LETTER 42.[1]
LONDON, Feb. 23, 1711-12.
After having disposed my last letter in the post-office, I am now to begin
this with telling MD that I dined with the Secretary to-day, who is much out
of order with a cold, and feverish; yet he went to the Cabinet Council tonight
at six, against my will. The Secretary is much the greatest commoner in
England, and turns the whole Parliament, who can do nothing without him; and
if he lives and has his health, will, I believe, be one day at the head of
affairs. I have told him sometimes that, if I were a dozen years younger, I
would cultivate his favour, and trust my fortune with his. But what care oo
for all this? I am sorry when I came first acquainted with this Ministry that
I did not send you their names and characters, and then you would have
relished what[2] I would have writ, especially if I had let you into the
particulars of affairs: but enough of this. Nite, deelest logues.
24. I went early this morning to the Secretary, who is not yet well. Sir
Thomas Hanmer and the Chancellor of the Exchequer came while I was there, and
he would not let me stir; so I did not go to church, but was busy with them
till noon, about the affair I told you in my last. The other two went away;
and I dined with the Secretary, and found my head very much out of order, but
no absolute fit; and I have not been well all this day. It has shook me a
little. I sometimes sit up very late at Lord Masham's, and have writ much for
several days past: but I will amend both; for I have now very little
business, and hope I shall have no more, and I am resolved to be a great rider
this summer in Ireland. I was to see Mrs. Wesley this evening, who has been
somewhat better for this month past, and talks of returning to the Bath in a
few weeks. Our peace goes on but slowly; the Dutch are playing tricks, and we
do not push it strongly as we ought. The fault of our Court is delay, of
which the Queen has a great deal; and Lord Treasurer is not without his share.
But pay richar MD ret us know a little of your life and tonvelsasens.[3] Do
you play at ombre, or visit the Dean, and Goody Walls and Stoytes and Manleys,
as usual? I must have a letter from oo, to fill the other side of this sheet.
Let me know what you do. Is my aunt alive yet?
Oh, pray, now I think of it, be so kind to step to my aunt, and take notice of
my great-grandfather's picture; you know he has a ring on his finger, with a
seal of an anchor and dolphin about it; but I think there is besides, at the
bottom of the picture, the same coat of arms quartered with another, which I
suppose was my great-grandmother's. If this be so, it is a stronger argument
than the seal. And pray see whether you think that coat of arms was drawn at
the same time with the picture, or whether it be of a later hand; and ask my
aunt what she knows about it. But perhaps there is no such coat of arms on
the picture, and I only dreamed it. My reason is, because I would ask some
herald here, whether I should choose that coat, or one in Guillim's large
folio of heraldry,[4] where my uncle Godwin is named with another coat of arms
of three stags. This is sad stuff to rite; so nite, MD.
25. I was this morning again with the Secretary, and we were two hours busy;
and then went together to the Park, Hyde Park, I mean; and he walked to cure
his cold, and we were looking at two Arabian horses sent some time ago to Lord
Treasurer.[5] The Duke of Marlborough's coach overtook us, with his Grace and
Lord Godolphin in it; but they did not see us, to our great satisfaction; for
neither of us desired that either of those two lords should see us together.
There was half a dozen ladies riding like cavaliers to take the air. My head
is better to-day. I dined with the Secretary; but we did no business after
dinner, and at six I walked into the fields; the days are grown pure and long;
then I went to visit Perceval[6] and his family, whom I had seen but twice
since they came to town. They too are going to the Bath next month. Countess
Doll of Meath[7] is such an owl that, wherever I visit, people are asking me
whether I know such an Irish lady, and her figure and her foppery? I came
home early, and have been amusing myself with looking into one of Rymer's
volumes of the Records of the Tower, and am mighty easy to think I have no
urgent business upon my hands. My third cold is not yet off; I sometimes
cough, and am not right with it in the morning. Did I tell you that I believe
it is Lady Masham's hot room that gives it me? I never knew such a stove; and
in my conscience I believe both my lord and she, my Lord Treasurer, Mr.
Secretary, and myself have all suffered by it. We have all had colds
together, but I walk home on foot. Nite dee logues.
26. I was again busy with the Secretary.[8] We read over some papers, and
did a good deal of business; and I dined with him, and we were to do more
business after dinner; but after dinner is after dinner--an old saying and a
true, "much drinking, little thinking." We had company with us, and nothing
could be done, and I am to go there again to-morrow. I have now nothing to
do; and the Parliament, by the Queen's recommendation, is to take some method
for preventing libels, etc., which will include pamphlets, I suppose. I don't
know what method they will take, but it comes on in a day or two. To-day in
the morning I visited upwards: first I saw the Duke of Ormond below stairs,
and gave him joy of his being declared General in Flanders; then I went up one
pair of stairs, and sat with the Duchess; then I went up another pair of
stairs, and paid a visit to Lady Betty; and desired her woman to go up to the
garret, that I might pass half an hour with her, but she was young and
handsome, and would not. The Duke is our President this week, and I have
bespoke a small dinner on purpose, for good example. Nite mi deelest logues.
