LETTER 31.
LONDON, Sept. 25, 1711.
I dined in the City to-day, and at my return I put my 30th into the post-
office; and when I got home I found for me one of the noblest letters I ever
read: it was from ----, three sides and a half in folio, on a large sheet of
paper; the two first pages made up of satire upon London, and crowds and
hurry, stolen from some of his own schoolboy's exercises: the side and a half
remaining is spent in desiring me to recommend Mrs. South, your Commissioner's
widow,[1] to my Lord Treasurer for a pension. He is the prettiest,
discreetest fellow that ever my eyes beheld, or that ever dipped pen into ink.
I know not what to say to him. A pox on him, I have too many such customers
on this side already. I think I will send him word that I never saw my Lord
Treasurer in my life: I am sure I industriously avoided the name of any great
person when I saw him, for fear of his reporting it in Ireland. And this
recommendation must be a secret too, for fear the Duke of Bolton[2] should
know it, and think it was too mean. I never read so d----d a letter in my
life: a little would make me send it over to you.--I must send you a pattern,
the first place I cast my eyes on, I will not pick and choose. IN THIS PLACE
(meaning the Exchange in London), WHICH IS THE COMPENDIUM OF OLD TROYNOVANT,
AS THAT IS OF THE WHOLE BUSY WORLD, I GOT SUCH A SURFEIT, THAT I GREW SICK OF
MANKIND, AND RESOLVED FOR EVER AFTER TO BURY MYSELF IN THE SHADY RETREAT OF --
---. You must know that London has been called by some Troynovant, or New
Troy. Will you have any more? Yes, one little bit for Stella, because she'll
be fond of it. This wondrous theatre (meaning London) was no more to me than
a desert, and I should less complain of solitude in a Connaught shipwreck, or
even the great bog of Allen. A little scrap for Mrs. Marget,[3] and then I
have done. THEIR ROYAL FANUM, WHEREIN THE IDOL PECUNIA IS DAILY WORSHIPPED,
SEEMED TO ME TO BE JUST LIKE A HIVE OF BEES WORKING AND LABOURING UNDER HUGE
WEIGHTS OF CARES. Fanum is a temple, but he means the Exchange; and Pecunia
is money: so now Mrs. Marget will understand her part. One more paragraph,
and I-- Well, come, don't be in such a rage, you shall have no more. Pray,
Stella, be satisfied; 'tis very pretty: and that I must be acquainted with
such a dog as this!--Our peace goes on fast. Prior was with the Secretary two
hours this morning: I was there a little after he went away, and was told it.
I believe he will soon be despatched again to France; and I will put somebody
to write an account of his second journey: I hope you have seen the other.
This latter has taken up my time with storming at it.
26. Bernage has been with me these two days; yesterday I sent for him to let
him know that Dr. Arbuthnot is putting in strongly to have his brother made a
captain over Bernage's[4] head. Arbuthnot's brother is but an ensign, but the
Doctor has great power with the Queen: yet he told me he would not do
anything hard to a gentleman who is my friend; and I have engaged the
Secretary and his Colonel[5] for him. To-day he told me very melancholy, that
the other had written from Windsor (where he went to solicit) that he has got
the company; and Bernage is full of the spleen. I made the Secretary write
yesterday a letter to the Colonel in Bernage's behalf. I hope it will do yet;
and I have written to Dr. Arbuthnot to Windsor, not to insist on doing such a
hardship. I dined in the City at Pontack's, with Stratford; it cost me seven
shillings: he would have treated, but I did not let him. I have removed my
money from the Bank to another fund. I desire Parvisol may speak to Hawkshaw
to pay in my money when he can, for I will put it in the funds; and, in the
meantime, borrow so much of Mr. Secretary, who offers to lend it me. Go to
the Dean's, sirrahs.
