bifhop of Clogher has written to me 
 in his behalf. This thing does not rightly fall in 
 my way, and that people never confider : I always 
 give my good offices where they are proper, and 
 that I am judge of; however, I will do what I 
 can. But, if he has the name of a TVhig, it will 
 be hard, confidering my lord Ai'glcfea and Hyde 
 are very much otherwife, and you know they 
 have the employment of deputy treafurer. If the 
 ffolick iliould take you of going to the Balh^ I 
 here fend you a note on Parvifol ; if not, you may 
 tear it, and there's an end. Farewe!. 
 
 If you have an imagination that the Bath will 
 do you good, I fay again, I would have you gq ; if 
 not, or it be inconvenient, burn this note. Or, if 
 you would go, and not take fo much money, take 
 thirty pounds, and I will return you twenty from 
 
 * Tt may be fomewhat amazln? to declare : but 
 Stella, with all her wit and good fenle, fpelled very 
 ill. And Dr. S--wift infilled greatly upon women s 
 fpelling well. 
 
 f The fiope of the letters in the words this I'-vty, 
 this ivay, is to the left hand, but the flopc of tlie ao; Js 
 ti.at -li-o-y, that tiym', is to the ri;^ht hand. 
 
 hence.
 
 ( 206 ) 
 
 hence. Do as you pleafe, firrahs. I fuppofe it 
 will not be too late for the firft feafon ; if it be, 
 I would have you refolve however to go the 
 fecond feafon, if the dodors fdy it will do you 
 good, and you fancy fo. 
 
 LETTER XX. 
 
 London, April 5, 171 1. 
 
 PUT my nineteenth in the poft-office juft now 
 myfelf, as I came out of the city, where I dined. 
 This rain ruins me in coach-hire; I walkt away 
 fixpennyworth, and came within a fliilling length, 
 and then took a coach, and got a lift back for no- 
 thing J and am now bufy. 
 
 6. Mr. fecretary defircd I would fee him this 
 jnorning, faid he had feveral things to fay to me, 
 and faid not one ; and the duke of Ormoncl fmt 
 to defiie I would meet him at Mr. SouthwcWs by 
 ten this mornins: too, which 1 did, thinking; it 
 was fonie particujar matter. All the Irifo in town 
 were there, to confult upon preventing a bill for 
 laying a duty on Ii'ijh yarn ; To we talkt awhile, 
 and then all went to the lobby of the houfe of 
 commons, to fjlicit our friends, and the duke 
 came among the reft ; and lord Jngkfca folicited 
 admirably, and I did wonders. But atier al!, the 
 matter was put ofi till Monday^ and then we are 
 to be at it a^ain. 1 dined with lord Mmntjoyy 
 and lookt over him at chefs, which put me in 
 mind of SteVa and Gr'ijfjih. I came home, and 
 that dog Patrick was nut within, fo I hxtted, and 
 fretted, and Vv'hat good did that do me? And fo 
 get you gene to your deans. You couple of queans. 
 
 i can't Hiid rhyme to IValh and Siojfe. Ye?, 
 
 yes, You expcclMis. IVallsj B-: ureji'd v\hen fne 
 7 calls.
 
 ( 207 ) 
 
 culls, To carry you to Stoytc^ Or elfc honi fo'tt, 
 Henley told me that the Tories were infupport-able 
 people, becaufc they are for bringing in French 
 claret, and will not fup-port. Mr. Hurley will 
 hardly get abroad this week or ten days yet. I 
 reckon when I fend away this letter he will be 
 juft got into the houfe of commons. Aly lait 
 letter went in twelve days, and lb perhaps may 
 this. No it won't, for thofe letters that go 
 under a fortnight are anfwers to one of yours, 
 otherwife you muft take the days as they happen, 
 fome dry, fume wet, fome barren, fonie fruitful, 
 
 fome merry, fome infipid ; fome, ijc. 1 will 
 
 write you word exadlly the firft day I fee young 
 goofeberries, and pray obferve how much later you 
 are. We have not had fi\'e fine days this hve 
 weeks, but rain or wind. 'Tis a late Sprljig they 
 fay here. — Go to beJ, you two dear faucy brats, 
 and don't keep me ui) all night. 
 
 7. i^5;W has been at Ehfo?n, to avoid Good-Fri- 
 day and ErJier'Sur.day.' He forced me to-day to 
 dine with him ; and tells me, there are letters 
 from /rr/,'7??^/ giving an account of a great indif- 
 cret'on in the archbifliop of Duhl'iv^ who applied 
 a flory out cf Tacitus very refledtingly on Mr. 
 Harleyy and that twenty people have written of 
 it ; I do not believe it yet. I called this evening 
 to fee Mr. fecretary, who has been very ill with 
 the gravel and pain in his back, by Burgundy and 
 Chanipagut:^ added to the iitting up all ni;,^ht at 
 bufuK'fs ; I found him drinking tea while the reft 
 were at Chr.mpagr.e^ and was very glad of it. L 
 have chid him fo f-verely that I ha:dly knewv.'he- 
 thcr he would t?kc it well : then I went and fat 
 an hour with Mrs. St. "Jchn^ who is grov.-ing a 
 
 great
 
 ( 208 ) 
 
 great favourite of mine ; (he goes to the Bath on 
 iVednejday^ for fhe is much out of health, and has 
 begged me to take care of the fecretary. 
 
 8. I dined to-day v/Ith Mr. fecretary 5/. ^ohn ; 
 he gave me a letter to read, which v/as from the 
 publifher of the new^s-paper called the Foft-boy ; 
 in it there was a long copy of a letter from Dublin^ 
 giving an account of v^hat the IVhigs faid upon 
 Mr. H.arley's> being ftabbed, and how much they 
 abufe him and Mr. fecretary 5/. "John ; and at the 
 end there was half a dozen lines, telling the ftory 
 of the archbifhop of Dublbi, and abufing him 
 horribly j this was to be printed on Tuejdciy, I 
 told the fecretary I would not fuffer that about 
 the archbifhop to be printed, and fo I croft it out ; 
 and afterwards, to prevent all danger, I ' made 
 him give me the letter, and, upon further thought, 
 v/ould let none of it be publifhed : and I fent for 
 the printer and told him fo,® and ordered him, in 
 the fecretary's name, to print nothing reflecting 
 on any body in Ireland till he had fhewed it me. 
 Thus I have prevented a terrible fcandal to the 
 archbifliop, by a piece of perfe61 good fortune. 
 I will let him know it by next poft ; and pray, 
 if you pick it out, let me know, and whether 
 he is thankful for it ; but fay nothing. 
 
 9. I was to-day at the houfe of commons again 
 about theii;; yarn, at lord Jng^efed's defire, but the 
 bufmefs is again put oiT till Alunday. I dined 
 with Sir Jidra Slanlcy, by an afiignation 1 had 
 made with Mr. St. John, and George Granvi'e^ the 
 fecretary at war, but they let in other company, 
 fome ladies, and fo we were not as eafy as 1 in- 
 tended. Mv head is pret y tolerable, but every day 
 1 feel foa^iC little dilorde; j : 1 have left off fnnfF 
 
 fince
 
 ( 209 ) ■ 
 
 fincc StifiJnyy finding myfclf much woiTc after 
 taking a good deal at the fccrctary's. I would 
 not let him drink one drop of Champagne or Bur- 
 gundy without water, and in compliment I did 
 fo myfelf. He is much better, but when he is 
 well he is like StcUa^ and will not be governed. 
 So go to your Stoyte's, and I'll go flcep. 
 
 10. I have been vifiting lady Worjley and Mrs. 
 Barton to-day, and dined fobtrly with my friend 
 Lewis. The dauphin is dead of an apoplexy j I 
 wifli he had lived till the finifhing of this letter, 
 that it might be neWs to you ; Duncomb, the rich 
 alderman, died to-day, and I hear has left the 
 duke of Argyl^t who married his niece, two hun- 
 dred thoufand pounds ; 1 hope it is true, for I 
 love that duke mightily. 1 writ this evening to 
 the archbifliop of Dublin^ about what I told you ; 
 and then went to take leave of poor Mrs. St. 
 Jchn^ who gave me ftriiSl charge to take care of 
 the fecretary in her abfence, faid (he had none to 
 truft but me ; and the poor creature's tears came 
 frefli in her eyes. Before we took lea e, I was 
 drawn in by the other ladies and Sir John Stanley 
 to raffle for a fan, with a pox ; it was four guineas, 
 and w^e put in feven fhillings apiece, fcveral raf- 
 fling for abfent people ; but I loft, and fo mift 
 an opportunity of ihewing my gallantry to Mrs. 
 St. John, whom I deiigned to have pre'ented it 
 to, if I had won. Is DiHy* gone to the Bath? 
 His face will whizz in the water ; I fuppofe he 
 will write to us from thence, and v.'ill take London 
 
 in his way back. The rabble will fay, There 
 
 goes a drunken parfon, and which is worfe, they 
 will fay true. Oh, but you muft know 1 carried 
 
 * The reverend Dillon AJJie, 
 
 Vol. IV. ? Fori
 
 ( 210 ) 
 
 Ford to dine with Mr. St. John lafl: Sunday^ that 
 he may brag when he goes back, of dining with 
 a fecretary of ftate. The fecretary and 1 went 
 away early, and left him drinking with the rell, 
 and he told me, that two or three of them were 
 drunk. They talk of great promotions to be 
 made ; that Mr. Hcirley is to be lord treafurer, 
 and lord Potdet f m.after of the horfe, l^c. but 
 they are only conjecSture. The fpeaker is to make 
 Mr, Harley a compliment the firft time he comes 
 into the houfe, which I hope will be in a week. He 
 has had an ill furgcon, by thecnprice of that puppy 
 Dr. Raddiffs ; which has kept him back fo long ; 
 and yefterday he got a cold, but is better to-day. 
 — What ; I think I am ilark mad to write fo much 
 in one day to little faucy MD ; here's a deal of 
 ALufF, indeed ; can't you bid thofe little dear 
 rogues good night, and let them go fleep, Mr. 
 Prejlo ? When your tongue runs there's no ho 
 with you, pray. 
 
 II. Again at the lobby, like a lobcock, of the 
 houfe ot common.-;, about your hifo yarn, and 
 again put ofF till Fiiday, and I and Patrick went 
 into the city by water, where I dined, and then 
 1 went to the au6lion of Charles Barnard's books, 
 but the good ones were fo monftrous dear, I could 
 not reach thtm, fo I laid out one pound feven 
 ihillings but very indifferently, and came away, 
 and will go there no more. Hcnl.y would fain 
 en^^ase me to 20 with Steele and Rotve^ Sic. to an 
 invitation at Sir JVill'iayn Read's. Surely you have 
 heard of him. He has been a mountebank, and 
 li the queen's oculift ; he makes admirable punch, 
 
 f He was at this time firft commiffioner of the trea- 
 fbry. 
 
 9 and
 
 ( 211 ) 
 
 an 3 treats you in gf'lJ vcflcls. But I am engaged^ 
 and won't 2:0, neiihcr indeed am i fond of the 
 jaunt. So good night, and go flecp. 
 
 12. T went about noon to the fecrctary, who is 
 very ill wi'.h a cold, and Ibmetimes of the gravel, 
 with his Champagne^ &c. I fcoldcd him like a dog, 
 and he promifes faithfully more care for the fu- 
 ture. .To-day my lord Anglejca^ and Sir Thomai 
 Hanmcr^ and Pvlcr and I dined, by appointment, 
 with lieutenant general IVchh. My lord and I 
 flaid till ten o'clock, but we drank fobtrly, and 
 I always with water. There was with us one 
 ]Mr. Cainpa'in^ one of the Oolobcr Cluh, if you 
 know what that is ; a Club of country membe:s, 
 who think the minirters are too backward in 
 punifhing and turning cut the IVhigs. I found 
 my lord and the refl thought I had more credit 
 with the miniftry than 1 pretend to have, and 
 would have engaged me to put them upon fome- 
 thin"- that v/ould fatisfy their defires, and indeed 
 1 think they have fomc rcafon to complain ; how- 
 ever, I will not burn my fingers. I'll remember 
 Stellas chiding ; What had you to do with what 
 did not belong to you, ^Sc. However, you will 
 give me leave to tell the mimflry my thoughts 
 when they afk them, and other people's thoughts 
 fomctimes when they do not afk j fo thinks 
 Dingley, 
 
 13. I called this morning at Mrs. Vedcaa's 
 af^ain, who has employed a friend to get the 
 money; it w:ll be done in a foitnight, and then 
 {he will deliver me up the parchment. I went 
 then to fee Mr. Harlcy^ who I hope vvill be out in 
 a few days ; he was in excellent good humour, 
 only complained to me of the ncgltct of GuiJ- 
 
 P 2, card's
 
 C 212 ; 
 
 card's cure, how 2:Iad he would have been to have 
 had him live. Mr. fecretaiy came in to us, and 
 we were very merry till lord chamberlain (duke 
 of Shrcwfiurj) came up, then colonel MoJImm 
 and I went off, after 1 had been prefented to the 
 duke, and that we made two or three filly com- 
 pliments fuitable to the occafion. Then I attended 
 at the houfe of commons about your yarn, and 
 'tis again put off. Then Ford drew me to dine 
 at a tavern, it happened to be the day and the 
 houfe where the Ohoher Club dine. After v/e had 
 dined, coming down v/e called to enquire, whe- 
 ther cur yarn bufinefs had been over that day, 
 and 1 fent into the room for Sir George Beau?nont. 
 Biit I had like to be drawn into a difficulty; for 
 in two minutes out comes Mr. Finch, lord Guern- 
 Jcy% fon, to let me know, th:it my lord ComptOHy 
 the fteward of this fcaft, defired, in the name of 
 the Clnh, that I would do them the honour to 
 dine with themi. I fent my excufes, adorned with 
 about thirty complimtnts, and got off as faft as 
 1 could. It v.ould have been a moff improper 
 thing for me to dine there, confidering my friend- 
 ihip with the miniftry. The Club is about a 
 hundred and fifty, and near eighty of them were 
 then going to dinner at tvv'o long tables in a great 
 ground room. At evening 1 went to the auction 
 of Barnard's books, and laid out three pounds 
 three {hillings, but 1'!! go there no more ; and fo 
 1 ("aid once before, but now I'll keep to it. I 
 forciot to tell, that when I dined at /Webb's with 
 lord jlnglefea, I fpokc to him of Clanents, as one 
 recommended for a very' honeft gentleman, and 
 good OiEcer, and hcptd he would keep him : he 
 faid, be had not thought othcrwife, and that he 
 fhould certainly hold his place, while he con- 
 tinued to defer ve ii ; and I could not find there 
 
 7 had
 
 ( 213 ) 
 
 had been any intentions from his lordfliip ac:;ainfl: 
 him. But 1 tell you, hunny, the impropriety of 
 this. A great man will do a favour for me, or 
 for my friend ; but why fliould he do it for my 
 friend's friend. Recommendations fhouKl Hop 
 before they come to that. Let any friend of mine 
 recommend one or his to me for a thing in my 
 power, i will do it for his fake ; but to fpealc to 
 another for my friend's friend, is againfl: all rca- 
 fon ; and I dcare you will underltand this, and 
 difcourage any fuch tioilbles given me. — I hope 
 this may do fome good to Cleyn nts^ it can do him 
 no hurt ; and I find by Mrs. Prti'.t^ that her huf- 
 band is his friend; and the bifhop oi Clogher fays, 
 Clement's danger is not from Fratt, but from 
 fome other enemies, that think him a JVh'ig, 
 
 14. I was fo bufy this morning that I did not 
 go out till late. I writ to-day to the duke of 
 yirgyle, but faid nothing of Bertiagc, who, I be- 
 lieve, will not fee him till Spain is conquered, 
 and that is, not at all. T was to-day at lord Sh^l- 
 Luni'sy and fpoke to Mrs. Pndt again about CA'- 
 ments ; her hulband himfclf wants lome good of- 
 fices, and I have done him very good ones lately, 
 and told Mrs. Pratt, I expeiSied her hufband 
 fhould fland by Clmnents in return. Sir Andrew 
 Fountain and I dined with neighbour Vanbjmrigb ; 
 he is mighty ill of an Ajlhma, and apprehends 
 himfclf in much danger; 'tis his own fault, that 
 will rake and drink, when he is but juft crawled 
 out of his grave. I will fend this let^.■r juft now, 
 becaufe I think my half year is out for my lodg- 
 ing ; and, if you pleafe, I would be glad it were 
 paid off", and fome deal boxes made for my books, 
 and kept in fome fafe place, I would give fome- 
 thing for their keeping : but I doubt that lodging 
 
 P ;j will
 
 ( 214 ) 
 
 will not ferve me when I come back ; I would . 
 have a larger place for books, and a ftable, if pof- 
 fible. So pray be fo kind to pay the lodging, 
 and all accounts about it ; and get Mrs. Brent 
 to put up my things, i would have no books 
 put in that trunk where my papers are. If you 
 do not think of 2;oin<!- to the Bath, I here fend 
 you a bill on Parvfol for twenty pounds IriJ}->^ out 
 of wuich you will pay for the lodging, and fcore 
 the reft to me. Do as you pleafc, and love poor 
 Prejlo, that loves MD better than his life a thou- 
 fand millions of times. Farewel, MDy &:c. he. 
 
 LETTER XXI. 
 
 R London, /. pril 14, 171 1, 
 
 EMEMBER, firrahs, that there are but nine 
 days betvv'een the dates of my tv/o former letters. 
 I fent away my twentieth this moment, and now 
 am writing on like a fifh, as if nothing w.as done. 
 But there was a caufe for my hafting away the 
 laft, for fear it Ihould not come time enough be- 
 fore. a new quarter began. I told you where I 
 dined to-dav, but forgot to tell you what I be- 
 lieve, that Mr. Harlcy will be lord treafurer in a 
 fhort time, and other great removes and promo- 
 tions made. This is my thought, ^c. 
 
 15. I was this morning with Mr. fecretary, 
 and he is grown pretty well. I dined with him 
 to-day, and drank fome of that wine which the 
 duke of Tufcany ufed to fend to Sir lVillia?n Temple : 
 he always fends fome to the chief minifters. I 
 liked it mightily, but he does not 5 and he or- 
 dered his butler to fend me a chefl: of it to-mor- 
 row. Would to God MD had it. The queen 
 is well again, and was at chapel to-day, i2c. 
 
 lb, I
 
 ( 215 ) 
 
 1 6. I went with Ford into the city to day, and 
 dined with Stiatfcni^ and drank Tockay, and 
 then we went lo the auction ; hut 1 did not by 
 out above twelve drillings. My head is a little 
 out of order to-night, though no formul fir. My 
 lord kreper has Tent to invite me to dinner to-mor- 
 row, and you'll dine httcer wtth the de.in, and 
 God hlel's you. 1 for^-t to tell ynu that ycftcr- 
 day was fent me J Narrative j^rinted, with all 
 the circumfiances of Mr. HarLys Ibbbiiig. I 
 had not time to do it tnyfelf ; (o I fent my nints 
 to the author of the Jiabfit's'*^ 2ind Ihe nas 
 cook'd it into a fix-penny pamphlet, in htr own 
 ftyle, only the firft page is 'eft as 1 was beginning 
 it. But 1 was afraiJ'of difobiiginiX Mr. HarUy 
 or Mr. St. John in one critical point about it, :.nd 
 fo would not do it myfelf. It is worth y-ur read- 
 ing, for the circumftances are all true. My cheft 
 of Florence was fent me this morning, and coft 
 me feven and fix-pence to two fervants. 1 would 
 give two guineas you had it, is'c. 
 
