LETTER 38.
LONDON, Dec. 29, 1711.
I put my letter in this evening, after coming from dinner at Ned Southwell's,
where I drank very good Irish wine, and we are in great joy at this happy turn
of affairs. The Queen has been at last persuaded to her own interest and
security, and I freely think she must have made both herself and kingdom very
unhappy, if she had done otherwise. It is still a mighty secret that Masham
is to be one of the new lords; they say he does not yet know it himself; but
the Queen is to surprise him with it. Mr. Secretary will be a lord at the end
of the session; but they want him still in Parliament. After all, it is a
strange unhappy necessity of making so many peers together; but the Queen has
drawn it upon herself, by her confounded trimming and moderation. Three, as I
told you, are of our Society.
30. I writ the Dean and you a lie yesterday; for the Duke of Somerset is not
yet turned out. I was to-day at Court, and resolved to be very civil to the
Whigs; but saw few there. When I was in the bed-chamber talking to Lord
Rochester, he went up to Lady Burlington,[1] who asked him who I was; and Lady
Sunderland and she whispered about me: I desired Lord Rochester to tell Lady
Sunderland I doubted she was not as much in love with me as I was with her;
but he would not deliver my message. The Duchess of Shrewsbury came running
up to me, and clapped her fan up to hide us from the company, and we gave one
another joy of this change; but sighed when we reflected on the Somerset
family not being out. The Secretary and I, and brother Bathurst, and Lord
Windsor, dined with the Duke of Ormond. Bathurst and Windsor[2] are to be two
of the new lords. I desired my Lord Radnor's brother,[3] at Court to-day, to
let my lord know I would call on him at six, which I did, and was arguing with
him three hours to bring him over to us, and I spoke so closely that I believe
he will be tractable; but he is a scoundrel, and though I said I only talked
for my love to him, I told a lie; for I did not care if he were hanged: but
everyone gained over is of consequence. The Duke of Marlborough was at Court
today, and nobody hardly took notice of him. Masham's being a lord begins to
take wind: nothing at Court can be kept a secret. Wednesday will be a great
day: you shall know more.
31. Our frost is broken since yesterday, and it is very slabbery;[4] yet I
walked to the City and dined, and ordered some things with the printer. I
have settled Dr. King in the Gazette; it will be worth two hundred pounds a
year to him. Our new lords' patents are passed: I don't like the expedient,
if we could have found any other. I see I have said this before. I hear the
Duke of Marlborough is turned out of all his employments: I shall know to-
morrow when I am to carry Dr. King to dine with the Secretary.--These are
strong remedies; pray God the patient is able to bear them. The last Ministry
people are utterly desperate.
Jan. 1. Now I wish my dearest little MD many happy new years; yes, both
Dingley and Stella, ay and Presto too, many happy new years. I dined with the
Secretary, and it is true that the Duke of Marlborough is turned out of all.
The Duke of Ormond has got his regiment of foot-guards, I know not who has the
rest. If the Ministry be not sure of a peace, I shall wonder at this step, and
do not approve it at best. The Queen and Lord Treasurer mortally hate the Duke
of Marlborough, and to that he owes his fall, more than to his other faults:
unless he has been tampering too far with his party, of which I have not heard
any particulars; however it be, the world abroad will blame us. I confess my
belief that he has not one good quality in the world beside that of a general,
and even that I have heard denied by several great soldiers. But we have had
constant success in arms while he commanded. Opinion is a mighty matter in
war, and I doubt the French think it impossible to conquer an army that he
leads, and our soldiers think the same; and how far even this step may
encourage the French to play tricks with us, no man knows. I do not love to
see personal resentment mix with public affairs.
2. This being the day the Lords meet, and the new peers to be introduced, I
went to Westminster to see the sight; but the crowd was too great in the
house. So I only went into the robing-room, to give my four brothers joy, and
Sir Thomas Mansel,[5] and Lord Windsor; the other six I am not acquainted
with. It was apprehended the Whigs would have raised some difficulties, but
nothing happened. I went to see Lady Masham at noon, and wish her joy of her
new honour, and a happy new year. I found her very well pleased; for peerage
will be some sort of protection to her upon any turn of affairs. She engaged
me to come at night, and sup with her and Lord Treasurer: I went at nine, and
she was not at home, so I would not stay.--No, no, I won't answer your letter
yet, young women. I dined with a friend in the neighbourhood. I see nothing
here like Christmas, except brawn or mince-pies in places where I dine, and
giving away my half-crowns like farthings to great men's porters and butlers.