27. Bernage was with me again to-day, and is in great fear, and so was I; but
this afternoon, at Lord Treasurer's, where I dined, my brother, George
Granville, Secretary at War, after keeping me a while in suspense, told me
that Dr. Arbuthnot had waived the business, because he would not wrong a
friend of mine; that his brother is to be a lieutenant, and Bernage is made a
captain. I called at his lodging, and the soldier's coffee-house, to put him
out of pain, but cannot find him; so I have left word, and shall see him to-
morrow morning, I suppose. Bernage is now easy; he has ten shillings a day,
beside lawful cheating. However, he gives a private sum to his Colonel, but
it is very cheap: his Colonel loves him well, but is surprised to see him
have so many friends. So he is now quite off my hands. I left the company
early to-night, at Lord Treasurer's; but the Secretary followed me, to desire
I would go with him to W--. Mr. Lewis's man came in before I could finish
that word beginning with a W, which ought to be Windsor, and brought me a very
handsome rallying letter from Dr. Arbuthnot, to tell me he had, in compliance
to me, given up his brother's pretensions in favour of Bernage, this very
morning; that the Queen had spoken to Mr. Granville to make the company easy
in the other's having the captainship. Whether they have done it to oblige me
or no, I must own it so. He says he this very morning begged Her Majesty to
give Mr. Bernage the company. I am mighty well pleased to have succeeded so
well; but you will think me tedious, although you like the man, as I think.
Windsor, 28. I came here a day sooner than ordinary, at Mr. Secretary's
desire, and supped with him and Prior, and two private Ministers from France,
and a French priest.[6] I know not the two Ministers' names; but they are
come about the peace. The names the Secretary called them, I suppose, were
feigned; they were good rational men. We have already settled all things with
France, and very much to the honour and advantage of England; and the Queen is
in mighty good humour. All this news is a mighty secret; the people in
general know that a peace is forwarding. The Earl of Strafford[7] is to go
soon to Holland, and let them know what we have been doing: and then there
will be the devil and all to pay; but we'll make them swallow it with a pox.
The French Ministers stayed with us till one, and the Secretary and I sat up
talking till two; so you will own 'tis late, sirrahs, and time for your little
saucy Presto to go to bed and sleep adazy; and God bless poor little MD: I
hope they are now fast asleep, and dreaming of Presto.
29. Lord Treasurer came to-night, as usual, at half an hour after eight, as
dark as pitch. I am weary of chiding him; so I commended him for observing
his friend's advice, and coming so early, etc. I was two hours with Lady
Oglethorpe[8] to-night, and then supped with Lord Treasurer, after dining at
the Green Cloth: I stayed till two; this is the effect of Lord Treasurer's
being here; I must sup with him; and he keeps cursed hours. Lord Keeper and
the Secretary were absent; they cannot sit up with him. This long sitting up
makes the periods in my letters so short. I design to stay here all the next
week, to be at leisure by myself, to finish something of weight I have upon my
hands, and which must soon be done. I shall then think of returning to
Ireland, if these people will let me; and I know nothing else they have for me
to do. I gave Dr. Arbuthnot my thanks for his kindness to Bernage, whose
commission is now signed. Methinks I long to know something of Stella's
health, how it continues after Wexford waters.
30. The Queen was not at chapel to-day, and all for the better, for we had a
dunce to preach: she has a little of the gout. I dined with my brother
Masham, and a moderate company, and would not go to Lord Treasurer's till
after supper at eleven o'clock, and pretended I had mistaken the hour; so I
ate nothing: and a little after twelve the company broke up, the Keeper and
Secretary refusing to stay; so I saved this night's debauch. Prior went away
yesterday with his Frenchmen, and a thousand reports are raised in this town.
Some said they knew one to be the Abbe de Polignac: others swore it was the
Abbe du Bois. The Whigs are in a rage about the peace; but we'll wherret[9]
them, I warrant, boys. Go, go, go to the Dean's and don't mind politics,
young women, they are not good after the waters; they are stark naught: they
strike up into the head. Go, get two black aces, and fish for a manilio.
Oct. 1. Sir John Walter,[10] an honest drunken fellow, is now in waiting, and
invited me to the Green Cloth to-day, that he might not be behindhand with
Colonel Godfrey, who is a Whig. I was engaged to the Mayor's feast with Mr.
Masham; but waiting to take leave of Lord Treasurer, I came too late, and so
returned sneaking to the Green Cloth, and did not see my Lord Treasurer
neither; but was resolved not to lose two dinners for him. I took leave to-
day of my friend and solicitor Lord Rivers, who is commanded by the Queen to
set out for Hanover on Thursday. The Secretary does not go to town till to-
morrow; he and I, and two friends more, drank a sober bottle of wine here at
home, and parted at twelve; he goes by seven to-morrow morning, so I shall not
see him. I have power over his cellar in his absence, and make little use of
it. Lord Dartmouth and my friend Lewis stay here this week; but I can never
work out a dinner from Dartmouth. Masham has promised to provide for me: I
squired his lady out of her chaise to-day, and must visit her in a day or two.