 17. I was fo out 'of order with my head this 
 morning, that I was going to fend my excufes to 
 my lord keeper ; but however I got up at eleven, 
 and walked there after two, and fraid till eight. 
 There was Sir Thomas Afanjel^ Prior, George Gran- 
 vil/e, and Mr. Cafar^ and we wtre very merry. 
 My head is ftill wrong, but I have had no formal 
 fit, only I totter a iTttle. I have left off fnufF 
 altogether. I have a noble roll of tobacco for 
 grating, very good. Shall I fend it to MD^ if 
 Bie likes that fort ? My lord keeper and our this 
 day's company are to dine on Sr.turdayWi^h. George 
 Granville, and to-morrow I dine with lord Jng- 
 
 lefea, 
 
 * Mrs. Manky. 
 
 P 4 I?. Did
 
 ( 2l6 ) 
 
 18. Did you ever fee fuch a blundering goofe- 
 cap as Prejio? I faw the number 21 a-top, and 
 fo I went on as if it were the day of the month, 
 whereas this is but Wednefday the i8th. How 
 Ihall I do to blot and alter them ? I have made a 
 fhift to do it behind, but it is a great botch. I 
 dined wich lord Anglefea to day, but did not go 
 to the houfe of commons about the yarn ; my 
 head was not well enough. I know not what's 
 the mat er ; it has never been thus before : two 
 days together giddy from morning till night, but 
 not with any violence or pain ; and I totter a 
 little, , but can m.ake fhift to walk. I doubt I 
 muft fill to my pills again : I think of going into 
 the country a little way. I tell you what you 
 muft do henceforward : you muft inolofe your 
 letters in a fair half fheet of paper, and dire£l: the 
 outfide To Erafmus Leiuis^ cfquire, at my lord 
 Da7-tmouih\ office at JVklteball : for I never go to 
 the Coffee-houfe^ and they will grudge to take in 
 my letters. 1 forgot to tell you that your mother 
 was to fee me this morning;, and brou2;ht me a 
 flafk of fweat water for a prefent, admirable for 
 my head ; but T fhall not fmell to it. She is 
 going to ^hcen with lady Giffhrd : fhe would fain 
 fend your papers over to you, or give them to me. 
 Say what you would have done, and it (hall be 
 done ; becaufe I love Stella, and fhe is a good 
 daughter, they fay, and (o is Dingley. 
 
 19. This morning general JFcbbw^s to give me 
 a vifit : he goes with a crutch and flick, yet was 
 forced to come up two pair of flairs. I promifed 
 to dine v/ith him, but afterwards fent my ex- 
 cufes, and dined privately in my friend Lezvis^s 
 lodiiincvs at TFhltchall., v/ith whom I had much 
 bufuicfsi to talk of, relating to the pubhck and 
 
 myfelf.
 
 ( 217 ) 
 
 myfclf. Little Harr'ifon the Taikr goes to-mor- 
 row to the fccrctarylhip I got him at the Hague, 
 and Mr. St. John has made him a prefent of hfty 
 guineas to bear his charges. An't I a good friend ? 
 Why are not you a young fellow, that I miu,ht 
 prefer you ? I had a letter from Ecrnage fiom 
 Khfale : he tells me his commilfion for captain- 
 lieutenant was ready for him at his arrival : fo 
 there are two jackanapcfes I have done with. My 
 head is fomething better this evening, though not 
 well, 
 
 20. I was this morning with Mr. fecretary, 
 whofe pacquets were juft come in, and among 
 them a letter from lord Peterboroiu to me : he 
 writes fo well, I have no mind to anfwer him, 
 and fo kind, that I muft anfv/er him. The em- 
 peror's death muft, I think, caufe great altera- 
 tions in Europe, and, I believe, will hailen a 
 Peace. We reckon our kintr Charles will be 
 chofen emperor, and the duke of Savoy fet up for 
 Spain ; but I believe he will make nothing of it. 
 Dr. Fre'tnd and I dined in the city at a printer's, 
 and it has coft me two fliillings in coach-hire, 
 and a great deal more this week and month, 
 which has been almoft all rain, with now and 
 then fun-fliine, and is the trueft April that I have 
 known thefe many years. The lime-trees in the 
 Park are all out in leaves, though not large leaves 
 yet. Wife people are going into the country ; 
 but many think the Parliamctit can hardly be up 
 thefe fix weeks. Mr. Harley was with the queen 
 on Tuefday. I believe certainly he will be lord 
 treafurer : I have not feen him this week. 
 
 21. Morning. Lord keeper, and I, and Prior, 
 and Sir Thomas Manfel have anpointcJ to dine 
 
 this
 
 ( 2lS ) 
 
 this 6o.y with Gearge Granville. My head, T thanlt 
 God, is better; but to be giddyifh three or four 
 days together mcri'.fied me. I take no fnufF, and 
 I will be very regular in e^.ting little and the 
 gentleil meats. How t'oes poor Stella juft now, 
 with her deans and bcr Stoytes r* Do they give you 
 health for the money you lole at ombre, firrah ? 
 What fav you to that ? Poor Dingley frets to fee 
 Stella lofe that four and eleven pence, t'other 
 night. Let us rife. Morrow, firrahs. I will 
 rife, fpight of your little teeth ; good morrow. — 
 At night. Oh, fiith, you are little dear faucy 
 boxes. I was iuil 2:oin2; in the mornino; to tell 
 you that I began to want a letter from MD, and 
 in four minutes after Mr. Ford fends me one that 
 he had pickt up at St. Jama's Cofft'e-houfe ; for I 
 go to no Coffee-hoij/e at all. And faith, I was 
 glad at heart to fee if, and to fee Stella fo brifk. 
 
 Lord, what pretending .'' Well, but I won't 
 anfwer it yet; I'll keep it for t'other fide. Well, 
 we dined to-day according to appointment ; lord 
 keeper went away at near «ight, I at ei.;ht, and 
 
 1 believe the reft v/ill be fairly fuddled : for young 
 Harcsurt., lord keeper's fon, began to prattle be- 
 fore 1 came away. It will not do with Prior & 
 lean carcafe. i drink little, mifs iry glafs often, 
 put water in my wine, and go away b.fore the 
 reft, which I take to be a good receipt for fo- 
 briety. Let us put it into rhyme, and fo make a 
 proverb ; 
 
 Drink little at a time ; 
 
 Put water with your wine ; 
 
 Mifs your glafs when you can ; 
 
 And go off the flrfl: man. 
 God be thanked, I am much better than I was, 
 though fomething of a tottercr. I ate but little 
 to-day, and of the gentleft meat, I rcfufed ham 
 
 antl
 
 ( 219 ) 
 
 and pigeons, peafe-fcup, dewed beef, cold fal- 
 mon, becaule they vvltc too ftrong. I take no 
 fnufF at all, but fome heib-fnuft' prcfcribed by 
 Dr. Radclife. 
 
 Go to your deans, 
 
 You couple of queans. 
 I believe I faid that already. What care I ? 
 what cares Prcjio ? 
 
 22. Morning;. I muft rife and 50 to the fc- 
 crctary's. Mr. HarJ y has been out of town this 
 week to refreih liinilelf before he comes into par- 
 liament. Oh, but I muft rife, fo ihjre is no 
 more to be faid ; and fo morrow, firmhs both. 
 ^Night, I dined to-day with the fecretary, who 
 has engaged me for every Sunr.'ay; and I was an 
 hour with him this morning cieep in politicks, 
 ■where I told him the objections of the Oolobtr 
 C'lnh^ and he anfwcred all except rne. That no 
 Enquiries are made into puft mirmana__;eme:it. 
 But indeed I believe ihev are not yet able to make 
 any : the late miniftry were too cunning in their 
 rogueries, and lenced themfelves with an J"l of 
 general Pardon. I believe Mr. Harley muft be 
 lord treafurer j yet he makes one difficulty which 
 is hard to anfwer : he muft be made a lord, and 
 his eftate is not large enough, and he is too ge- 
 nerous to make it larger ; and if the miniitry 
 fliould change foon by any accident, he will be 
 left in the fuds. Another difficulty is, that if he 
 be made a peer, they wili want him prodigioudy 
 in the ilcufe of Commmis. of which he is the great 
 mover, and after him the fecretary, and hardly 
 any elfe of weight *. Two ftiillings more to-day 
 for coach and chair. I fliall be ruined. 
 
 * That is, among the miuiflry. 
 
 23. S»
 
 ( 220 ) 
 
 23- So you cxpccl an anfwer to your letter, do 
 you'fo ? Yes, yes, you fhali have an anfwer, 
 you fliall, young women. I made a good pun 
 on Saturday to my lord keeper. After dinner we 
 had coarfe Doiley napkins, fringed at each end, 
 upon the table to drink with : my lord keeper 
 fpread one of them between him and Mr. Prior ; 
 I told him I was glad to fee there was fuch a 
 Fringe/Jnp [Friendihip] between Mr. Prior and 
 his lordlhip. Prior fwore it was the worft he ever 
 heard : I (aid I thought fo too ; but at the fame 
 time I thought it was moft like one of Stellas 
 that ever I heard. I dined to- day with lord Mont- 
 Joy, and this evening fav/ the Venetian ambaflador 
 coming from his firft publick audience. His 
 coach -was the moft monilrous, huge, fine, rich, 
 o-ilt thing that ever I faw. 1 loitered this even- 
 ing, and came home late. 
 
 24. I was this morning to vlfit the duchefs of 
 Ormorid, who has lono; defined it, or threatned fhe 
 v/on!d not let me vifit her daughters. 1 lat an 
 hour with her, and v/e v/ere good company, when 
 in came the countefs of Bcllamout, with a pox. 
 I went out, and v^^e did not know one another ; 
 ,yet hearing me named, fhe ail^ed. What, is that 
 Dr. Siuiftf faid, fhe and I were very well ac- 
 quainted, and fell a railing at me without mercy, 
 as a lady told r^e that was there ; yet I never was 
 but once in the company of that drab of a coun- 
 tefs. Sir Andrew Fountain and I dined with my 
 neighbour Fan. I defign in tv/o days, if pofiible, 
 to go lodge at Chelfea for the air, and put myfelf 
 under a necefiity of walking to and from London 
 every day. I writ this poft to the bifhop of Clog" 
 hir a lon'^ polidck letter to entertain him. I am
 
 ( 221 ) 
 
 to buy {latucs :ind Harr.efe * for them, with a 
 vengeance. I have puckt and fealcd up AiD's 
 twelve letters againft I go to Cbelfia. I have put 
 the laft commlflions of MD in my account-book ; 
 but if tncre be any former ones, I have for 'ot 
 them. 1 iiave Diiijy.Ws pocket-book down, .riA 
 Stellas green fi!k apron, and the pound of tea ; 
 pray fend me word if you have any other, and 
 down they fhail go. i will not anfwcr your let- 
 ter yet, faucy boxes. You are with the dt-an 
 juft now, madam Stella, lofing your money. Why 
 don't you name what number you have received ? 
 You fay you have received my letters, but don't 
 tell the number. 
 
 25. I was this day dining in the city with very 
 infignificant, low, and fcurvy com['any. I had a 
 letter from the archbilhop of Vtihlin, with a long 
 denial of the report raifcd on him f, which yet 
 has been fmce allured to me from thofe who fay 
 they have it from the firft hand ; but I cannot 
 bciieve them. 1 will flicw it to the fccrctary to- 
 morrow. 1 will not anfwer yours till I get to 
 Cheljea. 
 
 26. Chclfea. I have fcnt two boxes of lumber 
 to my friend Darttr.euf's houfo, and my chcft of 
 Flora. cc and other things to Mrs. Vanbomrigh^ 
 where I dined to-day. 1 was this morning with 
 the fecretary, and fliewed him the archbifhop's 
 letter, and convinced him of his grace's innocence, 
 and I will do the fame to Mr. Htii-Lj. I got here 
 in the Ihge-coach with Patrick and my portman- 
 tua for fix-pence, and pay fix fliillings a week 
 
 * Farne/e. 
 t See the laft Colleflion of Letters, printed for Pad- 
 Jley and others, No. .15. 
 
 fur
 
 ( 222 ) 
 
 for one filly room with confounded coarfe fheets* 
 We have had fuch a horrible deal of rain, that 
 there is no walking to London^ and i muft go as 
 I came until it mends ; and befides the whelp has 
 taken my k'dging as far from London as this town 
 couid afford, at leaft half a mile further than he 
 need ; but I muft be content. The befl is, I 
 lodge juft bver-againft Dr. Atterhv.ry\ houfe, and 
 yet perhaps I fh^ll not like the place the better 
 for that. Well, I'll ftay till to-morrow before I 
 anfwer 50ur letter; and you muft fuppofe me 
 always writing at Chelfca from henceforward, till 
 I alter and fav London. This letter goes on &a- 
 tiirday^ which will be juft a fortnight ; io go and 
 cheat goody Stoyte, &c. 
 
 11. Do you know that I fear my whole cheft 
 of Florence is turned four, at leaft the two firft 
 fiaflcs were To, and hardly drinkable. How plaguy 
 unfortunate am I ! and the fecretary's own js 
 the beft I ever tafted ; and I muft not tell him, 
 but be as thankful as if it were the beft in Chri- 
 Jhiidom. I went to town in the fixpenny ftage 
 to-day, and hearing Mr. Harley was not at home, 
 I went to fee him, becaufe I knev/ by the mef- 
 fage df his lying porter that he was at home. 
 Ke was very well, and juft going out, but made 
 me promife to dine with him ; and betwixt that 
 and indeed ftrolling about, I loft four pound feven 
 fliilliniis at play — with a a — a — book- 
 feller, and got but about half a dozen books *. 
 I will buy no more books now, that's certain. 
 Well, I dined at Mr. Harlefs, came away at 
 fix, ihiiiedmy gown, caflbck, and periwig, and 
 walkt hither to Chslfea, as I always dcfign to do 
 
 * This muiL have bden at flome rafRIng for books. 
 
 when 
 
 V
 
 C 223 ) 
 
 when It is fair. I am heartily forry to find my 
 friend the fecretary Ibnd a little ticklilli with the 
 reft of the miniltry ; there have been one or two 
 difobliging things that have happened, too long 
 to tell : and t'other day in p.irliamcnt, upon a 
 debate of about thirity-Hvc nullion- that have not 
 been duly accounted for, Mr. fecretary in his 
 warmth of fpeech, and zeal for his friend Mr. 
 Bryrlges, on whom part of the blame was falling, 
 faid, he did not know that either Mr. Etydges or 
 the late miniftry were at all to blame in this mat- 
 ter ; which was very defperately fpokcn, and giv- 
 ing up the whole caufe: for the chief quarrel 
 againft the late miniftry was the ill management 
 of the treafure, and was more than all the reft 
 too-eiher. I had heard of this matter: but Mr. 
 Fo/ey beginning to difcourfe to-dav at table, with- 
 out naming Mr. St. John^ I turned to Mr. Har- 
 ley^ and faid, If the late miniftry were not to 
 blame in that article, he [Mr. HarUy'] ought to 
 lofe his head for putting the queen upon chang- 
 ing them. He made it a jeftj but by fome words 
 dropt, I eafily faw that they take things ill of 
 Mr. St. John, and by fome hints given mc from 
 another hand that I deal with, I am afraid the 
 fecretary will not ftand long. This is the fate 
 of Courts. I will, if I meet Mr. St. John alone 
 on Sunday., tell him my opinion, and beg him to 
 fct him:elf right, elfe the confcquenccs may be 
 very bad ; for I fee not how they can well want 
 him neither, and he would make a troublcfomc 
 enemy. But enough of politicks. 
 
 28. Morning. I forgot to tcU you that ^!r. 
 Harley sfkt me yefteiday, how he came to dif- 
 oblige the archbifliop of Dublin? Upon which 
 (having not his letter about me) I told him what 
 
 the
 
 ( 224 ) 
 
 the bifhop had written to me on that fubj eft *, 
 and dcfired I might read him the letter feme other 
 time. But after all, from what I have heard from 
 other hands, I am afraid the archbifhop is a little 
 guilty. Here is one Lrait Spencer, a brother of 
 Mr. Prohys, who affirms it, and fays he has 
 leave to do fo hom Charles Dering^ who heard the 
 words ; and that Ingoldjby abufcd the archbifhop, 
 &c. Well, but, now for your faucy letter : I 
 hsve no room to anfvvcr it ; O yes, enough on 
 t'other fide. Are you no ficker ? Stella jeers 
 Prejlo for not coming over by Chrijlmas ; but in- 
 deed Stella does not jeer but reproach poor poor 
 Prejlo. And how can I come away, and the 
 Firjl-Friiits not finiflied ? I am of opinion the 
 duke of Ormovd will do nothing in them before 
 he goes, which v/ill be in a fortnight, they fay ; 
 and then they muft fall to me to be done in his 
 abfence. No, indeed, I have nothing to print : 
 you know they have printed the MJfcellanies al- 
 ready. Are they on your fide yet ? If you have 
 my fnujfrbox, I'll have your ftrong box. Ki, 
 does Stella take fnuff again ? or is it only becaufe 
 it is a fine box ? Not the Meddle^ but the Medley^ 
 you fool. Yes, yes, a wretched thing, becaufe 
 it is againft you 'Tories : now 1 think it very fine, 
 
 and the Exavnner a VvTetched thing. Twift 
 
 your mouth, firrah. G:dfc::rd, and what you will 
 read in the Narrative, 1 ordered to be written, 
 and no;hing elfe. l^he SpeSictor is written by 
 Steele, with Jddifons help : 'tis often very pretty. 
 Yeflerday it was made of a noble hint I gave him 
 long a;;o for liis Tatlers, about an Ir.didn fup- 
 pofed to write his Travels into England. I repent 
 
 * See I etter 44 in the lafi: Colledion of Letters, 
 printed for Dodjicy and others.
 
 ( 225 ) 
 
 he evet had it. I intended to have written a book 
 on that fubje£^. 1 believe he has fpcnt it all in 
 one paper, and all the under-hints there are mine 
 too ; but I never fee him or ylddij\n. The quceii 
 is well, but I fear will be no long liver; forti 
 am told {he has fometimes the gout in her bowels 
 (I hate the word b'.iuds.) My cars have b-jcn, 
 thefe three months paft, much better th.in any 
 time thefe two years j but now they begin to be 
 a little out of order again. My head is better, 
 though not right ; but I truft to air and w.ilkin"'. 
 You have got my letter, but what number ? £ 
 fuppofe 18. Well, my fliin has been well this 
 month. No, Mrs. Wejiley came away without 
 her hufband's knowledge, while fhe was in the 
 country : {he has written to me for fome tea. 
 They lie ; Mr. Harlcys wound was very terrible : 
 he had convulfions, and very narrowly efcapcJ. 
 The bruife was nine times worfe than the wound : 
 he is weak {till. Well, Brooks married ; 1 know 
 all that. I am forry for Mrs. ITalls^ eye : I hope 
 'tis better. O yes, you are great walkers : but 
 1 have heard them fay, Much talkers. Little 
 ■walkers : and I believe I may apply the ol I pro- 
 verb to you ; If you talkt no more than you 
 walkt, Thofe that think you wits would be 
 baulkt. Yes, Stella {hall have a large printed 
 Bible : I have put it down among my cimmifTionj 
 for MD. I am glad to hear you have taken the 
 fancy of intending to read the Bible. Pox take 
 the box ; is not it come yet ? This is trailing to 
 your young fellows, young women ; 'tis your 
 fault : I thought you had fuch power with St:rne^ 
 that he w^ould fly over Mount Atlai to ferve you. 
 You fay you are not fplenctick ; but if you be, 
 
 faith you will break poor Prejios 1 won't f.iy 
 
 the reft ; but I vow to God, if I couKI decently 
 Vol. IV. Qv <="'»«
 
 ( 2?.6 ) 
 
 come over now, I would, and leav^e all fchemes 
 of politicks and ambition for ever. I have not 
 the opportunities here of preferving my health by- 
 riding, ^\\ that I have in Ireland^, and the want 
 of health is a great cooler of making one's court. 
 You guefs right about my being bit with a direc- 
 tion from IValls, ar,d the letter fiom MD : I be- 
 lieve I defcribed it in one of my laft. This o-oes 
 to-night ; and I muft now rife and walk to town, 
 and walk back in the evening. God Almighty 
 blefs and preferve poor MD. Farewel. 
 