Yesterday I paid seven good guineas to the fellow at the tavern where I
treated the Society. I have a great mind to send you the bill. I think I
told you some articles. I have not heard whether anything was done in the
House of Lords after introducing the new ones. Ford has been sitting with me
till peeast tweeleve a clock.
3. This was our Society day: Lord Dupplin was President; we choose every
week; the last President treats and chooses his successor. I believe our
dinner cost fifteen pounds beside wine. The Secretary grew brisk, and would
not let me go, nor Lord Lansdowne,[6] who would fain have gone home to his
lady, being newly married to Lady Mary Thynne. It was near one when we
parted, so you must think I cannot write much to-night. The adjourning of the
House of Lords yesterday, as the Queen desired, was just carried by the twelve
new lords, and one more. Lord Radnor was not there: I hope I have cured him.
Did I tell you that I have brought Dr. King in to be Gazetteer? It will be
worth above two hundred pounds a year to him: I believe I told you so before,
but I am forgetful. Go, get you gone to ombre, and claret, and toasted
oranges. I'll go sleep.
4. I cannot get rid of the leavings of my cold. I was in the City to-day,
and dined with my printer, and gave him a ballad made by several hands, I know
not whom. I believe Lord Treasurer had a finger in it; I added three stanzas;
I suppose Dr. Arbuthnot had the greatest share. I had been overseeing some
other little prints, and a pamphlet made by one of my under-strappers.
Somerset is not out yet. I doubt not but you will have the Prophecy in
Ireland, although it is not published here, only printed copies given to
friends. Tell me, do you understand it? No, faith, not without help. Tell
me what you stick at, and I'll explain. We turned out a member of our Society
yesterday for gross neglect and non-attendance. I writ to him by order to
give him notice of it. It is Tom Harley,[7] secretary to the Treasurer, and
cousin-german to Lord Treasurer. He is going to Hanover from the Queen. I am
to give the Duke of Ormond notice of his election as soon as I can see him.
5. I went this morning with a parishioner of mine, one Nuttal, who came over
here for a legacy of one hundred pounds, and a roguish lawyer had refused to
pay him, and would not believe he was the man. I writ to the lawyer a sharp
letter, that I had taken Nuttal into my protection, and was resolved to stand
by him, and the next news was, that the lawyer desired I would meet him, and
attest he was the man, which I did, and his money was paid upon the spot. I
then visited Lord Treasurer, who is now right again, and all well, only that
the Somerset family is not out yet. I hate that; I don't like it, as the man
said, by, etc. Then I went and visited poor Will Congreve, who had a French
fellow tampering with one of his eyes; he is almost blind of both. I dined
with some merchants in the City, but could not see Stratford, with whom I had
business. Presto, leave off your impertinence, and answer our letter, saith
MD. Yes, yes, one of these days, when I have nothing else to do. O, faith,
this letter is a week written, and not one side done yet. These ugly spots are
not tobacco, but this is the last gilt sheet I have of large paper, therefore
hold your tongue. Nuttal was surprised when they gave him bits of paper
instead of money, but I made Ben Tooke put him in his geers:[8] he could not
reckon ten pounds, but was puzzled with the Irish way. Ben Tooke and my
printer have desired me to make them stationers to the Ordnance, of which Lord
Rivers is Master, instead of the Duke of Marlborough. It will be a hundred
pounds a year apiece to them, if I can get it. I will try to-morrow.
6. I went this morning to Earl Rivers, gave him joy of his new employment,
and desired him to prefer my printer and bookseller to be stationers to his
office. He immediately granted it me; but, like an old courtier, told me it
was wholly on my account, but that he heard I had intended to engage Mr.
Secretary to speak to him, and desired I would engage him to do so, but that,
however, he did it only for my sake. This is a Court trick, to oblige as many
as you can at once. I read prayers to poor Mrs. Wesley, who is very much out
of order, instead of going to church; and then I went to Court, which I found
very full, in expectation of seeing Prince Eugene, who landed last night, and
lies at Leicester House; he was not to see the Queen till six this evening. I
hope and believe he comes too late to do the Whigs any good. I refused dining
with the Secretary, and was like to lose my dinner, which was at a private
acquaintance's. I went at six to see the Prince at Court, but he was gone in
to the Queen; and when he came out, Mr. Secretary, who introduced him, walked
so near him that he quite screened me from him with his great periwig. I'll
tell you a good passage: as Prince Eugene was going with Mr. Secretary to
Court, he told the Secretary that Hoffman, the Emperor's Resident, said to His
Highness that it was not proper to go to Court without a long wig, and his was
a tied-up one: "Now," says the Prince, "I knew not what to do, for I never
had a long periwig in my life; and I have sent to all my valets and footmen,
to see whether any of them have one, that I might borrow it, but none of them
has any."--Was not this spoken very greatly with some sort of contempt? But
the Secretary said it was a thing of no consequence, and only observed by
gentlemen ushers. I supped with Lord Masham, where Lord Treasurer and Mr.