So you have had a long fit of the finest weather in the world; but I am every
day in pain that it will go off. I have done no business to-day; I am very
idle.
2. My friend Lewis and I, to avoid over much eating and great tables, dined
with honest Jemmy Eckershall,[11] Clerk of the Kitchen, now in waiting, and I
bespoke my dinner: but the cur had your acquaintance Lovet, the gentleman
porter, to be our company. Lovet, towards the end of dinner, after twenty
wrigglings, said he had the honour to see me formerly at Moor Park, and
thought he remembered my face. I said I thought I remembered him, and was
glad to see him, etc., and I escaped for that much, for he was very pert. It
has rained all this day, and I doubt our good weather is gone. I have been
very idle this afternoon, playing at twelvepenny picquet with Lewis: I won
seven shillings, which is the only money I won this year: I have not played
above four times, and I think always at Windsor. Cards are very dear: there
is a duty on them of sixpence a pack, which spoils small gamesters.
3. Mr. Masham sent this morning to desire I would ride out with him, the
weather growing again very fine. I was very busy, and sent my excuses; but
desired he would provide me a dinner. I dined with him, his lady, and her
sister, Mrs. Hill, who invites us to-morrow to dine with her, and we are to
ride out in the morning. I sat with Lady Oglethorpe till eight this evening,
then was going home to write; looked about for the woman that keeps the key of
the house: she told me Patrick had it. I cooled my heels in the cloisters
till nine, then went in to the music-meeting, where I had been often desired
to go; but was weary in half an hour of their fine stuff, and stole out so
privately that everybody saw me; and cooled my heels in the cloisters again
till after ten: then came in Patrick. I went up, shut the chamber door, and
gave him two or three swinging cuffs on the ear, and I have strained the thumb
of my left hand with pulling him, which I did not feel until he was gone. He
was plaguily afraid and humbled.
4. It was the finest day in the world, and we got out before eleven, a noble
caravan of us. The Duchess of Shrewsbury in her own chaise with one horse,
and Miss Touchet[12] with her, Mrs. Masham and Mrs. Scarborow, one of the
dressers, in one of the Queen's chaises; Miss Forester and Miss Scarborow,[13]
two maids of honour, and Mrs. Hill on horseback. The Duke of Shrewsbury, Mr.
Masham, George Fielding,[14] Arbuthnot, and I, on horseback too. Mrs. Hill's
horse was hired for Miss Scarborow, but she took it in civility; her own horse
was galled and could not be rid, but kicked and winced: the hired horse was
not worth eighteenpence. I borrowed coat, boots, and horse, and in short we
had all the difficulties, and more than we used to have in making a party from
Trim to Longfield's.[15] My coat was light camlet, faced with red velvet, and
silver buttons. We rode in the great park and the forest about a dozen miles,
and the Duchess and I had much conversation: we got home by two, and Mr.
Masham, his lady, Arbuthnot and I, dined with Mrs. Hill. Arbuthnot made us
all melancholy, by some symptoms of bloody u---e: he expects a cruel fit of
the stone in twelve hours; he says he is never mistaken, and he appears like a
man that was to be racked to-morrow. I cannot but hope it will not be so bad;
he is a perfectly honest man, and one I have much obligation to. It rained a
little this afternoon, and grew fair again. Lady Oglethorpe sent to speak to
me, and it was to let me know that Lady Rochester[16] desires she and I may be
better acquainted. 'Tis a little too late; for I am not now in love with Lady
Rochester: they shame me out of her, because she is old. Arbuthnot says he
hopes my strained thumb is not the gout; for he has often found people so
mistaken. I do not remember the particular thing that gave it me, only I had
it just after beating Patrick, and now it is better; so I believe he is
mistaken.