 Oh faith, don't think, faucy nofes, that I'll 
 fill this third fide : I can't ftay a letter above a 
 fortnight : It muft go then ; and you would rather 
 fee a lliort one like this, than want it a week 
 longer. 
 
 My humble fervice to the dean, and Mrs. Walls^ 
 and good kind hearty Mrs. Stoyte., and honeft Ca- 
 iher'ine, 
 
 LETTER XXII. 
 
 AChelfea, April'28, 1711, 
 T night. I fay at night, becaufe I finifhed 
 my twenty-firft this morning here, and put it into 
 the poft-office my own felf, like a good boy. I 
 think I am a little before you now, young wo- 
 men : I am writing my. twenty-fecond, and have 
 received your thirteenth. I got to town betv/ecn 
 twelve and one, and put on my new gown and 
 periwig, and dined with lord Alercorr.^ where I 
 had not been fmce the marriage of his fon lord 
 Peofuy., who has got ten thoufand pound with a 
 wife. I am now a country gentleman. I walked 
 home as I went, and am a, little weary, and am 
 got into bed : 1 hope in God the air and exercife 
 will do me a little good, I have been enquiring 
 
 about
 
 ( 227 ) 
 
 about ftatues for Mrs. Jjhc : I made lady Aber- 
 corn go with me ; and will fend them word 
 next poft to Chgher, I hate to buy for h:r,: I'm 
 fare fhe'll maunder. I am going to lludy. 
 
 29. I had a charming wallc to and from town 
 to-day : I waflied, fhavcd and all, and changed 
 gown and periwig, by half an hour after nine, 
 and went to the fccretary, who told me how he 
 had differed with his fi lends in parliament : I ap- 
 prehended this divifion, and told him a great deal 
 of it. I went to Court, and there feveral men- 
 tioned it to me as what they much difliked. I 
 dined with the fecretary ; and wc propofed doing 
 fome bufmefs of importance in the afternoon, 
 which he broke to me firft, and faid how he and 
 Mr. Harley were convinced of the ncceffity of it ; 
 yet he fuffered one of his under-fecretaries to 
 come upon us after dinner, who ftaid till fix, and 
 fo nothing was done : and what care I ? he fhall 
 fend to me the next time, and a(k twice. To- 
 morrow I go to the eledlion at JVejhn'inJler-fdoolj 
 where lads are chofen for the XJnivcrfity : they 
 fay 'tis a fight, and a great trial of wits. Our 
 Expedition Fleet is but juft failed ; I believe it will 
 come to nothing. Mr. fecretary frets at their 
 tedioufnefs ; but hopes great things from it, though 
 he owns four or five princes are in the fecrct ; 
 and, for that reafon, 1 fear it is no fecrct to 
 France. There are eight regiments ; and the ad- 
 miral is your IValker^s brother the midwife. 
 
 30. Morn. I am here in a pretty pickle : it 
 rains hard ; and the cunning natives of Chcljcu 
 have outwitted mc, and taken up all the three 
 ftage coaches. What fnull I do .^ I muft go to 
 town : this is your fault. I can't walk : I'll bor- 
 
 Q_2 row
 
 ( 228 ) 
 
 jiovv a coat. This is the blindfide of my lodt^inw 
 out of town ; I muft expedt fuch inconveniencies 
 as thefe. Faith I'll walk in the rain. Morrow. 
 
 At night. I got a gentleman's chaife by 
 
 chance, and fo went to town for a {hilling, and 
 lie this night in town. I was at the eledion of 
 lads at Wejhnhifier to-day, and a very filly thino- 
 it is ; but they fay there will be fine doings to- 
 morrow. I dined with Dr. Freind^ the fecond 
 mafter of the fchool, with a dozen parfons and 
 others : Fr'ior would make me flay. Mr. Harley 
 is to hear the eledtion to-morrow ; and we are all 
 to dine with tickets, and hear fine fpeeches. 'Tis 
 terrible rainy weather again : I lie at a friend's 
 in the city. 
 
 May I. I w^ifh you a merry May-day^ and a 
 thoufand more. I was baulkt at Wejiminfier ; I 
 came too late : I heard no fpeeches nor verfes. 
 They would not let me in to their dining place 
 for want of a ticket; and I would not lend in 
 for one, becaufe Mr. Harley excufed his coming, 
 and litcrhury was not there ; and I cared not for 
 the reil: : and fo my friend Lctvis and I dined with 
 Kitt Mil/grave, if you know fuch a man : and, 
 the weather mending, I walked gravely home 
 this evening ; and fo I defign to walk and walk 
 till 1 am well : I fancy myfelf a little better al- 
 ready. How does poor Stella ? Dinghy is well 
 enough. Go, get you gone, naughty girl, you 
 arc well enough. O dear MD^ contrive to have 
 fome fhare of the country this fpring : go to Fin- 
 gJafSi or Donnybrookf or Clogher^ or Killala^ or 
 Loivlh. Have you got your box yet ? Yes, yes. 
 Don't write to me again till this letter goes : I 
 mufl: make hafte, that I may write two for one. 
 Go to the Bath : I hope you arc now at the Bi^th^ 
 
 if
 
 C 229 ) 
 
 if you had a mind to go ; or go to U'exfcrd : do 
 fomething for your living. Have you given up 
 my lodging according to order ? I have haJ juft 
 now a compliment from de?.n Jtterlury's lady, to 
 command the garden and library, and whatever 
 the houfe affords. 1 lodL^c iuft over awainft them ; 
 but the dean is in town with his convocation : fj 
 I have my dean and prolocutor as well as you, 
 young women, though he has not fo good wine, 
 nor fo much meat. 
 
 2. A fine day, but begins to grow a little 
 warm ; and that makes your little fat Prr/h fwcat 
 in the forehead. Pray, are not the fine buns 
 fold here in our town ; was it not Rrrnrrrrart' 
 Chelfea Buns ? I bought one to day in my walk ; 
 it coft me a penny ; it was ftale, and I did not 
 like it, as the man faid, iJc. Sir Andre-w Foun- 
 tain and 1 dined at Mrs. p'anhomrigh's ; and had 
 a flafk of my Florence, which lies in their cellar ; 
 and fo I came home gravely, and faw nobody of 
 confequence to-day. I am very eafy here, no- 
 body plaguing me in a morning ; and Patrick 
 faves many a fcore lies. I fent over to Mrs. Jt- 
 tcrbury^ To know whether I might wait on her ? 
 but fhe is jrone a vifiting : we have exchanged 
 fome compliments, but 1 have not feen her yet. 
 We have no news in our town. 
 
 3. I did not go to town to-day, it was fo ter- 
 rible rainy ; nor have I ftirrcd out of my room 
 till eight this evening ; when I croft the way to 
 fee Mrs. Atterhury, and thank her for her civili- 
 ties. She would needs fend me fome veal, and 
 fmall beer, and ale, to-day at dinner ; and I have 
 lived a fcurvy, dull, fplcnetick day, for want of 
 MD : I often thought how happy 1 could have 
 b^eii) had it rained eight thoufand times more, 
 
 0.3 if
 
 C 230 ) 
 
 c't MD had been with a body. My lord Rochejer 
 IS dead this morning ; they fay at one o'clock ; 
 and I hearhediedffuddenly. To-morrow I ihall 
 knowmore. He is agreatiofs to us : I cannotthink 
 who will fucceed him as lord prefident. I have been 
 V/riting a long letter to lord Peterborozv^zndi am dull. 
 
 4. I dined to-day at lord SheJlurn's^ where lady 
 Kerry made me a prefent of four India handker- 
 chief's, which I have a mind to keep for little 
 MD, only that I had rather, ^c. I have bees a 
 mighty handkerchief-monger, and have bought 
 abundance of fnufF ones fmce I have left off tak- 
 ing fnuff. And I am refolved, when I come 
 over, MD fi^iall be acquainted with lady Kerry: 
 we have ftruck up a mighty friendfliip ; and fhe 
 has much better (enfe than any other lady of your 
 country. We are almoft in love with one ano- 
 ther : but flie is moft egregioufly ugly ; but per- 
 fectly well bied, and governable as I pleafe. I 
 am refolved, when I come, to keep no company 
 but MD : you know I kept my vefolution laft 
 time ; and, except Mr. Jddifon, converfed with 
 none but you and your club of deans and Stoyfes. 
 'Tis three weeks, young women, fmce I had a 
 letter from you ; and yet, methinks, I would not 
 have another for five pound till this is gonej and 
 •yet I fend every day to the Cojfee-houfe^ and I 
 would fain have a letter, and not have a letter : 
 and I don't know what, nor I don't know how, 
 and this goes on very {low ; 'tis a week to-mor- 
 row fince I began it. I am a poor country gen- 
 tleman, and don't, know how the world pafles. 
 Do you know that every fyllable I write I hold 
 my lips juft for all the world as if I were talking 
 in our ovi'n little language to MD. Faith, I am 
 very fiily ; but I can't help it for my life. I 
 
 got
 
 X 231 ) 
 
 got home early to-night. My folicitors thn 
 ufed to p\y me every morning, knew not where to 
 find me; and I am fo happy not to hear Pat'iJ 
 Patrick, called a hundred 'timco every mornin:;! 
 But I lookt backward, and find I have l;iid tbTs 
 before. What care I ? go to ihc dean, and roafl 
 the oranges. 
 
 5. I dined tn-day wiih my friend Lewis, and 
 we were deep in politicks how eo favc the prcfent 
 miniftry ; for 1 am afraid of iMr. fecretary, as I 
 believe I told you. I went in the evening to fee 
 Mr. Harley ; and, upon my word, I was in pcr- 
 fe£l joy. Mr. fccrctary was juft going out of 
 the door; but I made him come back, and there 
 was the old Saturday Club, lord keeper, lord Ri- 
 vers, Mr. fccretary, Mr. Har!cy and I ; the f.rft 
 time fince his flabbing. Mr. fccretary went a- 
 way ; but I {laid till nine, and m.ide Mr. Harlry 
 Ihcw me his breall, and tell all the ftory : and I 
 fhewed him the archbifliop of Dublin s letter, and 
 defended him effcclually. We were all in mighty 
 good humour. Lord keeper and I left them to- 
 gether, and I walkt here after nine two miles, 
 and I found a parfon drunk fii;hting with a fea- 
 man, and Patrick and I were fo wife to part them, 
 but the feaman followed him to Chclfea, curfing 
 at him, and the parfon flipt into a houfc, and I 
 know no more. It mortified me to fee a man 
 in my coat fo overtaken. A pretty fcene for one 
 that juft came from fitting with the prime mini- 
 fters : I had no money in my pocket, and fo 
 could not be robbed. However, nothing but 
 Mr. Harley fliall make me take fuch a journey 
 again. VVe don't yet know who will be preltdcnt 
 in lord RocheJler\ room. I meafured, and found 
 that the penknife would have killed Mr. HarUy^ 
 
 Q.+ if
 
 C 232 ) 
 
 if it had gone but half the breadth of my thumb- 
 nail lower J fo near was he to death. I was fo 
 curious to afk him what were his thoughts, while 
 they were carrying him home in the chair. He 
 faid, he concluded himfelf a dead man. He will 
 not allow that Guifcard gave him the fecond ftab, 
 though my lord keeper, who is blind, and I that 
 was not there, are pofitive in it. He wears a 
 plaifter frill as broad as half a crown. Smoak 
 how wide the lines are, but faith I don't do it on 
 purpofe : but I have changed my fide in this 
 new ChcJjca bed, and I don't know how, me- 
 think?, but it is fo unfit, nnd fo aukward, never 
 faw the like. 
 
 6. You muft remember to inclofe your letters 
 in a fair paper, an i diredl the outfide thus ; To 
 Erojmin Lewis, tfq; at my lord Dartmouth'' % of- 
 fice at Whitehall; I faid fo before, but it may mif- 
 carry you know, yet I think none of my letters | 
 
 did every mifcarry ; faith I think never one ; 1 
 
 among all the privateers and the florms : oh faith, * 
 
 tny letters are too good to be loft. MD's letters 
 may tarry, but never mifcarry, as the old woman 
 ufed to fay. And indeed, how (hould they mif- 
 carry, when they never come before their time ? 
 It was a terrible rainy day ; yet I made a fhift to 
 fleal fair weather over head enough to go and 
 come in. I v^^as early with the fecretary, and 
 dined with him afterwards. In the morning I be- 
 gan to chide him, and tell him my fears of his 
 proceedings. But Arthur Mo:re came up and re- 
 lieved him. But I forgot, for you never heard 
 of Arthur Moore. But when i get Mr. Harley 
 alone, I will know the bottom. You will have 
 Dr. Raymonel over before this letter, and what 
 care vou I
 
 ( 233 ) 
 
 7- I hope, and believe my walks every day Jo 
 me good. I was bufy at home, and lit cu 
 this morning, and dined with M:s. Vunha ■ ^^ , 
 at whofc lodgings I always change my gown anJ 
 periwig. I vifited this afternoon, and amoi^.g 
 others, poor Bid(iy Floyd, who is very red, hut 1 
 believe won't be much marked. As I was com- 
 ing home I met Sir George BL-aumcJit in the Pall~ 
 ma/Iy who would needs walk with me as far as 
 Buckingham houfe. I was telling him of my head j 
 he faid he hr.d been ill of the fame dilbrdcr, and 
 by all means forbid me bohea tea ; which he faid 
 always gave it him ; and that Dr. Raddiffc faid 
 it was very bad. Now I had obfcrved the fame 
 thing, and have left it off this month, having 
 found my fclf ill after It fcvcral times ; and 1 
 mention it, that Stella may confidcr it for her own 
 poor little head : a pound lies ready packt up and 
 directed for Mrs. JVaih, to be fent by the firll 
 convenience. Mr. fccrctary told me ycilcrday, 
 that Mr. Harky would this week be lord treafurcr 
 and a peer, fo I expecft it every day ; yet perhaps 
 it may not be 'till Poitametit is up, which will be 
 in a fortnight. 
 
 8. I was to-day with the duke of Orm'Jid, and 
 recommended to him the care of poor Joe Beau- 
 mont, who promifcs me to do him all juftice and 
 favour, and give him encouragement -, and dcfircd 
 I would give a memorial to Ned Southwell about 
 it, which I will, and fo tell Joe when you fee 
 him, though he knows it already by a letter I 
 writ to Mr. JFarburton *. It was bloody hot walk- 
 ing to-day. I dined in the city, and went and 
 came by water; and it rained fo this evening 
 
 * Dr. SivitVs curate at Laracor. 
 
 again,
 
 ( 234 ) 
 
 again, that I thought I fliould hardly be able to 
 get a dry hour to walk home in. I'll fend to- 
 morrow to the Coffee-houjc for a letter from MD ; 
 but I would not have one methinks, 'till this is 
 gone, as it fliall on Saturday. I vifited the duchefs 
 of Ormotjd this morning j (he does not go over 
 with the duke. I fpoke to her to get a lad touched 
 for the evil, the fon of a grocer in Caple-Jlreet^ 
 one Bell, the ladies have bought fugar and plumbs 
 of him. Mrs. Mary ufed to go there often. This 
 is Patrick's account ; and the poor fellow has been 
 here fome months v/ith his boy. But the queen 
 has not been able to touch, and it now grows fo 
 warm, I fear flie will not at all. Go, go, go to 
 the dean's, and let him carry you to Dontiybrooke^ 
 and cut afparagus. Has Parvifol fent you any 
 this year* ? I cannot flecp in the be2:innings of 
 the nights, the heat or fomething hinders me, 
 and I am drowfy in the mornings. 
 
 9. Dr. Fre'ind came this morning to vifit Atter' 
 hurys lady and childi'en as phyfician, and per- 
 fuadeJ me to go with him to town in his chariot. 
 He told me he had been an hour before with Sir 
 Chohnky Dervig., Charles Bering's nephew, and 
 head of that family in Kcnt^ for which he is 
 knight of the Tnire. He faid he left him dying of 
 a piilcl-fhot quite through the body, by one Mr. 
 'Thoni}?ilL They fought at fword and piftol this 
 morning in TiUtle- fields^ their piflols fo near, that 
 the muzzles touched. Thoruhill difcharged firft, 
 and Bering having received the (hot, difcharged 
 his piflol as he was falling, fo it went into the air. 
 The Itory of this quarrel is long. ThGrnhilt had 
 loft (even teeth by a kick in the mouth from Ber- 
 
 . * From Dr. Sxvi/t's garden at Laracor.
 
 ( 235 ) 
 
 ing, who had firft knocked him down ; this waj 
 above a fortnight ago. Di/nig was next week to 
 be married to a fine young lady. This mukcs 2 
 noife here, but you won't value it. \Vell, Mr. 
 Harhy, lord keeper, and one or two more are to 
 be made lords immediately ; their patents arc now 
 pafling, 2nd I read the preamble to Mr. Har.'ey'if 
 full of his praifes. Lewis and I dined with Ford^ 
 I found the wine ; two flafks of my Floremey and 
 two bottles of fix that Dr. Raynond fcnt mc of 
 French wine j he fcnt it to me to drink with Sir 
 Robert Rayrncnd^ and Mr. HarUy\ brother, whom 
 I had introduced him to ; but they never could 
 find time to come j and now I have left the town,- 
 and it is too late. Raymond \:\\\ think it a cheat. 
 What care I, firrah ? 
 
 10. Pfhaw, pfhaw. Patrid brought mc four 
 letters to-day ; from Dilly at Bath ; Jce ; PavAjol-^ 
 and what was the fourth, who can tell ? Stand 
 away, who'll gucfs ? Who can it be ? You old 
 man with a flick, can you tell who the fourth is 
 from ? Ifs, an pleafe your honour, it is from one 
 Madam yV/D, Number Fourteen. W-cll ; but I 
 can't fend this away now, becmlc it was here, 
 and I was in town, but it (hall go on Saturday^ 
 and this is Thurjdoy /light, and it will be time 
 enough for Wexford. Take my method : I write 
 here to Parvijol to lend Stella twmty pound, and 
 to take her note promifiary to pay it \n half a >c3r, 
 l3'c. You fhairfcc, and if you want more, let mc 
 know afterwards ; and be fure my money fhaM be 
 always paid conftantly too. Have you been good 
 or ill houfewives pray ? 
 