Secretary supped with us: the first left us at twelve, but the rest did not
part till two, yet I have written all this, because it is fresh: and now I'll
go sleep if I can; that is, I believe I shall, because I have drank a little.
7. I was this morning to give the Duke of Ormond notice of the honour done
him to make him one of our Society, and to invite him on Thursday next to the
Thatched House: he has accepted it with the gratitude and humility such a
preferment deserves, but cannot come till the next meeting, because Prince
Eugene is to dine with him that day, which I allowed for: a good excuse, and
will report accordingly. I dined with Lord Masham, and sat there till eight
this evening, and came home, because I was not very well, but a little griped;
but now I am well again, I will not go, at least but very seldom, to Lord
Masham's suppers. Lord Treasurer is generally there, and that tempts me, but
late sitting up does not agree with me: there's the short and the long, and I
won't do it; so take your answer, dear little young women; and I have no more
to say to you to-night, because of the Archbishop, for I am going to write a
long letter to him, but not so politely as formerly: I won't trust him.
8. Well, then, come, let us see this letter; if I must answer it, I must.
What's here now? yes, faith, I lamented my birthday[9] two days after, and
that's all: and you rhyme, Madam Stella; were those verses made upon my
birthday? faith, when I read them, I had them running in my head all the day,
and said them over a thousand times; they drank your health in all their
glasses, and wished, etc. I could not get them out of my head. What? no, I
believe it was not; what do I say upon the eighth of December? Compare, and
see whether I say so. I am glad of Mrs. Stoyte's recovery, heartily glad;
your Dolly Manley's and Bishop of Cloyne's[10] child I have no concern about:
I am sorry in a civil way, that's all. Yes, yes, Sir George St. George
dead.[11]--Go, cry, Madam Dingley; I have written to the Dean. Raymond will
be rich, for he has the building itch. I wish all he has got may put him out
of debt. Poh, I have fires like lightning; they cost me twelvepence a week,
beside small coal. I have got four new caps, madam, very fine and convenient,
with striped cambric, instead of muslin; so Patrick need not mend them, but
take the old ones. Stella snatched Dingley's word out of her pen; Presto a
cold? Why, all the world here is dead with them: I never had anything like
it in my life; 'tis not gone in five weeks. I hope Leigh is with you before
this, and has brought your box. How do you like the ivory rasp? Stella is
angry; but I'll have a finer thing for her. Is not the apron as good? I'm
sure I shall never be paid it; so all's well again.--What? the quarrel with
Sir John Walter?[12] Why, we had not one word of quarrel; only he railed at
me when I was gone: and Lord Keeper and Treasurer teased me for a week. It
was nuts to them; a serious thing with a vengeance.--The Whigs may sell their
estates then, or hang themselves, as they are disposed; for a peace there will
be. Lord Treasurer told me that Connolly[13] was going to Hanover. Your
Provost[14] is a coxcomb. Stella is a good girl for not being angry when I
tell her of spelling; I see none wrong in this. God Almighty be praised that
your disorder lessens; it increases my hopes mightily that they will go off.