5. The Duchess of Shrewsbury sent to invite me to dinner; but I was abroad
last night when her servant came, and this morning I sent my excuses, because
I was engaged, which I was sorry for. Mrs. Forester taxed me yesterday about
the History of the Maids of Honour;[17] but I told her fairly it was no jest
of mine; for I found they did not relish it altogether well; and I have enough
already of a quarrel with that brute Sir John Walter, who has been railing at
me in all companies ever since I dined with him; that I abused the Queen's
meat and drink, and said nothing at the table was good, and all a d----d lie;
for after dinner, commending the wine, I said I thought it was something
small. You would wonder how all my friends laugh at this quarrel. It will be
such a jest for the Keeper, Treasurer, and Secretary.--I dined with honest
Colonel Godfrey, took a good walk of an hour on the terrace, and then came up
to study; but it grows bloody cold, and I have no waistcoat here.
6. I never dined with the chaplains till to-day; but my friend Gastrell and
the Dean of Rochester[18] had often invited me, and I happened to be
disengaged: it is the worst provided table at Court. We ate on pewter:
every chaplain, when he is made a dean, gives a piece of plate, and so they
have got a little, some of it very old. One who was made Dean of Peterborough
(a small deanery) said he would give no plate; he was only Dean of
Pewterborough. The news of Mr. Hill's miscarriage in his expedition[19] came
to-day, and I went to visit Mrs. Masham and Mrs. Hill, his two sisters, to
condole with them. I advised them by all means to go to the music-meeting to-
night, to show they were not cast down, etc., and they thought my advice was
right, and went. I doubt Mr. Hill and his admiral made wrong steps; however,
we lay it all to a storm, etc. I sat with the Secretary at supper; then we
both went to Lord Treasurer's supper, and sat till twelve. The Secretary is
much mortified about Hill, because this expedition was of his contriving, and
he counted much upon it; but Lord Treasurer was just as merry as usual, and
old laughing at Sir John Walter and me falling out. I said nothing grieved me
but that they would take example, and perhaps presume upon it, and get out of
my government; but that I thought I was not obliged to govern bears, though I
governed men. They promise to be as obedient as ever, and so we laughed; and
so I go to bed; for it is colder still, and you have a fire now, and are at
cards at home.
7. Lord Harley and I dined privately to-day with Mrs. Masham and Mrs. Hill,
and my brother Masham. I saw Lord Halifax at Court, and we joined and talked;
and the Duchess of Shrewsbury came up and reproached me for not dining with
her. I said that was not so soon done, for I expected more advances from
ladies, especially duchesses: she promised to comply with any demands I
pleased; and I agreed to dine with her to-morrow, if I did not go to London
too soon, as I believe I shall before dinner. Lady Oglethorpe brought me and
the Duchess of Hamilton[20] together to-day in the drawing-room, and I have
given her some encouragement, but not much. Everybody has been teasing
Walter. He told Lord Treasurer that he took his company from him that were to
dine with him: my lord said, "I will send you Dr. Swift:" Lord Keeper bid
him take care what he did; "for," said he, "Dr. Swift is not only all our
favourite, but our governor." The old company supped with Lord Treasurer, and
got away by twelve.
London, 8. I believe I shall go no more to Windsor, for we expect the Queen
will come in ten days to Hampton Court. It was frost last night, and cruel
cold to-day. I could not dine with the Duchess, for I left Windsor half an
hour after one with Lord Treasurer, and we called at Kensington, where Mrs.
Masham was got to see her children for two days. I dined, or rather supped,
with Lord Treasurer, and stayed till after ten. Tisdall[21] and his family
are gone from hence, upon some wrangle with the family. Yesterday I had two
letters brought me to Mr. Masham's; one from Ford, and t'other from our little
MD, N.21. I would not tell you till to-day, because I would not. I won't
answer it till the next, because I have slipped two days by being at Windsor,
which I must recover here. Well, sirrahs, I must go to sleep. The roads were
as dry as at midsummer to-day. This letter shall go to-morrow.
9. Morning. It rains hard this morning. I suppose our fair weather is now
at an end. I think I'll put on my waistcoat to-day: shall I? Well, I will
then, to please MD. I think of dining at home to-day upon a chop and a pot.
The town continues yet very thin. Lord Strafford is gone to Holland, to tell
them what we have done here toward a peace. We shall soon hear what the Dutch
say, and how they take it. My humble service to Mrs. Walls, Mrs. Stoyte, and
Catherine.--Morrow, dearest sirrahs, and farewell; and God Almighty bless MD,
poor little dear MD, for so I mean, and Presto too. I'll write to you again
to-night, that is, I'll begin my next letter. Farewell, etc.
This little bit belongs to MD; we must always write on the margin:[22] you
are saucy rogues.