 II. Joe has written to me to get him a collec- 
 tor's place, nothing Icfs j he fays all the world 
 *^ knows
 
 ( n^ ) 
 
 tcnows of mj' great intimac)' with Mr: Harley^ and 
 that the fmalleft word to hiin will do. This is 
 the conflant cant of puppies who are at a diftance, 
 and ftrangers to Courts and minifters. A4y anfwer 
 is this ; which pray .fend ; That I am ready to 
 ferve Joe^ as far as I can ; that I have fpoken to 
 the duke of Ormond about his money, as I writ 
 to Warhurton \ that for the particular he mentions, 
 it is a work of time, which I cannot think of at 
 prefent. But if accidents and opportunities fhould 
 happen hereafter, I would not be wanting ; that 
 I know bed how far my credit goes ; that he is at 
 diftance, and cannot judge; that I would be 
 glad to do him good ; and if Fortune throws an 
 opportunity in my way, J fhall not be wanting. 
 This is my anfwer ; which you may fend or read 
 to him. Pray contrive that Parv'ifol may not run 
 away with iny two hundred pound, but get Biir- 
 iori's * note, and let the money be returned me 
 by bill. Don't laugh, for I will be fufpicious. 
 Teach Parvifol to inclofe, and direct the outfide 
 to Mr. Lewis. I will anfwer your letter in my 
 next, only what 1 take notice of here excepted. 
 I forgot to tell you, that at the court of requefts 
 to-day I could not find a dinner I liked, and it 
 grew late, and I dined with Mrs. Vanhomrigh^ &c. 
 
 12. Morning. I will finifli this letter before 
 I go to town» becaufe I fhall be bufy, and have 
 neither time nor place there. Farcwel, l3c. ^c. 
 
 • Burton, a banker in Dublin,
 
 LETTER XXIir. 
 
 ChclfcJ, Mjy 12, J-,,. 
 
 X S E N T you my twenty-fccond this afternoon 
 in town. I dined with Mr. Harley and the old 
 club, lord Rivers, lord keeper, and iSir. fccrctary. 
 They rallied me laft week, and faiJ I muft have 
 Mr. St. Johns leave, l"o 1 writ to him yellcrday, 
 that forefeeing I fliould never dine again wiih Sir 
 Simon Harcourt, knight, and Robert Harley, ciq; 
 I was rcfolved to do it today. The jeft is, that 
 beibrs Saturday next we cxpeifl they will be lords: 
 for IVIr. Harley % patent is drawing to be earl of 
 Oxford. Mr. fecrctary and I cams away at fevcn, 
 and he brought me to our town's en J in his co^ch ; 
 fo I loil my walk. St. "John read my letter to the 
 company, which was all raillery, and palt purely. 
 
 13. It rained all lad night and this morning as 
 heavy as lead ; but 1 jutl got fair weather to walk 
 to town before church. The roads arc all over 
 in deep puddle. The hay of our town is almolt 
 fit to be mowed. I went to Ccurt after church (as 
 I always do on Sundays) and then dined wi;h Mr. 
 fecretary, who has engaged me for every Sunday ; 
 and poor A'lD dined at home upon a bit of \cal, 
 and a pint of wine. Is it not plaguy infipid to 
 tell you every day where 1 dine ; yet now 1 have 
 got into the way of it, 1 cannot forbear it neither. 
 Indeed, Mr. Frejio, you had better go .Tnfwcr 
 MD'i letter, N. 14. I'll anfwer it when I picafc, 
 Mr. DoClor. What's that you fay ? The Court 
 was very full this morning, expecting Mr. H^rUy 
 would be declared earl of O.xf.rdy and have the 
 trcafurer's ftaff. Mr. Harley never comes to Court 
 at all 3 fomebody there alkt me the rcaibn i Why, 
 
 fald
 
 ( 238 ) 
 
 faid I, the lord of Oxford knows. He always goes 
 to the queen by the back flairs. I was told for 
 certain, your jackanapes, lord Sautry^ was dead, 
 captain Cammock afiured me fo ; and now he's 
 alive again, they fay ; but that fhan't do : he fhall 
 be dead to me as long as he lives. Dick Tighe and 
 I meet and never flir our hats. I am refolved 
 to miftake him for Witherington^ the little nafty 
 lawyer that came up to me fo fternly at the Cajile 
 the day I left Ireland. I'll afk the gentleman I 
 faw walking with him, how long ffitherington 
 has been in town. 
 
 14. I went to town to-day by water. The 
 hail quit€difcouraged me from walking, and there 
 is no {hade in the greateft part of the way : I took 
 the firfi: boat ; and had a footman my companion ; 
 then I went again by water, and dined in the city 
 with a printer, to whom I carried a pamphlet in 
 manufcript, that Mr. fecretary gave me. The 
 printer font it to the fecretary for his approbation, 
 and he defired me to look it over, which I did, 
 and found it a very fcurvy piece. The reafon I 
 tell you fo, is becau^fe it was done bv your parfon 
 Slap, Scrap, Flap, (what d'ye call him) Trap, 
 your chancellor's chaplain. 'Tis called A Cha- 
 racfer of the prefent fet of JFhigs, and is going to 
 be printed, and no doubt the author will take 
 care to produce it in Ireland. Dr, Freind was 
 with me, and pulled out a two-penny pamphlet 
 juft publifhed, called The State of IP'it, giving a 
 character of all the papers that have come out of 
 late. The author feems to be _a fVhig, yet he 
 fpeaks very highly of a paper called the Examiner, 
 and fays the fuppofed author of it is Dr. Sivift. 
 But above all things he praifes the Tatlcrs and 
 Spe5iators j and I believe Steele and Addifon were 
 
 privy
 
 ( 239 ) 
 
 privy to the printing of it. Thvis is one trcztc^ 
 by thcfe impudent dogs. And that villain Cvr/ 
 has fcraped up fomc tradi, and calls it Dr. Swijt'a 
 mifcellanics, with the name at largo : and 1 can 
 get no fatisfaiStion of him. Nay, Mr. HarLy told 
 ine he had read it, and only laughed at mc before 
 lord keeper, and the rclh Since I came home I 
 have been fitting with the prolocutor, dean Jttcr- 
 bury^ who is my neighbour over tjjc way ; but 
 generally keeps in town with his con vocation. 
 'Tis late, ^'c, 
 
 15. My walk to town to-day was after ten, and 
 prodigiouily hot : I dined with lord Shelburn^ and 
 have defired Mrs. Protty who lodges there, to 
 carry over Mrs. lyalWs tea ; I hope Ihc will do ir, 
 and they talk of going in a fortnight. My way is 
 this ; 1 leave my belt gown and periwig at Mrs. 
 Vauhomrigh's, then walk up the Pall-mall, through 
 the Park, out at BiiLkiiiohavi-houk, and fo to 
 Chelfea a little beyond the Cbunh : I fet out about 
 fun-fet, and get here in fomething lefs than ati 
 hour ; it is two good miles and juft five thoufand 
 feven hundred and forty-eight Heps ; (o there is 
 four miles a day walking, without reckoning 
 what I walk while I flay in town. When I pals 
 the A^all in the evening it is prodigious to fee the 
 number of ladies walking there ; and I always cry 
 fliame at the ladies of Iielnndy who never walk at 
 all, as if their ICrS were of no uic, but to be Lid 
 afulc, 1 have been now almoit three weeks here, 
 and I thank God, am much better in my hc.ul, 
 if it does but continue. I tell you what, if 1 wa? 
 with you, when we went to ^l.ytr at Dcnyiyh '■:>\^ 
 we would only take a coach to the hither end of 
 Stephen s-Grecn^ and from thence go every ft> p on 
 
 loot,
 
 ( 240 ) 
 
 foot, yes faith, every ftep ; it would do: DD* 
 goes as well as Prejlo. Every body tells me I 
 look better already ; for faith 1 lookt fadly, that's 
 certain. My brcakfafl is milk porridge : I don't 
 love it, faith I hate it, but 'tis cheap and whole- 
 fome ; and I hate to be obliged to either of thofe 
 qualities for any thing. 
 
 i6. I wonder why P;v/?^ will be fo tedious in 
 anfwering MD's letters ; becaufe he would keep 
 the bell to the laft, I fuppofe. Well, Pn/Zo muft 
 be humoured, it muft be as he will have it, or 
 there will be an old to do. Dead with heat, are 
 not you very hot r My walks make my forehead 
 fweat rarely ; fometimes my morning journey is 
 by water, as it was to-day with one parfon Rich- 
 ardjon, who came to fee me, on his going to 
 Ireland-, and with him I fend Mrs. JValWs tea, 
 and three books I got from the lords of the trea- 
 fury for the College f. I dined with lord Shelbiirn 
 to-day ; lady Kerry and Mrs. Pratt are going like- 
 wife for Ireland. — Lord I forgot, I dined with 
 Mr. Prior to-day, at his houfe, with dean Aiter- 
 btiry and others ; and came home pretty late, and 
 I think I'm in a fuzz, and don't know what I fay, 
 never faw the like. 
 
 17. Sicr7ie came here by water to fee me this 
 morning, and I went back with him to his boat. 
 .He tells me, that Mrs. Edzworth married a fellow 
 in her journey to Chefter ; fo I believe fhe little 
 thought of any body's box but her own. I de- 
 firtd Sterne to jilve me directions where to get the 
 
 t>* 
 
 * In this pafTap-e DD fignifies both Dir.^ky and 
 Stella. 
 
 i The Univerfity of DuLlln, 
 
 box
 
 ( Ui ) 
 
 box In Cheji^ry which he fays he will to-morrow, 
 and I will write to Richardf-jn to get it u? there z% 
 he goes by, and whip it over. It is directed to 
 Mrs. Curry : you mult caution her of it, and dc- 
 fire her to fend it you when it comes. Sirrnf 
 favs yanmy Leigh loves LcnJon mightily ; that 
 makes him liay lb long, I believe, and not Stcrni'% 
 biii'inefs, which Mr. HarUf^ accident hus put 
 much backward. We expert now every d<iy thjt 
 he will be earl of Oxford and lord trcafurer. His 
 patent is pafling ; but they lay, lord keeper's not 
 yet, at leaft his fon, youn^ Ha:\:'urty told me fo 
 t'other dav. 1 dined to-djy pivately with my 
 friend Lezvis at his lodgings at IF/'jitehall. T'other 
 day at IP'hhehall I met a lady of my acquaintance, 
 whom I had not fcen before fmce I came to Eng- 
 land y we Were mighty glad to fee each other, and 
 (he has engjaged me to vifit her, as I defigii to do. 
 I: is one iMrs. dUdge : fhe has lodgings at Ifliu- 
 haliy h::ving been feamflrefs to king Ifit.iar^, 
 worth three hundred a year. Her father was a 
 fanatick joiner, hanged for trcafon in Shaftjbuy'% 
 plot. This noble perfon and I were brought ac- 
 quainted, fome years ago, by lady Btrkelrj. I love 
 gocd creditable acquaintance : I love to be the 
 worft of the company : I am not of ihofe that fay. 
 For want of company welcome trumpery. I was 
 this evenins with lady Kerry and Mrs. Prutt at 
 Vauxhally to" hear the nighiingals ; but they are 
 almofl: pad Imging. 
 
 18. I was hunting the fecrctary to-day in vain 
 about fome bufineA, and dined wi;h co'onci Crrxe, 
 late 20\ernor of Barlndoa, and your friend Sterne 
 wcs the third : he is very kind to Stcrm, and helps 
 him in his bufmefs, which lies adeep till Mr. 
 H^rl.y is lord treafurcr, becaufc nothing of mo- 
 
 VuL. IV. R n^cnc
 
 ( 242 ) 
 
 ment is now done in the treafury, the cbano-e 
 being expedled every day. I fat with dean Alter- 
 bury till one o'clock after I came home ^ fo 'tis 
 late, ^c, 
 
 19. Do you know that about our town we are 
 mowing already and making hay, and it fmells fo 
 fweet as we walk through the fiowry meads ; but 
 the hay-making nypuphs are pcrfe6^ drabs, nothino^ 
 fo clean and pretty as further in the country. 
 There is a mighty increafe of dirty wenches in 
 Itraw-hats fmce 1 knew London. I (laid at home 
 till five o'clock, and dined with dean Atterhiry ; 
 then went by water to Mr. Harley's^ where the 
 Saturday Club was met, with the addition of the 
 duke of Shrejbury. I whifpered lord Rivers^ that 
 I did Jiot like to fee a flranger among us ; and 
 the rogue told it aloud : but Mr. fecretary faid. 
 The duke writ to have leave ; fo I appeared fatis- 
 fied, and fo we laughed. Mr. fecretary told me 
 the duke of Bucklnjihani had been talking; to him 
 much about me, and dcfired my acquaintance. I 
 anfwered. It could not be ; for he had not made 
 fufficient advances. Then the duke of Shr.wjbury 
 faid, he thought that duke was not ufed to make 
 advances. I faid, I could not help that ; for I 
 always expe£led advances in proportion to men's 
 quality, and more from a duke than other men. 
 The duke replied, that he did not mean any thing 
 of his quality; which was handforr.f^ly faid enough ; 
 for he meant his pride : and I have invented a 
 notion to believe that nobody is proud. At ten 
 alt the company went away ; and from ten till 
 twelve My. Harky and I fat together, where we 
 talked through a great deal of matters I had ar 
 mind to fettle v/ith him, and then walked, in a 
 fine moon fhine night, to Chelfeay where I got by 
 
 one
 
 ( 243 ) 
 
 one. Lord Rivers conjured me not to walk To 
 late; but I would, becaule I haJ no other way j 
 but I had no money to lofe. 
 
 20. By what the lord keeper told me hft ni^ht, 
 1 find he will not be made a peer io Toon ; but Mr. 
 Harlcys patent for earl of Oxford is now drawin^^ 
 and will be done in three days. We made him 
 own ir, which he did fcurviiy, and then talkt ot 
 it like the red. Mr. fecretary had too much com- 
 pany with him to-iiay ; lo I came away foon after 
 dirmcr. 1 give no man liberty to fwear or talk 
 b — dy, and I found fomc of them were in con- 
 (Iraint, fo I left them to themfelvcs. 1 wilh yon 
 a merry IFhitfunt'ide^ and pray tell me how you 
 pafs awav your time : but faith, you arc going to 
 TVexford^ and I fear this letter is too late ; it (ball 
 go on Thurjday^ and fooner it cannot, I have lo 
 much buiniefs to hinder me nnfwcring jours. 
 Where muft I direcl in your abfence ? Do you 
 quit your lodgings ? 
 
 21. Going to town tliis morning, I met in th« 
 Pall-7na!l a clergyman of Irchwd^ whom I love 
 very well and was glad to fee, and with him a 
 little jackanapes of Ireland too, who married 
 Nantiy Siui/t, uncle /Adam's daughter, one Perrf ; 
 perhaps you may have heard of him. His wife 
 has fcnt him here to get a place from Lnvnds ; 
 becaufe my uncle and Lcwnds mat tied two fifters, 
 and Lownds is a great man here in the trc.ifury ; 
 but by good luck thavc no acquaint incc s\ith him: 
 however, heexpccted Ifhouldbchis friend toLou/ndSf 
 a;id one word of mine, ijfc. the old cant. But £ 
 will not go two yards to help him. 1 dined with 
 Mrs. Vcnilmwigh, where I keep my beft gown and 
 
 R 2 pcnwig
 
 ( 244 ) 
 
 periwig to put on when 1 come to town and be a 
 fpark. 
 
 22. I dined to-day in the city, and coming 
 home this evening, i met Sir Thcrnas Manfel and 
 Mr. Lewis in the Park. Lewis whifpered me, 
 that Mr. Harley^s patent for the earl of Oxford 
 was pafled in Mr. fecretary St. '^ohns office ; fo 
 to-morrow or next day I fuppofe he will be de- 
 clared earl of Oxford, and have the ftafF. This 
 man has grown by perfecutions, turnings out, and 
 ftabbino-. What waiting;, and crowdino- and 
 bowing, will be at his levee ? yet, if human na- 
 ture be capable of fo much conftancy, I fhould 
 believe he will be the fame man ftill, bating the 
 neceflary forms of grandeur he muft keep up. 
 'Tis late, firrahs, ai-.d I'll go fleep. 
 
 23. Morning. J fate up late laft night, and 
 waked late to-day; but will now anfwer your 
 letter in bed before I go to town, and I will fend 
 it to-morrow ; for perhaps you mayn't go fo foon 
 to Wexford. — No, you are not out in your num- 
 ber j the laft was Number 14, and fo I told you 
 twice or thrice ; will you never be fatisfied ? What 
 fhall we do for poor Stella ? Go to Wexford.^ for 
 God's fake : I wifti vou were to walk there by 
 three miles a day, with a good lodging at every 
 mile's end. Walkmg has done me fo much good, 
 that I cannot but prefcrihe it often to poor Stella. 
 Parvifol hzs fent me a bill for fifty pounds, which 
 I am forry for, having not written to him for it, 
 only mentioned it two months ago ; but 1 hope he 
 will be able to pay you what I have drawn upon 
 him for : he never fent me any fum before but one 
 bill of twenty pounds, half a year ago. You are 
 welcome as my blood to every farthing I have in 
 
 the
 
 ( 245 ) 
 
 the world; and all that grieves me is, I am not 
 richer, for MD's fake, as hope laved. 1 ruppolc 
 you give up your lodgings when you go to JP'tx- 
 ford-y yet that will be inconvenient too : yet I wifh 
 again you were under a neccfilty of raniblnv^ the 
 country until AHchae'ma>^ f.iitli. No, let them 
 keep the fliclvcs, with a pox ; vet they arc ex- 
 acting people about thofe four weeks, or Mrs. 
 Brent may have the fhelves, if (he pleafe. I am 
 obliged to your dean for his kind offer of lending 
 me money. Will that be enough to fay ? A 
 hundred people would lend me money, or to any 
 man who has not the reputation of a fquandercr. 
 O faith, I fliouM be glad to be in the (ame king- 
 dom wirh AID^ however, although you are at 
 TVexford. But I am kept here by a mod caprici- 
 ous fate, which I rvould break through, if I could 
 do it with decency or honour. — To return with- 
 out fome mark of diftindtion, would look extremely 
 little; and 1 would likewife gladly be fomewhat 
 richer than I am. I will hy no more, but beg 
 you to be eafy, 'till Foriufu take her courfe, and 
 to believe that AID's felicity is the great end I 
 aim at in all my purfuits. And fo let us talk no 
 more on th-s fsb-eci, which makes me melancholy, 
 and that I wouH fain divert. Believe me, no man 
 breathing at pr-.-fci;t has lefs {hare of happincfs in 
 life thanl : I do not fay I am unhappy at all, 
 but that e.erv thing here is taftelefs to me for 
 want of being as I would be. And fo, a fliort 
 fio-h, and no more of this. Well, come and 
 let's fee what's next, young women. Pox take 
 Mrs. Edgworih and Surne : I will take fome me- 
 thods about that box. What orders would you 
 have me give about the pi«Sturc ? Can't you do 
 with it as if it were your own ? No, I hope Mardey 
 will keep his place'; for I hear nothing ot Sir 
 
 1< T Ihiinas
 
 ( 246 ) 
 
 Thomas Frankland's lofing his. Send nothino- un- 
 der cover to Mr. Addifon^ but to Erafmus Lewis ^ 
 Efq; at my lord Dartmouth' i, office at Whitehall.^ 
 Dircdl your outfide io. — Poor dear Stella^ don't 
 write in the dark, nor in the light neither, but 
 didate to Dinghy, fhe is a naughty healthy girl, 
 and may drudge for both. Are you good company 
 together ? and don't you quarrel too ofteVi ? Pray, 
 love one another, and kifs cne another juft now, 
 as Dinghy is reading this ; for you quarrelled this 
 morning juft after Mrs. Margei had poured water 
 on Stella s head : I heard the little bird fay fo. 
 Wei], I have anfvvered every thing in your letrer 
 that required it, and yet the fecond ^xdc is not full. 
 I'll come home at night, and fay more ; and to- 
 morrow this goes for certain. Go, get you gone 
 to your own chsmbers, and let Pr^o rife like a 
 niodtft gentleman, and walk to town. I fancy I 
 hegin to fweat lefs in the forehead by conftant 
 walking than J ufed to do j but then lYnall be fo 
 fun burnt, the ladies won't like me. Come, let 
 me rife, firrahs. Morrow. — At night. I dined 
 with Ford to-day at his lodgings, and I found 
 wine out of my own cellar, feme of my own cheft 
 of the great duke's wine : it begins to turn. They 
 fay wine with you in Ireland is half a crown a 
 bottle. 'Tis as Stella fays, nothing that once 
 grov/s dear in Ireland ever grows cheap again, 
 except corn, with a pox, to ruin the parfon. 
 had a letter to-day from the archbifhcp of Dublin *, 
 giving me further thanks about vindicating him to 
 Mr. Ha, ley and Mr. St. Joh-n^ and telling me a 
 long f|-ory about your mayor's cledion, wherein 
 I find he has had a finger, and given way to fur- 
 
 * See the lafi: Colledlon of LetterS; printed by 
 DodJltjz.vA others, No. .1.5, 
 
 3 ther
 
 ( 247 ) 
 
 ther talk about him i but we know notlun* of it 
 here yet. This walking to and fro, and drt-nin^ 
 my felf, takes up fo much of my time, thai I 
 cannot go among companv fo much as formerly ; 
 yet what mull a botly tlo ? I thank God i yet 
 continue much better fmcc I left tiic town ; 
 I know not how long it may iaft. I am furc 
 it has dune mc fomc good for tlic prcfent. I 
 do not toitcr as I did, but walk firm as a cock, 
 only once or twice for a minute, 1 don't know 
 how ; but it went off, and I never followed it. 
 Does Dinghy read my hand as well as ever? do 
 yon, fir rah ? Poor Stdla muft not read Prfjlo'i 
 ugly fmall hand. Preferve your eyes, If you be 
 wife. Your friend lValli% tea will go in a day or 
 two towards Chtjicr by one parfon Richardfon. 
 My humble fervice to her, and to good Mrs. 
 Stoyte^ and Catherine ; and pray walk while you 
 continue in Dublin. I expect your next but one 
 will be from IVexfcrd. God blefs dearcll AID. 
 