And have you been plagued with the fear of the plague? never mind those
reports; I have heard them five hundred times. Replevi? Replevin, simpleton,
'tis Dingley I mean; but it is a hard word, and so I'll excuse it. I stated
Dingley's accounts in my last. I forgot Catherine's sevenpenny dinner. I hope
it was the beef-steaks; I'll call and eat them in spring; but Goody Stoyte
must give me coffee, or green tea, for I drink no bohea. Well, ay, the
pamphlet; but there are some additions to the fourth edition; the fifth
edition was of four thousand, in a smaller print, sold for sixpence. Yes, I
had the twenty-pound bill from Parvisol: and what then? Pray now eat the
Laracor apples; I beg you not to keep them, but tell me what they are. You
have had Tooke's bill in my last. And so there now, your whole letter is
answered. I tell you what I do; I lay your letter before me, and take it in
order, and answer what is necessary; and so and so. Well, when I expected we
were all undone, I designed to retire for six months, and then steal over to
Laracor; and I had in my mouth a thousand times two lines of Shakespeare,
where Cardinal Wolsey says,
"A weak old man, battered with storms of state,
Is come to lay his weary bones among you."[15]
I beg your pardon; I have cheated you all this margin, I did not perceive it;
and I went on wider and wider like Stella; awkward sluts; SHE WRITES SO SO,
THERE:[16] that's as like as two eggs a penny.--"A weak old man," now I am
saying it, and shall till to-morrow.--The Duke of Marlborough says there is
nothing he now desires so much as to contrive some way how to soften Dr.
Swift. He is mistaken; for those things that have been hardest against him
were not written by me. Mr. Secretary told me this from a friend of the
Duke's; and I'm sure now he is down, I shall not trample on him; although I
love him not, I dislike his being out.--Bernage was to see me this morning,
and gave some very indifferent excuses for not calling here so long. I care
not twopence. Prince Eugene did not dine with the Duke of Marlborough on
Sunday, but was last night at Lady Betty Germaine's assemblee, and a vast
number of ladies to see him. Mr. Lewis and I dined with a private friend. I
was this morning to see the Duke of Ormond, who appointed me to meet him at
the Cockpit at one, but never came. I sat too some time with the Duchess. We
don't like things very well yet. I am come home early, and going to be busy.
I'll go write.
9. I could not go sleep last night till past two, and was waked before three
by a noise of people endeavouring to break open my window. For a while I
would not stir, thinking it might be my imagination; but hearing the noise
continued, I rose and went to the window, and then it ceased. I went to bed
again, and heard it repeated more violently; then I rose and called up the
house, and got a candle: the rogues had lifted up the sash a yard; there are
great sheds before my windows, although my lodgings be a storey high; and if
they get upon the sheds they are almost even with my window. We observed
their track, and panes of glass fresh broken. The watchmen told us to-day
they saw them, but could not catch them. They attacked others in the
neighbourhood about the same time, and actually robbed a house in Suffolk
Street, which is the next street but one to us. It is said they are seamen
discharged from service. I went up to call my man, and found his bed empty;
it seems he often lies abroad. I challenged him this morning as one of the
robbers. He is a sad dog; and the minute I come to Ireland I will discard
him. I have this day got double iron bars to every window in my dining-room
and bed-chamber; and I hide my purse in my thread stocking between the bed's
head and the wainscot. Lewis and I dined with an old Scotch friend, who
brought the Duke of Douglas[17] and three or four more Scots upon us.
10. This was our Society day, you know; but the Duke of Ormond could not be
with us, because he dined with Prince Eugene. It cost me a guinea
contribution to a poet, who had made a copy of verses upon monkeys, applying
the story to the Duke of Marlborough; the rest gave two guineas, except the
two physicians,[18] who followed my example. I don't like this custom: the
next time I will give nothing. I sat this evening at Lord Masham's with Lord
Treasurer: I don't like his countenance; nor I don't like the posture of
things well.
We cannot be stout,
Till Somerset's out:
as the old saying is.
11. Mr. Lewis and I dined with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who eats the
most elegantly of any man I know in town. I walked lustily in the Park by
moonshine till eight, to shake off my dinner and wine; and then went to sup at
Mr. Domville's with Ford, and stayed till twelve. It is told me to-day as a
great secret that the Duke of Somerset will be out soon, that the thing is
fixed; but what shall we do with the Duchess? They say the Duke will make her
leave the Queen out of spite, if he be out. It has stuck upon that fear a
good while already. Well, but Lewis gave me a letter from MD, N.25. O Lord,
I did not expect one this fortnight, faith. You are mighty good, that's
certain: but I won't answer it, because this goes to-morrow, only what you
say of the printer being taken up; I value it not; all's safe there; nor do I
fear anything, unless the Ministry be changed: I hope that danger is over.
However, I shall be in Ireland before such a change; which could not be, I
think, till the end of the session, if the Whigs' designs had gone on.--Have
not you an apron by Leigh, Madam Stella? have you all I mentioned in a former
letter?
12. Morning. This goes to-day as usual. I think of going into the City; but
of that at night. 'Tis fine moderate weather these two or three days last.
Farewell, etc. etc.