 24. Morning. Mr. fecrctary has fent his groom 
 hither to invite me to dinner to-day, ^c. God 
 Almighty for ever blefs and preferve you both, 
 and give you health, isfc. Amen. Farewcl, iSc. 
 
 Don't I oftn fay the fame thing two or three 
 -times in the fame letter, firrah t 
 
 Great wits, they fay, have but fhort memories j 
 ■that's good vile converfation. 
 
 LETTER XXIV. 
 
 Chtlfca, M»y 14, >7»t- 
 
 ]V[ORNTNG. Once in my life the number 
 of my letters and of the day of the month is 
 -the fame j that's luckv, boys ; that's a fign that 
 
 R 4 ihm;^
 
 ( 248 ) 
 
 thing's will meet, and that we fiiall make a figure 
 together. What, will you ftill have the impu- 
 dence to fay London, England.^ becaufe I fay Dublin, 
 Ireland? Is there no difference between London 
 and Dublin faucy boxes ? I have fealed up my 
 letter, and am going to town. Morrow, firrahs. 
 — At night. 1 dined with the fecretary to-day; 
 we fat down between five and fix. Mr. Harlcy\ 
 patent pafTcd this morning : he is now earl of 
 Oxford^ earl Aloriimcr, and lord Hurley o\ Wigmorc- 
 Cajlle. My ktter was fealed, or 1 would have 
 told you this yeftcrday ; but the publick. news may 
 tell it you. The queen, for all her favour, has 
 kept a rod far him in her clofet this week ; I fup- 
 pofe he will take it from her though in a day or 
 two. At eight o'clock this evening it rained pro- 
 digioufly, as it did from five ; however I fet out, 
 and in halfway the rain lefiened, and I got home, 
 hut tolerably wrt ; and this is the firft wet walk 
 I have had in a month's time that 1 am here : 
 but however 1 got to bed, after a Ihort vifit to 
 Mterbury, 
 
 25. It rained this morning, and I went to town 
 by water; and Ford tluA I dined with Mr. Lewis 
 by appointment. I ordered Patrick to bring my 
 gown and periwig to Mr. Lewis, becaufe I defigned 
 to go to fee lord Oxford, and fo I told the dog ; 
 but he never came, though I ftaid an hour longer 
 than I appointed ; fo I went in my old gown, and 
 fat with him tv/o hours, but could not talk over 
 feme bufinefs I had with him ; fo he has defircd 
 me to dine with him on Sunday, and I muft dif- 
 ."ppoint the fecretary. My lord fet me down at a 
 (Irffec-houje^ where I waited for the dean of Car- 
 lijk's chariot to bring me to Chelfea ; for it has 
 r'.iined prodisioufly all this afternoon. The dean 
 
 did
 
 ( 249 ) 
 
 did not come hlmfelf, but fent mc his chariot, 
 which has coft me two {hillings to the coachman ; 
 and fo I am got home, nnd Lord knows what is 
 become of Pctrid. I think I mull knd him over 
 to you ; for he is an intolerable rafcal. If I had 
 come without a gown, he would have fcrvcd mc 
 io, though my life and preferment fhould have 
 lain upon it : and I am making a li\try for him 
 will coft me four pounds ; but 1 will order the 
 taylor to-morrow to ftop till further order?;. My 
 lord Oxford can't yet a'oide to be called My lord; 
 and wlicn I called him My lord, he called me Ur. 
 Thomas Sicif/, which he always docs when he has 
 a inlnd to teaze me. By a lecond hand, he pro- 
 pofed my being his chaplain, which I by a fecond 
 hand excufed ; but we had no talk of it to-day : 
 but I will be no man's chaplain alive. But 1 muft 
 go and be biify. 
 
 26. I ne\er faw Patr'uk till this morning, and 
 that only 01. cc, for I drelTcd mvfclf without him ; 
 and when I went to town, he was out of the way. 
 1 immediately fent for the tavlor, and ordered him 
 to ftop his hand in Pafri.Fs cloaths till further 
 orders. Oh, if it were in lr.Li>:d, I Ihould have 
 turned him olTten tim-s ago; and it is no regard 
 to him, but mylclf, that has .made me keep him fo 
 long. Now I am ;ifr;ii:I to nivc the rogue his 
 cloaths. What Hiall I do ? I wi{h AJD w^rc here 
 to intreat for him, jufl here at the bed's fide. 
 Lady AJhburnham has been engaging mc this long 
 time to dine with her, nnd 1 fct to-day apiiri for 
 it ; and whatever was the mifl.tki.-, Ihc fent mc 
 word, (lie was at dijiner ar.d undrcUcd, but would 
 be glad to fee me in the afternoon ; fo 1 dined 
 with Mrs, Var.homr'igh^ and w.-uld not go fee her 
 at all, in a huff. My fine Fhrcnce is turning four 
 
 with
 
 ( 250 ) 
 
 with a vengeance, and I have not drank half of it. 
 As I was coming home to-night, Sir Tho?nas 
 Manfcl and Tom Harley met me in the Park, and 
 made nie w^alk w^ith them till nine, like unrcafon- 
 able whelps J fo I got not here till .ten: but it 
 was a fine evening, i.nd the foot-path clean enough 
 already after this hard rain. 
 
 27. Going this morning to town, I faw two 
 old lame fellows walking 10 a brandy-fhop, and 
 when they got to the door, ftood a long time com- 
 plimenting who fhould go in firft. 1 hough this 
 be no jeft to tell, it was an admirable one to fee. 
 I dined to-day with rny lord Oxford and the ladies, 
 the new countefs, and lady Beity^ who has been 
 thefe three days a lady born. . My Itjrd left us at 
 ieven, and I had no time to fpeak to him about 
 fome affairs ; but he promifes in a day or two we 
 Ihall dine alone; which is mighty likely, confider- 
 ing we expe«Et every moment that the queen will 
 give him the ftaff, and then he will be fo crowded, 
 he will be good for nothing : for aught I know he 
 may have it to night at council. 
 
 28. I had a petition fent me t'other day from 
 one Stephen Gernon, fetting forth that he formerly 
 lived with Harry Tenijon., who gave him an em- 
 ployment of ganger ; and that he was turned out 
 after Harrys death, and came for England, and is 
 now ftarving, or,' as he exprcfles it, that the ftafF 
 of life has been of late a ftranger to his appetite. 
 To-day the poor fellow called, and I knew him 
 very well, a young flender fellow with freckles 
 in his face ; you muft remember him ; he waited 
 at table as abetter fort of fervant. I gave him a 
 crown, and promifed to do what I could to help 
 faim to a fervice, which I did for Harry Ten'ifons 
 
 nicmory.
 
 ( 251 ) 
 
 memory. It was bloody hot walking to-day, nnd 
 I was fo lazy I dined where my new gown w.is, 
 at Mrs. Vanhomrigh'^^ and came back hkc a fool, 
 and the dean of Corlijlc has fat with mc till eleven. 
 Lord Oxfcrd has not the ftaff yet. 
 
 29. I was. this morning in town by ten, though 
 it was Hiaving-day, and went to the fccrctarv 
 about foniC affair?, then vifued the duke anil 
 duchefs of Ormo^ul ; but the latter was drdnng to 
 go out, and 1 could not fee her. ■ My lord Oxf:rd 
 had the fiafF given him this morning; fo now I 
 muft call him lord Oxford r.o more, but lord trca- 
 furer : I hope he will ftick there : this is twice he 
 has changed his name this week ; and J heard 
 to-day in the city (where I dined) that he will 
 very foon have the garter.— Prithee, don't you 
 obfervc how ftrangely I have changed my com- 
 pany and m.anner of living ? I never go to .1 
 Coffee- hot:fe ; you hear no more of Add'ijcn^ Stieli, 
 Hen'ey^ lady Lucy, Mrs. Finch, lord Sryr.ers, lord 
 Haliifax, &c. I think I have altered for the bit- 
 ter. Did I tell you, the archbiftop of Dtd.in has 
 writ me a long letter of a fquabble in your town 
 about chufing a nayor, and that he apprehended 
 fome cenfure for the fharc he h:;d in ir. 1 have 
 not heard any thing of it here ; but 1 fliall not be 
 always able to defend him. VVc hear your hilhop 
 Hickmnn is tiead ; but nobody here will do any 
 thing for me in Ireland; fo they may die as faft or 
 
 flow as they pleafe. Well, you arc conftant to 
 
 your deans, and your Stoyle, and your U 'alls. JTalls 
 will have her tea foon ; parlon Richordfon is either 
 going or gone to Ireland, and has it with him. I 
 hear Mr. Z.<uvi has two letters forme: I could 
 not call for thcn\ to-day, but will tomorrow; 
 and perhaps one cf them may be from our litt'o 
 
 AWy
 
 ( 252 ) 
 
 MD, v/ho knows, man ? who can tell ? Many 
 more unlikely thing has happened. — Pihaw, 1 
 write fo plaguy little, I can hardly fee it myfelf. 
 JVrite bigger, firrah '^ Yxciko. ^No, but 1 won't. 
 Oh, you are a faucy rogue, Mr. Prejlo^ you are 
 fo impudent. Come, dear rogues, let Preflo go 
 to fleep J I have been with the dean, and 'tis near 
 twelve, 
 
 30. I am fo hot and lazy after my morning's 
 walk, that I loitered at Mrs. Vc<rihcmrjgh''s, where 
 my befl: gown and periwig are, and out of mere 
 liftlefnefj dine there very often, (o I did to-day, 
 but I got little MD's letter, N. 15. (you fee, 
 firrahs> I remember ro tell the number) from Mr. 
 Lew'ii^ and I read it in a clofet they lend me at 
 Mrs, Vans^ and i find Stella is a faucy rogue and 
 a great writer, and can v/rite finely ft ill when her 
 hand's in, and her pen good. When I came 
 here to-night, I had a mighty mind to go fwim 
 after I was cool, for my lodging is juft by the 
 river, and I v/ent down with only my night-gown 
 and nippers on at eleven, but came up again i 
 however, one of thefe nights 1 will venture. 
 
 31. I was fo hot this morning with my walk, 
 that I refolve to do fo no more during this violent 
 burning v/cather. It is comical, that now we 
 happen to have fuch heat to ripen the fruit, there 
 has been the greatc'l: blaft that was ever known, 
 and almoft all the fruit is defpaired of. I dined 
 with lord Shelliirn ; lady Kerry and Mrs. Pratiare 
 going to Ireland. I went this evening to lord 
 trcafurer, and fat about two hours with him in 
 
 • Thefe words In Iialicks are written in a large 
 round hand. 
 
 mixt
 
 ( 253 ) 
 
 mixt company ; he left us, and went to C;.vr/, 
 and carried two ftaves with him, lb I fuppofc wc 
 fhall have a new lord fteward, or controller to- 
 morrow J I fmoakt that ftate fecrct out by that 
 accident. I won't anfwer your letter yet, firrahs, 
 no 1 won't, Madam. 
 
 "Juve I. I wifh you a merry month of June. 
 I dined a^ain with the Vans and Sir Andrew toun- 
 tain. I always give them a flafk of my Fhrenity 
 which now begins to fpoil, but 'tis near an end. 
 I went this afternoon to Mrs. Vtdcau%y and 
 brout^ht away Madam Dingley's parchment and 
 letter of attorney. Mrs. V.deau tells me, iht has 
 fent the bill a fortnight ago. I will give the 
 parchment to Ben. Tcoke, and you fh.'ll fend him 
 a letter of attorney at your leifure, inclofed to Mr. 
 Prejio. Yes, I now think your mackarel is full 
 ss ffood as ours, which I did not think formcr!y, 
 I was bit about two ikves, for there is nj n w 
 officer made to-day. This letter will find you ftill 
 in Dublin^ I fuppofe, or at Donnyhrooky or \o\\ng 
 your money at ^Valh' (how does Ihe do?) 
 
 2. I miffed this day by a blunder and dining in 
 the city *. 
 
 3. No boats on SurJci\\ never : fo I was forcci 
 to walk, and fo hot by' the time I got to Fcd^^ 
 lodging, that I was quite fpent ; I think the wea- 
 ther is mad. I could not go to church. I dmecf 
 with the fecretary as ufual, and old colonel Graham 
 that lived at BagJIjot- Heath, and they f.iid it was 
 colonel Grahams houfc. Pfhaw, I remember it 
 very well, when I ufeJ to go for a walk to London 
 
 * This interlined ia the original. 
 
 from
 
 ( 254 ) 
 
 from Moor-park. What, I warrant you don't 
 remember the golden farmer neither, Flggarkkk 
 Soley ? 
 
 4. When muft we anfwer this letter, this A^. 15. 
 of our little MD ? Heat and lazinefs, and Sir 
 Andrew Fountain made me dine to-day again at 
 Mrs. Van% \ and, in fhort, this weather is infup- 
 portable ; how is it with you ? Lady Betty Butler^ 
 and lady Aj})hurnham fat with me two or three 
 hours this evening in my dofet at Mrs. Van^'i. 
 They are very good girls, and if lady Betty went 
 Xo /r^/^;2<5^ you Ihould let her be acquainted with 
 you. Hov/ docs Dinghy do this hot weather ? 
 Stella^ 1 think, never complains of it, (he loves 
 hot weather. There has not been a drop of rain 
 fince Friday fennight. Yes, you do love hot 
 weather, naughty Stella., you do {o^ and Prejio 
 can't abide it. Be a good girl then, and I'll love 
 you ; and love one another, and don't be quarrel- 
 ling girls. 
 
 5. I dined in the city to-day, and went from 
 hence early to town, and vifited the duke of 
 Orinond^ and Mr. fecret;iry. They fay, my lord 
 treafurer has a dead warrant in his pocicet, they 
 mean, a lift of thofe who are to be turned out of 
 employment, and we every day now expeft thofe 
 changes. I paft by the treafury to-day, and faw 
 vuft crowds waiting to give lord treafurer petitions 
 las he paflc-s by. . He is now at the top of power 
 and favour : he keeps no levees yet. 1 am cruel 
 thirfty this hot weather. — I am juft this minute 
 going to fwim. I take Patrick down with me to 
 hold my night-gown, fhirt and flippers, and bor- 
 row a napkin of my landlady for a cap. So 
 
 farewel till I come up j but there's no danger, 
 
 don't
 
 C 255 ) 
 
 Jon't be frighted. 1 have been fwimmrng thi» 
 
 half-hour and more ; and when I was c '•' out 
 I dived, to make my head and all tii: ,•-,•?, 
 
 like a cold bath ; but as I dived the napkin fell off 
 and is left, and I have that to pay for. O faith, 
 the great floncs were fo ftiarp, 1 could hardly fct 
 my feet on them as 1 came out. It was pure and 
 warm. I got to bed, and will now go flccp. 
 
 6. Morning. This letter fhall go to-morrow; 
 fo I will anfwcr yours when 1 come home to-night. 
 I feel no hurt from laft night's fwimming. I lie 
 with nothing but the (hcet over me, and my feeC 
 quite bare. I muft rife and go to town before the 
 tide is againft me. Morrow, firrahs ; dear firrahs, 
 morrow. — At night. I never felt fo hot a day as 
 this fince I was born. I dined with lady Bttty 
 Germain, and there was the young carl of BcrAf!r,> 
 and his fine lady. I never faw her before, nor 
 
 think her near fo handl'ome ns fne paflls for. 
 
 After dinner Mr. Beriue would not let mc put ico 
 in my wine -, but faid my lord Dorchejhr got the 
 bloody-flux with it, and that it w.is the wc>rll 
 thing in the world. Thus arc we plagued, tbu> 
 are we plagued •, yet I have done it five or f»X 
 times this fummcr, and was but the drier and the 
 hotter for it. Nothing makes me fo exccOivcly 
 peeviOi as hot weather. Lady BcrkcUj after dinner 
 clapt my hat on another lady's hi-ad, and flic in 
 roguery put it upon the rails. I minded them not; 
 hu't in two minutes they called me to the wiodow, 
 and lady Carteret (hewed me my hat out of her 
 window five doors ofF, where I was forced to w-ilk 
 to it, and pay her and old !ady Wtynmith a vifir, 
 with fome more beldames. Then 1 went and 
 drank coffee, and made one or two puns wuh 
 lord Pembroke, and defigned to go tulo:d ircafurcr ; 
 
 but
 
 C 256 ) 
 
 but it was too late, and befide I was half broiled, 
 and broiled without butter ; for I never fweat 
 after dinner, if I drink any wine. Then I fat an 
 hour with lady Betty Butler at tea, and every thing 
 made me hoiter and drier. Then I walkt home, 
 and was here by ten, fo miferably hot, that I was 
 in as perfesSl a paflion as ever I was in my life at 
 the grcateft affront or provocation. Then I fat 
 an hour, till I was quite dry and cool enough to 
 go fwim ; which I did, but with fo much vexation, 
 that I think I have given it over : for I was every 
 moment difturbed by boars, rot them ; and that 
 puppy Patrick^ (landing afliore, would let them 
 com.e v/ithin a yard or tv.^o, and then call fneak- 
 ingly to them. The only comfort I propofed 
 here in hot weather is gone; for there is no jeft- 
 irg with thofe boats after 'tis dark : I had none 
 laft night. I dived to dip my head, and held my 
 cap on with both my hands, for fear of lofing it. 
 
 . Pox take the boats I Amen. 'Tis near twelve, 
 
 and fo I'll anfwer your letter (it flrikes twelve 
 now) to-morrow morning. 
 
 7. Morning. Well, now let us anfwer MD\ 
 letter, N. 15, 15, 15, 15. Now have I told 
 you the number? 15, 15; there, impudence to 
 call names in the beginning of your letter, before 
 
 you fay. How do you do, Mr. Preflo ? There's 
 
 your breeding. Where's your manners, firrah, 
 to a gentleman ? Get you gone, you couple of 
 
 jades. No, I never fit up late now ; but this 
 
 abominable hot weather will force me to eat or 
 drink fomething that will do me hurt. I do ven- 
 ture to eat a few ftrawbcrries. — Why then, do you 
 know in Ireland that Mr. St. Jchn talkt fo in par- 
 liament ? Your IFhigs are plaguily bit; for he is 
 intirely for their being all out. — And are you as 
 
 vicious
 
 i 
 
 ( 257 ) 
 
 vicious in fnufFas ever? I believe, as you fay, it 
 
 does neither hurt nor good ; but I have left it off, 
 and when any body otFL-rs me ihcir box, I take 
 about a tenth part of what I ufed to do, and then 
 juft fmell to it, and privately fling the reft away. 
 I keep to my tobacco ftill », as you fay ; but cvcQ 
 much lefs of that than formerly, only motningj 
 
 and evenings, and very feldom ia the day. As 
 
 for "Joe^ I have recommended his cafe heartily to 
 my lord lieutenant ; and, by his direction, givca 
 a memorial .of ic to iMr. SotithvLill^ to whom I 
 have recommcr.Jed it likcwife. I can do no more, 
 if he were my brother. His bufinefs will be to 
 apply himfelf to Soutlw:Il. And you muft dcfire 
 Rayrnond, if Price of Gahvay comes to town, to 
 defire him to wait on Mr. Southwell^ as recom- 
 mended by me for one of the duke's chaplains, 
 which was all I could do for him ; and he muft 
 be prefcnteJ to the duke, and make his court, and 
 ply about and find out fome vacancy, and folicit 
 early for it. The baftle about your mayor 1 had 
 before, as I told you, from the archbifliop of 
 Dublin. Was Raymond not come till May 18 J 
 So he fays fine things of me ? Cartainly he lies. 
 I'm fare I ufed him indifterently enough, and we 
 never once dined together, or walkt, or were ia 
 any third place, only he came fomctimes to my 
 lodrrin^rs, and even there was oftener denied than 
 
 admitted. What an odd bill is that you fcnt of 
 
 Raymond' % ? A bill upon cne Murry in Chejltr, 
 which depends entirely not only upon RaymcmTi 
 
 * He dees not mean fmoaking. which he never prac- 
 tiied, but fiiuffing up cut-aiid-drv- tobacco, which 
 fometimcs was jult coloured with S/>aKijb fnuff; and 
 this he ufed all his life, but would not own thit he 
 jook fnufF. 
 Vol . iV. S honcfty
 
 ( 258 }j 
 
 honcfly, but his difcretion : and in money matters 
 he is the laft mail i would depend on. Why 
 ihould Sir Alexander Cairnes in Londo7t pay me a 
 bill, drawn by God knows who, upon Murry in 
 Chejier ? I was at Cairnes's, and they can do no 
 fuch thing. I went among fome friends, who are 
 merchants, and I find the bill muft be fent to 
 Murry^ accepted by him, and then returned back, 
 and then Cairnes may accept or refufe it as he 
 pleafes. Accordingly I gave Sir Thomas Frankland 
 the bill, who has fent it to Chejier^ and ordered 
 the poft-mafter there to get it accepted, and then 
 fend it back, and in a day or two I fhall have an 
 anfwer j and therefore this letter muft ftay a day 
 or two longer than 1 intended, and fee what an- 
 fwer I get. Raymond fnould have written to 
 Murry at the fame time, to defire Sir Alexander 
 Cairnes to have anfwered fuch a bill, if it come. 
 But Cairnes's clerks (himfelf was not at home) 
 faid, they had received no notice of it, and could 
 do nothing; and advifed me to fend to Murry. 
 
 • 1 have been fix weeks to-day at Chelfea., and 
 
 you know it but juft now. And fo dean 
 
 thinks I write the Medley. Pox of his judgment ; 
 'tis equal to his honefty. Then you han't feen 
 the Mifcellany yet. Why, 'tis a four (hilling book : 
 
 has nobody carried it over ? No, I believe 
 
 ManUy will not lofe his place : for his friend in 
 England is fo far from being out, that he has taken 
 a new patent fincc the poft-oifice a£l ; and his 
 brother Jack Manley here takes his part firmly ; 
 and I have often fpoken to Southvjell in his behalf, 
 and he feems very well inclined to him. But the 
 Irtjh folks here in general are horribly violent 
 againft him. Bcfidcs, he mud confider he could 
 not fend Stella w'n\e if he were put out. And fo 
 he is very kind, and fends you a dozen bottles of 
 
 wine
 
 ( 259 ) 
 
 wine at a tlme^ and you win eight fliillings at a 
 time ; and how much do you lofe ? No, no, never 
 one fyliable about that, I warrant you. — Why 
 this fame SteHa is lb unmerciful a writer, fhc has 
 hardly left any room for Dinghy. If you have 
 fuch Summer there as here, fure the JVexfori 
 waters are good by this time. I forgot what 
 weather we had May 6th ; go look in my jour- 
 nal. We had terrible rain the 24th and 25th, 
 and never a drop fince. Yes, yes, I remember 
 Berejied's bridge ; the coach foflcs up and down 
 as one goes that way, juft as at Hjckley in the hole. 
 I never impute any illnefs or health I have to 
 good or ill weather, but to want of exercife, or 
 ill air, or fomething I have eaten, or hard ftudy, 
 or fitting up ; and fo I fence againft thofe as well 
 as I can : but who a dsuce can help the vveather? 
 Will Seymor, the general, was exceffively hot 
 with the fun fliining full upon him ; fo he turns 
 to the fun, and fays, Hearkee, friend, you had 
 better go and ripen cucumbers than phigue rr.e at 
 this rate, tsfc. Another time fretting at the heat, 
 a gentleman by faid, It was fuch weather as 
 pleafed God : Seymor faid. Perhaps it may ; but 
 I'm fure it pleafes no body elfe. 'W'hy, madam 
 Dinghy^ the Fir ft- Fruits are done. Southivell 
 told me they went to enquire about them, and 
 lord treafurer faid they were done, and had been 
 done long ago. And I'll tell you a fecret you 
 mull not mention, that the duke of Ormond is 
 ordered to take noricc of them in his -fpeech in 
 your parliament: and I defire you will take care 
 to fay on occafion, that my lord treafurer Harhy 
 did it many months ago, before the tlukc was lord 
 lieutenant. And yet I cannot poflibly come ovff 
 yet : fo get you gone to IP'cxford, and make Stel'.k 
 
 well. Yes, yes, I take care not to walk late; 
 
 S 2 I nc.C
 
 ( 260 ) 
 
 I never did but once, and there are five hundred 
 
 people on the v/ay as I walk. Tifdall is a 
 
 puppy, and 1 will excufe him the half hour he 
 would talk with me. As for the Exraniner^ I 
 have heard a whifper, that after that of this day, 
 which teiis what this parliament has done, you 
 will hardly find them fo good. I prophecy they 
 will be trafli for the fuLure ; and methinks in this 
 day's E>am'iner the author talks doubtfully, as if 
 he would write no more. Obferve whether the 
 change be difcovered in Dublin^ only foryour own 
 curiofiry, that's all. Make a mouth there. Mrs. 
 Vedcaus bufmelj I have anfwered, and I hope the 
 bill is not loft. Morrow. 'Tis ftewing; hot, but 
 I muft rife and go to town between fire and water. 
 Morrow, firrahs both, morrow. — At night. I 
 dined to-day with colonel Crowe, governor of 
 'Jamaica^ and your friend Sterne. I prefented 
 Sterne to my lord treafurer's brother, and gave 
 him his cafe, and engaged him iti his favour. At 
 dinner there fell the iwingingeft long fhower, and 
 the moft giateful to mc, that ever I faw : it thun- 
 dered fifty times at Icaft, and the air is fo cool, 
 that a body is able to Ive; and I walkt home to- 
 night with comfort, and without dirt. I went 
 this evening to lord treafurer, and Au with him 
 two hours, and we were in very good humour, and 
 he abufed me, and called me Dr. Thomas Swift fifty 
 times : I have told you he does that when he has 
 mind to make me mud. SkTbcmas Franiland gave 
 me to-day a letter from Murry, accepting my bill ; 
 fo all is well': only by a letter from Parvifoly I 
 find there are fome perplexities. — Joe has likewife 
 written to me, to thank m.e for what I have done 
 for him ; and defires I would write to the bifiiop 
 of C/cgher, that Tern Jjfje may not hinder his 
 
 father
 
 ( 26l ) 
 
 father * from being portrief. I have written, 
 and fent to '^oe (everal times, that I will not 
 trouble myfelf at all about Trim. I wifh them 
 their liberty ; but thty do not deferve it : fo tell 
 "Joe.) and fend to him. I am mightv happy with 
 this rain : I was at the end ot my patience, bur 
 now I live again. This cannot go till Saturday \ 
 and perhaps 1 may go out of town with lord Hhel- 
 burn and lady Kerry to- morrow for two or three 
 days. Lady Kerry has written to dehre it ; but 
 
 to-morrow I fliall know further. O this dear 
 
 rain, I cannot foib^'ar praifuig it : I never fe'.t 
 myfelf to be revived fo in my life. It lafted fro-n 
 three till five, hard as a liorn, and mixt with 
 hail. 
 
 8. Morning. I am going to town, and will 
 juft finifn this there, if 1 go into the country with 
 lady Kerry and lord Shelburn : fo morrow, till an 
 
 hour or two herice. In town. 1 met (^airnesy 
 
 who, 1 fuppofe, will pay mc the money ; though 
 he fays, I mull fen J him the bill firft, and I will 
 get it done in abfence. Farewel, iffc. t^c. 
 
 LETTER XXV. 
 
 Chclfes, June 6, lo, ii, 12, 13, 14, 15, i6j IJU 
 
 IiS, 39, 20. 
 HAVE been all this time at ff^comh, bctwcw'n 
 Oxford and Lrdon, with lord Shr'hurn, whn lias 
 the fquire's houfe at the town's end, and an cftate 
 there in a delicious country. Lady Kerry an<) 
 
 • Even Mr, Jc/cph Bca^imcnt, th.e fon, was at thi« 
 time an old man, whofc grey locks were venerable ;' 
 confequently his father was very ancient ; and yet th*^ 
 father lived until about the year 1719. 
 
 S 3 Mrs.
 
 ( 262 ) 
 
 Mrs. Pratt were with us, and we pafTed our time 
 well enough J and there I wholly difengaged my- 
 felf from all publick thoughts, and every thing 
 but MD^ who had the impudence to fend me a 
 letter there ; but I'll be revenged : I'll anfwer it. 
 This day, the 20th, I came from JVicomb with 
 lady Kerry after dinner, lighted at Hyde-Park cor- 
 ner, and walkt : it was twenty-feven miles, and 
 we came it in about five hours, 
 
 2T. I went at noon to fee Mr. fecretary at his 
 office, and there was lord treal'urer : fo I killed 
 two bii"ds, isc. and we were o;lad to fee one ano- 
 ther, and fo forth. And the fecretary and 1 dined 
 ^t Sic ff^illiam TFyndham's^ who married lady 
 Catherine Seymor^ your acquaintance, I fuppcfe. 
 iThere were ten of us at dinner. Jt fcems in my 
 
 Abfence thev had ere£ied a Club, and made me 
 
 J ^ ' 
 
 x^ne } and we made fome laws to-day, which I 
 am to digeft, and add to, againft next meeting. 
 Our meetings are to be every Thurfday : we are 
 yrt but twelve ; lord keeper and lord treafurer 
 vere propofed J but I was againft them, and fo 
 .was Mr. fecretary, thaugh their fons are of it, 
 and fo they are excluded ; but we defign to admit 
 the duke of Shrewjbury. The end of our Club 
 h to advance converfation and friendfhip, and to 
 teward deferving perfons with our intereft and 
 recommendation. We take in none but men 
 of wit or men of intereft ; and if we go on as 
 we begin, no other C/k^ in this town will be 
 worth talking of. The folicitor-general. Sir Ro- 
 lert Rajtnondf is one of our Club j and I ordered 
 him immediately to write to your lord chancellor 
 in favour of Dr. Raymond : fo tell Raymond, if 
 you fee him ; but I believe this will find you at 
 IVexjord. This letter will come three weeks 
 
 after
 
 ( 263 ) 
 
 after the lafl: ; fo there is a week loft ; but tliat »s 
 owing to my being out of town; yet I think it is 
 right, becaufe it goes inclofed to Mr. Reading: 
 and why fliould he know how often Prejlo writes 
 to A/D, pray ? — T fat this evening with lady Bitiy 
 ButUr and lady AJhbumham^ and then catne home 
 by ele\ien, and had a good cool walk; for wc 
 have had no extream hot weather this fortnight, 
 but a great deal of rain at times, and a body can 
 live and breathe. I hope it will hold fo. We 
 ha.d peaches to-day. 
 
 22. I went late to-day to town, ajid (Jined 
 with my friend Lewis. I faw IVtil. Congreve at- 
 tending at the treafury, by order, with his bne- 
 thren, the commiffioners of the wine licences. I 
 had often mentioned him uith kindncis to lord 
 treafurer; and Congreve told me, that after they had 
 anfwered to what they were fent for, my lord called 
 him privately, and fpoke to him with great kind- 
 nefs, promifing his protection, ijc. The poor 
 man faid, he had been ufed fo ill of late years, 
 that he was quite aftonifhed at my lord's, goodnefs, 
 ^c. and deftrcd me to tell my lord fo ; which I 
 did this evening, and recommended him heartily. 
 My lord afilired me he efteemed him very much, 
 ;ind would be always kind to him ; that what he 
 faid was to make Congreve tafy, bccaufe he knsw 
 people talked as if his lordfliip dcfigned to turn 
 every body out, and particularly Congreve ; which 
 indeed was true, for the poor man told me 'he ap- 
 prehended it. As I left my lord treafurer, I called 
 on Congreve (knowing where he dined) and told 
 him what had paffed between my lord and trie: 
 fo I have made a worthy man cnfy, and that is a 
 good day's work. I am propofmg to my lord to 
 ercd a locietv or academy for correfling and fet- 
 
 S 4- ^^'"6
 
 ( 264 ) 
 
 tling our language, that we may not perpetually 
 be changing as we do. He enters mightily into 
 it, fo does the dean of Carlijle ; and I defign to 
 write a letter to lord treafurer with the propofals 
 of it, and publifh it ; and fo I told m.y lord, and 
 he approves it, Yefl:erday's was a fad Examiner^ 
 and laft week was very iui'ifFerent, though fome 
 little fcraps of the old fpirit, as if he had given 
 fome hints ; but yeflerday's is all trafh. Jt is 
 plain the hand is changed. 
 
 23. I have not been in London to-day : for Dr. 
 Gajirel and I dined, by invitation, with the dean 
 of Carlijle^ my neighbour ; fo 1 know not what 
 they are doina; in the world, a meer country gen- 
 tleman. And are not }ou afhamed both to go 
 into the country juft when I did, and ilay ten 
 days, jud as I did, fancy inonkies ? But I never 
 rode ; I had no horfes, and our coach was out of 
 order, and we went and came in a hired one. Do 
 you keep your lodgings when you go to JVexford? 
 I fuppoie you do ; for you will ha:dly flay above 
 two months. I have been walking about our 
 town to-night, and it is a very fcurvy place for 
 walking, i am thinking to leave it, and return 
 to town, now the Irifi:) folks are gone. Ford goes 
 in three days. How does Dingley divert herfelf 
 while StcUa is riding .'' work, or read, or walk \ 
 Does Dinghy ever read to you ? Had you ever a 
 book with you in the country ? Is all that left 
 ofF } confefs. Well, I'll go fleep, 'tis part eleven, 
 and I go early to fleep ; I write nothing at night 
 but to ^MD. 
 
 24. Stratford 2inA\^ and pz^orz] Phillips, (juft 
 come from Denmark) dined at Ford's to day, who 
 paid his way, and goes for Ireland on Tuefday.. 
 
 The
 
 ( 265 ) 
 
 The earl of Pcttrboroiv is returned from Vitmia 
 without one fcrvant : he left them fcattered in 
 feveral towns of Germany. I h;;d a lector from 
 him, four da;, s ago, from Hanover*^ where he 
 defires I would immediately fend him an anfwcr 
 to his houfe at Parfons-Grcen^ about five miles 
 off. I v/ondered what he meant, till I heard he 
 was come. He fcnt expreflcs, and got here be- 
 fore them. He is above fifty, and as active as 
 one of five and twenty. I have not fccn him yet, 
 nor know when I (hall, or where to find him. 
 
 25. Poor duke of Shreu^Jliiry has been very ill 
 of a fever : we were nil in a fright about him : I 
 thank God, he is better. I dined to-day at lord 
 Jjhburnhnfii's with his ladv, for he was not at 
 horr'.e : fne is a very crood girl, and always a great 
 favourite of mit^e. Sterne tells me, he has defired 
 a friend to receive your box in Chjhr, and carry 
 it over. I fear he will mifcarry in his bufinels, 
 which was fent to the treafury before he was re- 
 commended J for I was pofitive only to fecond his 
 recommendations, and all his other friends tailed 
 him. However, on your account, I will do 
 what I can for him to-morrow wuh the fccretary 
 of the tre-fuiy. 
 
 2''^. We hr.d much company to day at dinner 
 at lord treafurer's. Prior never fails : he is a 
 much better courtier than I ; and we expedt every 
 day that he will be a commilHoncr of the cufloms, 
 and that in a ihort time a great many more wdl 
 be turned out. They blame lord treafurer for 
 his flowr.efs in turning; people out -, but I fupp-'fc 
 be has his re^fons. They ftill k'--cp my neighbour 
 
 • See thig Letter in Pi^^i Coikdion, No 46. 
 
 4tt:rbiiry
 
 ( 266 ) 
 
 Atterhury in fufpence about the deanvy of Chriji-^ 
 Churchy which ha-, been above fix months vacant, 
 and he is heartily angry. I reckon you are now 
 preparing for yourj^'f.v/ir^f expedition ; and poor 
 Dinghy is full of carkinn[ and caring, fcolding. 
 How long will you ftay ? Shall I be in Dublin 
 before you return ? Don't fall and hurt your- 
 felves, nor overturn the coach. Love one ano- 
 ther, and be good girls ; and drink Prejic's health 
 in water, madam Stella j and in good ale *, ma- 
 dam Divgky. 
 
 27. The fecretary appointed me to dine with 
 him to-day, and we were to do a world of bufi- 
 nefs ; he came at four, and brought Frior v.'lth 
 him, and had forgot the appointment, and no 
 bufinefs was done. 1 left him at eight, and 
 went to change my gown at Mrs. Vanhomrigh\ ; 
 and there v/as Sir Andrew Fountain at ombre with 
 lady Ajlihurnha-m and lady Frederick Schombergy and 
 lady Miiry Schotnherg^ and lady Betty Butler, and 
 others, talking ; and it put me in mind of the 
 dean, and Ststyc, and IValh, and Sle la at play, 
 and Dinghy and I looking on. I f^aid with them 
 till ten, like a fool. Lady AJhburnham is ibme- 
 thing like Stella ; {o I helped her, and wifhed her 
 good cards. It is late, ho.. 
 
 28. Well, but I mud anfwer this letter of our 
 MD's. Saturday approaches, and I han't written 
 down this fide, O faith, Prcjio has been a fort 
 of a lazy fellow : but PrcJlo will remove to town 
 this day fennight : the fecretary has commanded 
 
 * The Wexford ale Is highly efteemed, which is 
 hinted at in this pafTage j and the Wexford waters were 
 prefcribed to Stella. 
 
 me
 
 ( 26; ) 
 
 rne to do fo ; and I believe he and I fliall go for 
 fomc days to Ifhulfor, where he will have Icifurc 
 to mind fome bufir.efs v/e have together. To- 
 day, our Socirty (it muft not be called a Club) 
 dined at Mr. fecretary's ; wc were but eight, the 
 rert fent excufes, or were out of town. We fat 
 till eight, and made (bmc laws and fettlemcnts i 
 and then I went to take leave of lady jljhbunihavi^ 
 who o;oes oat of town to-morrow, as a great 
 many of my acquaintance are already, and kft 
 the town very thin. I fhall make but {bort 
 journies this Summer^ and not be long out of 
 LcndoTi. The days are grown fsnfibly fliort al- 
 ready, all our fruit blafied. Your duke of Or- 
 jnond is ftill at Chejier ; and perhaps this letter 
 will be with you as foon as he. Sterne's, bufmcls is 
 quite blown up : they Hand to it to fend him back 
 to the commilTioncrs of the revenue in h cLnd 
 for a reference, and all my credit could not alter 
 it, though I almoft fell out with the fccretary of 
 the treafury, who is my lord treafurer's covifm- 
 german, and my very good friend. It feems every 
 ftep he has hitherto taken hath been wrong ; at 
 leaft they fay fo, and that is the fame thing. I 
 am heartily forry for it ; and I really think they 
 are in the wrong, and ufe him hardly ; but 1 An 
 do no more. 
 
 29. Steele has had the afTurance to v/rite to me, 
 that I would engage my lord treafurer to keep a 
 friend of his in an employment : I believe I told 
 you hov/ he and y^ddifon fervcd mc for my good 
 offices in Steele's behalf; and I promifcd lotd 
 treafurer never to fpeak for either of them again. 
 Sir Andrciv Four.ia'jn and I dined to-day at Mrs. 
 Vanhomr'tgt/s. Dilh JJhe has been in town this 
 fortnight^ 1 faw him twice ; he was four days at 
 
 A lord
 
 ( 268 ) 
 
 lord Pefjihrokd's in the country, punning with 
 him ; his face is very well. I was this evening 
 two or three hours at lord treafurer's, who called 
 nic dodlor Thomas Swift tv/enty times ; that's his 
 way of teazing. I left him at nine, and got 
 home here by ten, like a gentleman ; and to-'nor- 
 row morning I'll anfwer your little letter, firrahs. 
 
 30. Morning. I am terrible fleepy always in 
 a rporning ; 1 believe it is my walk over-night 
 that difpofes me to lleep ; faich 'tis now ftriking 
 ei2;ht, and I am but juft awake. Patrick comes 
 early, and wakes me live or fix times, but I have 
 excufes, though I am three parts afleep. I tell 
 him I fat up late, or flept ill in the night, and 
 often it is a lie. I have now got little MD's let- 
 ter before me, N. 16. no more, nor no lefs, no 
 miftakc. Dii:gley fays, " This letter won't be 
 above fix lines," and i was afraid it was true, 
 though I fav/ it filled on both fides. The bilhop 
 of Clcgher writ me word you were in the country, 
 and that he heard you were well : I am glad at heart 
 MD rides, and rides, and rides. Our hot weather 
 ended in May^ and all this month has been mo- 
 derate : it was then fo hot, I was not able to en- 
 dure it ; I was miferable every moment, and found 
 myfelf difpofed to be peevifh and quarrelfome ; I 
 believe a very hot country would make me flark 
 mad. Yes, mv head continues pretty toler- 
 able, and I impute it all to walking. Does Stella 
 eat fruit ? I eat a little ; but I alv/ays repent, 
 and refolve againft it. No, in very hot weather I 
 always go to town by water; but I conftantiy 
 Vk'alk back, for then the fun is down. And fo 
 ^\xs. Proby goes with you to Wexford '^ fhe's ad- 
 mirable company ; you'll grow plaguy wife with 
 thofc you frequent. Mrs. Taylor^ and Mrs. Proby ; 
 
 take
 
 C 2^9 ) 
 
 take care of infedlion. I believe my two hun- 
 dred pounds will be paid ; but that Sir AUxanJeT 
 Cairncs is a fcrupulous puppy : I left the bill with 
 Mr. Stratford^ who is to have the money. Now, 
 madam Stella^ what fay you ? you ride every day ; 
 I know that already, firrah ; and if you rid every 
 day for a twelvemonth, you would be ftill bet- 
 ter and better. No, I hope Parvifol will not 
 have the impudence to make you ftay an hour 
 for the money ; if he does, ril un-pai vifol him ; 
 pray let me know. O Lord, how hjfly we are, 
 Stella can't ftay writing and 'writing; fhe mult 
 write and go acock-horfe, pray now. Well ; but, 
 the horfes arc not come to the door ; the fellow 
 can't find the bridle ; your ftirrup is broken ; 
 where did you put the whips. Dinghy ? Miirget, 
 where have you laid Mrs. Johnfons ribband to tie 
 about her ? reach me my mafk : fup up this he- 
 fore you go. So, fo, a gallop, a gallop : fit faft, 
 firrah, and don't ride hard upon the flones.— — 
 Well, now Stella is gone, tell me, Dingley, is 
 {he a good girl ? and what news is that you are 
 
 to tell me ? No, I believe the box is not loft : 
 
 Sterne fays, it is not. No faith, you muft go 
 
 to Wexford without feeing your duke of Ormondy 
 unlefs you ftay on purpofc ; perhaps you may be 
 fo wife. — I tell you this i.; your fixtecnth letter ; 
 will you never be fatisfied ? No, no, I'll walk 
 late no more ; I ought lefs to venture it than 
 other people, and fo I was told : but I'll return 
 to lodge in town next Thurfday. When you 
 come from IVexJord I would have you fend a let- 
 ter of attorney to Mr. Benjamin Tooke., booklcllcr 
 in London^ direfled to me; a.nd he ftidl manage 
 your affair. I have your parchment fafely lockt 
 up in London. — O madam Stella^ welcome home ; 
 was it pleafant riding ? did your horic ftumbk- ? 
 
 3 how
 
 ( 270 ) 
 
 how often. did the man light to fettle your flirrup ? 
 ride nine miles ? faith you have galloped indeed. 
 Well, but Where's the fine thing you promired 
 me ? I have been a good boy, afk Dinghy elfe, 
 I believe you did not meet the fine-thing-man: 
 faith you are a cheat. So you'll fee Raymond and 
 his wife in town. Faith that riding to Laracor 
 gives me fhort fighs, as well as you. All the 
 days I have paffed here, have been dirt to thofe. 
 1 have been gaining enemies by the fcores, and 
 friends by the couples, v.'hich is agalnft the rules 
 of wifdom ; becaufe,they fay, one enemy can do 
 more hurt, than ten friends can do good. But I 
 have had my revengfe at leaft, if I get nothing 
 elfc. And fo let tate govern. — Now I think 
 your letter is anfv/ered ; and mine will be (horter 
 than ordinary, becaufe it muft go to-day. We 
 have had a great deal of fcatteriiig rain tor fome 
 
 days paft, yet it hardly keeps down the duft. 
 
 We have plays a£ted in our town, and Patrick 
 was at one of them, oh ho. He was damnably 
 mauled one day when he was drunk ; he was at 
 cufFs with a brother foctman, who dragged him . 
 along the floor upon his face, which iookt for a 
 week after as if he had the lepiofy ; and I was, 
 glad enough to fee it. I have been ten times.: 
 lending him over to you : yet now he has new 
 cloaths, and a laced hat, which the hatter brougKt 
 by his orders, and he off'ered to pay for the lace 
 out of his wages. — 1 am to dine to-day with 
 Dilly at Sir Jml'etv Fcuutaifi's^ who has bought a 
 new houfe, and will be u-eary of it in half a ycap.;. 
 I mufl: rife and Inave, and walk to town 5 unlefs . 
 I go with the ("./an in, bis chariot at twelve, which 
 is too late : and I have not fc:ri that lord Peter- 
 borow yet. The duk&of Sh'-av/bury is almoft 
 well again, and \/ill be abroad in a day or two : 
 
 what
 
 ( 271 ; 
 
 what care you ? Inhere it is now ; you don't 
 care for my friends. Farewell, my Jearcft lives, 
 and delights, 1 love you bettor than ever, if pof- 
 iible, as hope faved, I do, and ever will. God 
 Almighty blcfs you ever, and make us happy to- 
 ther ; I pray for this twice every day ; and I hope 
 God will hear my poor hearty prayers. — Remem- 
 ber if I am ufed ill and ungratefully, as I have 
 formerly been, 'tis what I am prepared for, aixl 
 fhall not wonder at it. Yet, I am now envied, 
 and thought in high favour, and have every dar 
 numbers of confidcrable men tcazing mc to Iblicit 
 for them. And the minillry all ufe me pcr- 
 fedly well, and all that know them, fay they 
 love me. Yet I can count upon nothing, nor 
 will, but upon MD's love and kindnefs. — They 
 think me ufeful ; they pretended they were afraid 
 of none but me ; and that they refoheJ to have 
 me; they have often confefied this : yet all makes 
 
 little impreflion on me. Pox of thcfe fpccula- 
 
 tions ! They give me the fjilccn ; and that U a 
 difeafe I was not born to. Let me a^one, firrahs, 
 and be fatisfied : I am, as long as A!D ?Md. Pre/?a 
 are well : Little wealth. And much health, And 
 a life by ftealth ; that is all we want ; and fo 
 farewel, deareft AW ; St^l/(7, Dinghy y Prejio^ al 
 together, now and for ever all to^«ther. Fare- 
 well again and again. 
 
 LETTER XXVL 
 
 SCHclfca, Juns jo, 1711. 
 E E what large paper I am forced to take to 
 write to MD ; Patrick has brought me noiiC dipt ; 
 but faith the next flit!! be fmaller. I dined to- 
 day, as I told you, with DUlyzt Sir Jihlreiv fan:- 
 tain's : there v.'cre w.- wretchedly punning, and 
 
 writing
 
 ( 
 
 V 
 
 272 ) 
 
 writing together to lord Pembroke. Dilly is jufl: 
 fuch a puppy as ever ; and it is fo uncouth, after 
 fo long an intermiiTion. My twenth-fifth is gone 
 this evening to the poll. I think I will direct my 
 rext, (which is this) to Mr. Cz/rr/s, and lee 
 them fend it to Wexford^ znA then the next in- 
 clofed to Reading. Inftru<5i: me how I fhall do. 
 I long to hear from you from Wexford^ and what 
 fort of place it is. The town grows very empty 
 and dull. This evening I have had a letter from 
 Mr. Phillips the paftoral poet, to get him a cer- 
 tain employment from lord treafurer, I have now 
 had almofi all the IVhig poets my folicitors ; and 
 I have been ufeful to Congreve^ Steele, and Har- 
 rifon : but I will do nothing for Phillips ; I find he 
 is more a puppy than ever ; fo don't folicit for 
 him. Befides, I will not trouble lord treafurer, 
 unlefs upon fom.e very extraordinary occafion. 
 
 July I. Dilly lies conveniently for me when I 
 come to town from Chdfca of a Sunday^ and go to 
 the fecretary's; fo I called at his lcd2,ings this 
 morning, and fent for my gov/n, and drefled my- 
 ielf there. He had a letter from the bifliop, with 
 an account that you v.-ere let out for Wexford the 
 morning he writ, which was June 26, and he 
 had the letter the 30th ; that was very quick : 
 the bifhop fays, j on dcfign to ftay there two 
 months or mr re. Dilly bad alfo a letter from 
 Tom. AJIjCy full of Irijh nev/s : that your lady 
 Linden is dead, and 1 know not what befides, of 
 Dr. Ccghil * lofing his drab, cifr. The fccretary 
 
 was 
 
 _ • Dr. Marmadukc Ccghil was judge of the preroga- 
 tive court in Ireland. About this time he courted a 
 lady, and was focn to have been married to her ; but 
 
 unfortunately
 
 t 273 ) 
 
 ^is gone to Uliulfor^ and I dined with Mrs. Vart" 
 homrigh. Lord ircafurer is at IVmdj'or too ; they 
 will be going and coming all Summer^ while the 
 queen is there, and the town is empty, and I 
 fear I flial] be fometimes forced to lloop beneath 
 my dignity, and fend to the ale-houfe for a din- 
 ner. Well, firrahs, had you a good journey to 
 iVcx-ford? did you drink ale by the way ? were 
 you never overturned ? how many things did you 
 forget ? do you lie on draw in your new town 
 ■where you are ? Cudflio, the next letter to Prefto 
 will be dated from PVexfsrd. What fine company 
 have you there ? what new acq .ainrance have 
 Vou got? you are to write conllantly to Mrs. 
 "/#^/A and Mrs. St-}pe : and the d.an laid, Sha'l 
 we never hear from you ? Yes, Mr. dean, we'll 
 make bold to trouble you with a letter. Then at 
 Wexford ; when you meet a laJy ; Did your 
 vvateis pafs v/ell this morning, madam? Will 
 Dinghy drink them too ? Yes, I warrant'; to "cc 
 . her a itomach. 1 luppofe you are all yameilers at 
 ' iVexford, Don't Icfe your monev. ^i!•^-;h, far from 
 home. I believe I Ihall go to . in a few 
 
 days ; at leaft, the fecretary tells nic 10. He has 
 a fmall houfe there, with juft room enough for 
 him ar.d me ; and 1 would be fati^lk-d to pafs a 
 
 v.'.ifortunatelv a caufe was brou'cfht to trial before him, 
 v.hercin a man wr'.s i\ie<l for beating his wife. When 
 tiic matier was agliated, the Dodor gave his opinion, 
 'i hat although a man had no x'w\\t to beat his ul;- 
 uriinercifully, yet tliat, with fuch a !' '■ -• 'uh 
 
 as he th'jn liL-ld In his hand, a huil' vrt\, 
 
 jnd was ipvc/cjd with a pov>er, to give his wife mo- 
 derate correttion : which opinion i' . jd the latlv 
 ap-ainil havin^ the doctor. He die. .... ..' its ■! .... : .: 
 
 batciielor, about thirty years a^o. 
 
 Vol.. IV. T few
 
 ( 274 ) 
 
 few days there fometimes, Sirrahs, let me go t!i 
 fleep, 'tis paft tweJve in our town. 
 
 2. Sterne came to me this morning, and telliS 
 me he has yet fome hopes of compafTing his bufi- 
 nefs : he v/as with Tofn. Harky, the fecretary of 
 the treafury, and made him doubt a httle he was 
 in the w;ong ; the poor man tells me, it will al- 
 moil undo him, if he fails. J called this morn- 
 ing to fee fP'i/I. Cc77greve, who lives much by 
 himfelf, is forced to lead for amufem.ent, and can- 
 not do it without a magnifying-glafs. I have fet 
 him. very v/ell with the minillry, and I hope he 
 is in no danger of lofing his place. I dined in 
 the city with Dr. Freir.d, not among my mer- 
 chants, but with a fcrub inflrument of mifchief 
 of mine, whom 1 never mentioned to you, nor 
 am lilce to do. You two little faucy TVexfordians, 
 you are now drinking waters. You drink waters ! 
 you go fiddleilick. Pray God fend them to do 
 you good ; if not, faiih next Summer you fhall 
 come to the Bath. 
 
 3. Lord Peterboroiv defired to fee me this morn- 
 ing at nine ; I had not (^en him before fmce he 
 came home. I met IVIrs. Manley there, who was 
 foliciting him to get fome penfion or reward for 
 her fervice in the caufe, by writing her AtalantiSy 
 and profecution, ^c. upon it. 1 feconded her, 
 and hope they will do fomething for the poor wo- 
 man. My lord kept me two hours upon po- 
 liticks : he comes home very fanguine ; he 
 has certainly done great things at Savoy and 
 Vienna^ by his negotiations : he is violent againfl: 
 a Peace, and finds true what I writ to him. 
 That the miiiiftry fgems for it. Hereafons well ; 
 
 yet
 
 ( 275 ) 
 
 -fet 1 am for a Peace *. I took leave of lady 
 Kcrryy who goes to-morrow for Ireland; fhc picks 
 up lord Shciuurn and Mrs. Pratt at lord Shclimni 
 houfe. I was this evening with lord trcafurcr ; 
 Torn^ Hurhy was there ; and whifpered nw that 
 he began to doubt about Ste'ne's bufinefs ; I told 
 him he would hnd he was in the wronc^. 1 fat 
 two or three hours at lord treafurcr's ; he rallied 
 me fufBciently upon my rcfufing to take him into 
 our C/ub ; told a judge who was with us, that my 
 name was Thomas Swift. I had a mind to pre- 
 vent Sir H. BeUafts going to Spain^ who is a 
 moft covetous curr, and 1 fell a railin'^ a^-ainft 
 avarice, and turned it fo that he fmoakt me, and 
 nameJ Bella/is. I went on, and faid it was a 
 fhamc to fend him, to which he agreed, but dc- 
 fired I would name fomc who underflood bufinefs, 
 and do not love money, for he could not find 
 them. I f^.id, there was fomething in a trcafurcr 
 different from other men ; that we ought not to 
 make a man a bifliop who does not love divinity, 
 or a general who does not love war -, and I won- 
 dered why the queen would make a man lord 
 trcafurcr who does not love money. He was 
 ini'Thtily pleaf^d with what I faid. He was talk- 
 ing of the Firjl-Fiuits of Emland: and I took 
 occafiontotell him, that I would not for a thoufand 
 pounds, any body bat he had got them for Irclmd^ 
 who got them for England too. He bid mc confider 
 what a thoufand pounds was ; I faid, I would have 
 him to know, I valued a thoufand pounds as lit- 
 tle as he valued a million. — Is it n' t filly to write all 
 this ? but it gives you an idea what our converfa- 
 tion is v/ith mixt company. 1 have taken a lodg- 
 
 * Thefe words, written in confK'cncc to Stella, dc- 
 fcrve our notice. * 
 
 T 2 ing
 
 ( 276 ) 
 
 Ing in Suffolk-JIreet, and go to it on Thiirfday ; and 
 dclign to walk the Park and the town to fiipply 
 my walking here : yet I will walk here fometimes 
 too, in a ^i^lt now and then to the dean. \Vhen 
 I was almofl at home, Patrick told me he had 
 two letters for me, and gave them to me in ihe 
 dark, ytt I could fee one of them was frcm fancy 
 AID. 1 went to vifit the dean for half an hour ; 
 and then came home, and firft read the other 
 letter, which was from the bifhop of Clogher, 
 who teils me the archbiiliop of Dublin mentioned 
 jn a full affembly. of the clergy, the queen's 
 granting the FirJi-Fr-uits ; faid it was done by 
 the lord treafurer : and talked much of mv merit 
 in it : but reading your's I find nothing of that : 
 perhaps the bifhop lies, out of a defire to pleafc 
 me. I dined with Mrs. Vanhorarigh, V/el), 
 lirrahs, you are gone to JVexford, but I'll fol- 
 low you. 
 
 4. Sterne came to me again this morning to 
 advife about reafons and memorials he is drawin? 
 up j and we went to town by water together ; and 
 having nothing to do, I dole into the city to an 
 inftrument of mine, and then went to fee poor 
 Patty Rclt^ who has been in town thefe two 
 fcionths v/ith a coufin. of hers, Her life pafles 
 with boarding in fome country town as cheap as 
 file can, and when fhe runs out, lliifting to fome 
 cheaper place, or coming to town for a month. 
 If I were rich I would eafe her, which a little 
 thing would do. Some months ago I fent her a 
 guinea, and it patched up twenty circumftances. 
 She is r.ow going to Bcrkhainjhad in Hcrtfordjljire. 
 It has rained and hailed piodigioufly to day, with 
 fonje thunder. This is the laft night I lie at 
 Chclfca i and I got home early, and fat two hours 
 
 witii
 
 C 277 ) 
 
 with the dean, and cat vltfluals, having h..J a 
 very fcurvy dinner. I'll anlwer your letter v^hcn 
 I come to live in town. You ihrtll have a fine 
 Londm aafwcr : but HrO: i'il go flccp, and dicam 
 of MD. 
 
 London^ July 5. This day I left Chclf.a fur 
 good (that's a genteel phrafc) and am got into 
 Sujffolk-Strtct. 1 dined to-dav at our SjC\t\\ nnd 
 we are adjourned for a month, becaufc moll ot 
 us go into the country : we dined at lord keeper's 
 with young H^rcourt^ and lord keeper was IbrccJ 
 to fneak off, and dine with lord treafurcr, who 
 had invited the fecretary and me to dine witli him ; 
 but we fcorned to leave our company, as Gtorge 
 Granville did, whom we h.^ve threatened to ex- 
 pel : however, in the evening I went to lord 
 treafurer, and, among other company, found a 
 couple of judges v/ith him ; one of them, judge 
 Poiuely an old fellow with gray hairs, was the 
 merrieft old gentleman I ever f.iw, fpoke pleaiant 
 things, and laughed aul chuckled till lie cryeJ 
 again. I ftaid till eleven, becaule I Wjs no: now 
 io walk to Ch^lfea. 
 
 6. An ugly rainy day ; I was to vlfit Mrs. 
 Barton, then called at iX'Irs. Fathomngh's^ where 
 Sir Andrew Fountain and the rain kept me to din- 
 der ;■ and there did I loiter all the afternoon, like 
 a fool, out of perfect lazinefs, and the weather 
 not permitting me to v/alk: but I'll do fo no 
 more. Are your waters at JVexford gnoi in this 
 rain ? I long to hear how you are cftablifh^d 
 there, how and whom you vifit, what is your 
 lode,ing, what are your entertainments. \ ou arc 
 got far fouthwards ; but I think yoii mufl cat no 
 fiult while you diink the waters. I ci lomo 
 
 1' ■J Ktntifn
 
 C 278 ) 
 
 Kcntijh cherries t'other day, and I repent it al- 
 ready ; I have felt my head a little difordered. 
 We had not a hot day all June, or fince, which 
 I reckon a mighty happinefs. Have you left a 
 diredion v/ith Reading for Wexford f 1 will, as I 
 faid, diredl: this to Curry's^ and the next to Read^ 
 ing, or fuppofe [ fend this at a venture ftraight 
 to Wexford? It would vex me to have it mif- 
 carry, I had a letter to-night from Parv'ifol, that 
 White has paid me moft of my remaining money ; 
 and another from Joe, that they have had their 
 eleilion at Trim, but not a word of who is 
 chofen portrieve. Poor jfoe is full or complaints, 
 fays he has enemies, and fears he will never get 
 his two hundred pounds, and I fear fo too, al- 
 though I have done what I could I'll anfwer 
 
 your letter when I think fit, when faucy Pre/?0 
 thinks fit, firrahs, I an't at ieifure yet; when I 
 have nothing to do, perhaps I may vouchfafe. — • 
 
 Lord, the two Wexford ladies j I'll go dream 
 of you both, 
 
 7. It was the difmallefl: rainy day I ever fav/ ; 
 
 1 went to the fecretary in the morning, and he 
 was gone to Windfor. Then it began raining, 
 ■.;nd 1 ftr^ick in to Mrs. Vanhomrigh\^ and dintd, 
 and ftaid till night very dull and inllpid. I hate 
 this town in Summer -y I'll leave it for a while if 
 I can have time. 
 
 8. I have a fellow of your town, one Tifdally 
 lodges in the f^ime houfe with me. Patrick told 
 me, Sqtiire Tfall and his lady lodged here ; I 
 pretended I never heard of him, but I knew his 
 ugly face, and faw him at church in the next 
 pevk^ to me, and he often looked for a bow, but 
 it would not do. I think he lives in Capdfirett^ 
 
 an<^
 
 ( 279 )' 
 
 and has an ugly fine wife in a fine coach. Dr. 
 Fre'ind and 1 dined in the city by invitation, and 
 I drank punch, very good, but it makes mc hot. 
 People here are troubled with agues by this con- 
 tinuance of wet cold weather; but I am l'I.uI to 
 find the f^afon io temperate. I was this evening 
 to fee IPlll. Corgreve, who is a very agreeable 
 companion. 
 
 9. I was to-day in ihe city, and dined with 
 Mr. Stratfivd, who tells mc Sir A'examlcr C.iinus 
 makes diliiculties about paying mv bill, fo that I 
 cannot give order yet to Parvifl to deliver up ths 
 bond !o Dr. Raymond. To -n or row I fliall have 
 a pohtivc anfwer :' that Ca'trnes is a fhufBing f> oun- 
 drfl J and feveral merchants have told rae fo : 
 what can one expecl from a Sect and a fanatick ? 
 I was at Enicina?i^s the bookfcller's, to fee a fins 
 old library he has bought j and my fingers i;tlicJ, 
 as yours would do at a china- fhop j but 1 rclillcd, 
 and found every thing too dear, and I have fooled 
 away too much money that way idready. So go 
 and drink your waters, faucy rogue, and nuke 
 your felf well ; and pray walk while you are 
 there : I have a notion there is never a good walk 
 in Ireland*. Do you find all places without trcs ? 
 Pray obfeive the n^habitants about If\-xf:rd\ th.y 
 are old Enghj}) \ fee what they have particular in 
 their manners, names, and language : magpies 
 have been always there, and no wlicri: clfc in Ire- 
 land "^^ till of late years. They lay the cocks 
 ajid dogs go to ficcp at noon, and fu do the peopL., 
 
 • In Ireland there are not public p.aths from p"a:e to 
 place, as in Enghmd. 
 
 f Ihey are uuw coinmr)n c\cry where. 
 
 T 4 Write
 
 ( 280 ) 
 
 Write your travels, and bring home good eyes- 
 and health. 
 
 10. T dined to-day with lord treafurer : we did 
 rot fit down till four. I difpatched three bufi- 
 rieiTes with him, and forgot a fourth. I think I 
 h-ave got a friend an employment ; and befides I 
 made him confent to let me bring Congreve to 
 dine with him. You muft underftand I have a 
 mind to do a fmall thing, only turn out all the 
 queen's phyficians ; for in my confcience they will 
 foon kill her among them. And I muft talk over 
 that matter with fome people. My lord treafurer 
 told me, the queen and he between them have 
 loft (he paper about the Firji-Fridts j but defires I 
 will let the bifhops know it {hall be done with the 
 firft opportunity. 
 
 11. I dined to-day with neighbour Van, and 
 walkt pretty well in the Park this evening. Stella^ 
 huffy, don't you remember, firrah, you ufed to re- 
 proach me about meddling in other folks affairs. I 
 have enough of it now : two people came to me 
 to-night in the Park to engage to fpeak to lord 
 treafurer in their behalf j and i believe they make 
 up fifty who have afked me the fame favour. I 
 ani hardened, and refolve to trouble him, or any 
 other minifter, lefs than ever. And I obferve 
 thofe who have ten times more credit than I, 
 will not fpeak a word for any body. I met yefter- 
 day the poor lad I told you of, who lived with 
 Mr. Tin-fan, who has been ill of an ague ever 
 lince I favv him. He lookt wretchedly, and was 
 exceeding thankful for half a crown I gave him. 
 He had a crown from me before. 
 
 12. I 
 
 8
 
 ( 28l ) 
 
 12. -I dined to-day with young Munir/ in ths 
 city, who is to get me out a box of books and a 
 hamper of wine from Hamburgh. I enquired of 
 Mr. Stratford, who tells mc that Ca'tmes has not 
 yet paid my two hundred pounds, hut fliams aod 
 delays from day to day. Young Manley\ wife i» 
 a very indifferent pcrfon of a y.iuijg woman, gojr- 
 gle eyed, and locks like a fool : yet he is a h.. ' 
 lome fellow, and married her for love at'ccr ! 
 courtlhip, and fhe refufed him until he got i. 
 
 laft employment. 1 believe I fhall n .t be fo 
 
 good a biiy for writing as I was, during your flay 
 at IVcxfordy unlcfs 1 may fend mv letters cvciy 
 fecond time to Curry ^ ; pray, let mc know. Thi-, 
 1 think, fhall go there, or why not to Wc: 
 itfelf ? That's right, and fo it fhall this ncAt 
 V^uefday^ although it cofts you ten pence. Wluc 
 care 1 ? 
 
 13. This toad of a fecrctary is come from 
 JVindfor, and I can't find him ; and he goes back 
 on Snndav, and I can't fe him to morrow. I 
 dined fcurvily to-day with Mr. Leivis and a pnr- 
 fon J and then went to fee lord trcnfurer, and mtt 
 him coming from his houfe in h;s coach : he 
 fmiled, and I flirugged, and we fmoakt er'ch 
 other ; and fo my viilt is paid. I now co4il:r.c 
 myfelf to fee him only twice a week : he has invited 
 me to IVindfor^ and betwixt two ftools, l^c. I'll 
 go live at IVindfor, if pofl-blc, that's pprzz. I 
 have always tlie luc!: to pals my Sumtricr in Lok- 
 don. \ called this evening to fee ponr Sir ALitlbcw 
 Dudley, a commiirionfr of thv ciiftoms ; I know 
 he is to be out fcr certain : he is in hopes of con- 
 tinuing: 1 would not tell him Vuv\ news, but ad- 
 vifed him to prepare for the w»»rlK I'lUy was 
 with me this morning, to invite mc to dine at 
 
 i>.i.
 
 ' 7 2S2 ) 
 
 IKevfmgton en Sunday with lord Moimtjoyy vjho goes 
 foon for Ireland. Your late chief juftice Broderick 
 as here, and they fay violent as a tiger. How is 
 party among you at Wexfcrd? Are the majority 
 of Jadies for the late or prefent miniftry ? Write 
 me JVtxford news, and love Prtjlo, bccaufe he's 
 a good boy. 
 
 14. Although it was {Laving- day I walkt, to 
 Chelfca, and was there by nine this morning; and 
 the dean of Carlijle and I croft the water to Bai- 
 ierfea^ and went in his chariot to Greemuich, where 
 Vit dined at Dr. GaJireWs, and pafied the after- 
 noon at LewJ})am, at the dean of Canterbury^ ; 
 and there 1 faw Alcil Stanhope^ who is grown 
 monflioufly tall, but not fo handfome as formerly. 
 It is the firft little rambling journey I have had 
 this Suinmer about Louden^ and they are the agree- 
 ableft paftimes one can have, in a friend's coach, 
 and to good company. Bank ftock is fallen three 
 or four^^r cent, by tiie whifpers about the town of 
 the queen's being illj who is however very well. 
 
 15. How many books have you carried with 
 you to IFexfcrdt' What, not one fingle book? 
 Oh, but your time will be fo taken up; and you 
 can borrov/ of the parf^n. 1 dined to-d:iy with 
 Sir Andrezo Fcunta'm and Diiy at Kcnfmgton with 
 lord Mounijoy ; and in the afternoon Stratford c2Lm& 
 there, and told me my two hundred pounds was 
 paid at laft ; fo that buiincfs is over, and I am at 
 cafe about it: and I v/ifh all your nioney v/as in 
 the bank too. I'll have my t'other hundred 
 pounds there, that is in Hawkjhaijus hands. Have 
 you had the intereft of it paid yet ? I ordered Par- 
 •uifol to do it. What makes Prcjio write fo 
 crooked r I'll ar.fvver your letter to-morrow, and 
 
 fend
 
 ( 2^3 ) 
 
 fend it on Tusfday. Here's hot weather come 
 again, ycfterday and to-day ; fine drinking waters 
 now. Wc had a fad pert dull parfon at Kenftng- 
 ion to-day. I almo{l repent my coming to town ; 
 I want the walks I had. 
 
 16. I dined in the city to-day with a hedge 
 acquaintance, and the day pafll-d without any 
 confequcncc. I'll anlwcr your letter to-morrow. 
 
 17. Morning. I have put your letter before 
 me, and am g'^ing to anfwer it. Hi Id your 
 tongue: ftand bv. Your weather ard ours were 
 not alike ; we hiid net a bit ()f hot weather in 
 yime, yet you complain of it on the 19th day. 
 What, you ufed to love hot weather then ? I 
 could never endure it : I deleft and abominate it. 
 I would not live in a hot country to be king of it.- 
 What a fplutter you keep iibout my bonds with 
 Raytncnd^ and all to affront Pre/lo ? Pr.jlo will be 
 fufpicious of every thing but MDn^ in fpi^lit of 
 your little nofe. Soft rnd fair, madam Stdit^ 
 how you gailop away in vour fplecn and your 
 rage about repenting my journey, and prclermcnt 
 here, and fix-pence a dozen, and nafty England^ 
 and Lamcor all my life. Hey dazy, will you 
 never have done ? I had no oft'ers of any living. 
 Lord keeper told mc feme months ago, h? would 
 give m,c one when I pleafcd ; but I told him, I 
 would not take any from him : and the ft-crrtary 
 told IPC t'other day, he had rcfufcd a very [mioJ 
 one for me ; but it was in a place he did not like ; 
 and I know nothinii of gcttinir any thinz here, 
 and, if thev wou'd tiive m.c leave, i would come 
 over juft now. JMfon, I hear, has changed his 
 mind about going over; but I have not fcen him 
 theie four months. O aye, that's truo, Di"£lfy ; 
 
 iha
 
 that's like herfelf : millions of buflnefles to do be^ 
 fore fhe goes. Yes, my' head has been pretty 
 well, bu: threatening within thefe two or three 
 days, which I impute to fome fruit I ate j but I 
 will eat no more : not a bit of any fort. I fup- 
 pofe you had a journey without dud, and that 
 was happy. I long for a Wexford letter ; but 
 muft net think of it yet: your laft was finiflied 
 but three weeks ago. It is d — d news you tell 
 ine of Mrs. F — — ; it makes me love England 
 lefs a great deal. I know nothing of the trunk 
 being left or taken ; fo 'tis odd enough, if the 
 things in it were mine; and I think I was told 
 that there are fome things for me, that my mother 
 Jeft particularly to m.e. I am really ferry for — — j 
 
 that fcoujidrel will have his eftate after his 
 
 mother's death. Let me knov/ if Mrs. IValls has 
 got her tea : I hope Richard/on (laid in Dublin till 
 it came. Mrs. JFalls needed not have .that blemidji 
 in her eye; for I am not in love with her at all. 
 No, I don't like any thing in the Examiner after ^ 
 the 45th, except the firft part of the 46th ; all the 
 reft is trafh ; and if you like them, efpecially the 
 47th, your judgment is fpoiled by ill company 
 and want of reading ; Vv^hich I am more forry for 
 than you think : and I have fpent fourteen years 
 jri improving you to little purpofe. {M-V. Tooke is 
 come here, and I muH: flop.) — At night. I dined 
 with lo.'-d treafurer to-day, and he kept me till 
 nine ; fo I cannot feni this to-night, as I intended, 
 nor write fome other letters. Grecn^ his furgeon, 
 was there, and drcfled his breaft ; that is, put on 
 a plaifter, which is ftill requifite : and I took an 
 opportunity to fpeak to him of the queen ; but he 
 cut me ihort with this faying, Lai (feT. fair e a Dan 
 Antoine ; which is a French proverb, exprciling. 
 Leave that to me. I find he is againft her taking 
 
 much.
 
 ( ^Ss ) 
 
 Siiuch phyfick ; and I doubt he cannot pcrfua^tf 
 her to take Dr. tiadcHjfe. However, Ihc is very 
 well now, and all the itory of her illncfs, except 
 the firft day or two, was a lie. We had lorn-:: 
 bufinefs, that company hindered us from doi,;.-, 
 though he is earneft for it, yet would not ap- 
 point me a certain day, but bids mc come at all 
 times till we can have leii'ure. This takes up a 
 great deal cf my time, and I can do nothin:^ I 
 would do for them. I was with the fecretary this 
 morning, and we both think to go to Jy'inJf.r for 
 fome days, to difpatch an affair, if we c;in have 
 leifure. Sterne met me jufl novy in the ilrcct by 
 his lodgings, and I went in for an hour to Jemmy 
 Leigh, who loves London dearly : he afktd jifter 
 
 you with great refpecl and friendfliip. To 
 
 return to your letter. Your biiliop M'lUi hates 
 jne mortally : I wonder he fhould fpeak well of 
 me, having abufed me in all places where he went. 
 So you pay your way. Cudfho : you had a fine 
 fupper, I warrant ; two pullets, and a bottle of 
 wine, and fome cuiTants. — It is jufl three- weeks 
 to-day fmcc you fet out to Wexford \ you were 
 three days going, and I don't expedl a letter thcfe 
 ten days yet, or rather this fortnight. I got a 
 grant of the Gazette for Bet: TcoJ-.e this morning 
 from Mr. fecretary : it will be worth him a hun- 
 dred pounds a year. 
 
 1 8. To-day I took leave of Mrs. Baricu^ whr> 
 is going into the country ; and I dined with Sir 
 John Stanley, where I have not been 'this great 
 while. There dined with us lord Rochcjler, and 
 h:s fine daughter, lady y^w, juft grovvin- ' » 
 toail. 1 have been endeavouring to lave : 
 theiv Dudley, but fear I cannot. I w.ilk't the ./ 'ail 
 fix times to-night for excrcif.-, and \vou!d h.u'c 
 
 dons
 
 ( 2iS6 J 
 
 <J»nc more ; but as empty as the t©"wn Is, a (otA 
 got hold of me, and fo I came home, to tell you 
 this lliaii go to-morrow, without fail, and follow 
 you to IFcxford, like a dog. 
 
 19. Dean Atterhury fent to me to dine with 
 him at Ckcljea : I rcfufed his coach, and v/alkt, 
 and am come back by feven, becaufe I would 
 finifli this letter, and feme others I am writing. 
 Patrick tells me, the maid fays one Mr. Walh^ a 
 clergyman, a tall man, was here to vifit me. Is 
 it your Jufl) archdeacon ? I fhall be forry for it j 
 but I foall make fliift to fee him feldom enough, 
 as I AoDilly. What can he do here? or is it 
 fomebody elfe ? The duke of Newca/ile is dead by 
 the fall he had from his horfe. God fend poor 
 Stella her health, and keep Afi) happy. Farewel, 
 and love PrcJIoj who loves MD above all things 
 ten million of times, God biefs the dear TVeX" 
 Jerd girls. Farewel again, ^'c. &c. 
 
 The End of the Fourth Vclum£,
 
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