27. I was again with the Secretary this morning; but we only read over some
papers with Sir Thomas Hanmer; then I called at Lord Treasurer's; it was his
levee-day, but I went up to his bed-chamber, and said what I had to say. I
came down and peeped in at the chamber, where a hundred fools were waiting,
and two streets were full of coaches. I dined in the City with my printer,[9]
and came back at six to Lord Treasurer, who had invited me to dinner, but I
refused him. I sat there an hour or two, and then went to Lord Masham's.
They were all abroad: so truly I came, and read whatever stuff was next me.
I can sit and be idle now, which I have not been above a year past. However,
I will stay out the session, to see if they have any further commands for me,
and that, I suppose, will end in April. But I may go somewhat before, for I
hope all will be ended by then, and we shall have either a certain peace, or
certain war. The Ministry is contriving new funds for money by lotteries, and
we go on as if the war were to continue, but I believe it will not. 'Tis
pretty late now, ung oomens; so I bid oo nite, own dee dallars.
28. I have been packing up some books in a great box I have bought, and must
buy another for clothes and luggage. This is a beginning towards a removal.
I have sent to Holland for a dozen shirts, and design to buy another new gown
and hat. I will come over like a zinkerman,[10] and lay out nothing in
clothes in Ireland this good while. I have writ this night to the Provost.
Our Society met to-day as usual, and we were fourteen, beside the Earl of
Arran,[11] whom his brother, the Duke of Ormond, brought among us against all
order. We were mightily shocked; but, after some whispers, it ended in
choosing Lord Arran one of our Society, which I opposed to his face, but it
was carried by all the rest against me.
29. This is leap year, and this is leap day. Prince George was born on this
day. People are mistaken; and some here think it is St. David's Day; but they
do not understand the virtue of leap year. I have nothing to do now, boys,
and have been reading all this day like Gumdragon; and yet I was dictating
some trifles this morning to a printer. I dined with a friend hard by, and
the weather was so discouraging I could not walk. I came home early, and have
read two hundred pages of Arran. Alexander the Great is just dead: I do not
think he was poisoned; betwixt you and me, all those are but idle stories: it
is certain that neither Ptolemy nor Aristobulus thought so, and they were both
with him when he[12] died. It is a pity we have not their histories. The
Bill for limiting Members of Parliament to have but so many places passed the
House of Commons, and will pass the House of Lords, in spite of the Ministry,
which you know is a great lessening of the Queen's power. Four of the new
lords voted against the Court in this point. It is certainly a good Bill in
the reign of an ill prince, but I think things are not settled enough for it
at present. And the Court may want a majority upon a pinch. Nite deelest
logues. Rove Pdfr.
March 1. I went into the City to inquire after poor Stratford,[13] who has
put himself a prisoner into the Queen's Bench, for which his friends blame him
much, because his creditors designed to be very easy with him. He grasped at
too many things together, and that was his ruin. There is one circumstance
relative to Lieutenant-General Meredith[14] that is very melancholy: Meredith
was turned out of all his employments last year, and had about 10,000 pounds
left to live on. Stratford, upon friendship, desired he might have the
management of it for Meredith, to put it into the stocks and funds for the
best advantage, and now he has lost it all. You have heard me often talk of
Stratford; we were class-fellows at school and university. I dined with some
merchants, his friends, to-day, and they said they expected his breaking this
good while. I gave him notice of a treaty of peace, while it was a secret, of
which he might have made good use, but that helped to ruin him; for he gave
money, reckoning there would be actually a peace by this time, and
consequently stocks rise high. Ford narrowly 'scaped losing 500 pounds by
him, and so did I too. Nite, my two deelest rives MD.
2. Morning. I was wakened at three this morning, my man and the people of
the house telling me of a great fire in the Haymarket. I slept again, and two
hours after my man came in again, and told me it was my poor brother Sir
William Wyndham's[15] house burnt, and that two maids, leaping out of an upper
room to avoid the fire, both fell on their heads, one of them upon the iron
spikes before the door, and both lay dead in the streets. It is supposed to
have been some carelessness of one or both those maids. The Duke of Ormond
was there helping to put out the fire. Brother Wyndham gave 6,000 pounds but
a few months ago for that house, as he told me, and it was very richly
furnished. I shall know more particulars at night. He married Lady Catherine
Seymour, the Duke of Somerset's daughter; you know her, I believe.--At night.
Wyndham's young child escaped very narrowly; Lady Catherine escaped barefoot;
they all went to Northumberland House. Mr. Brydges's[16] house, at next door,
is damaged much, and was like to be burnt. Wyndham has lost above 10,000
pounds by this accident; his lady above a thousand pounds worth of clothes.
It was a terrible accident. He was not at Court to-day. I dined with Lord
Masham. The Queen was not at church. Nite, MD.
3. Pray tell Walls that I spoke to the Duke of Ormond and Mr. Southwell about
his friend's affair, who, I find, needed not me for a solicitor, for they both
told me the thing would be done. I likewise mentioned his own affair to Mr.
Southwell, and I hope that will be done too, for Southwell seems to think it
reasonable, and I will mind him of it again. Tell him this nakedly. You need
not know the particulars. They are secrets: one of them is about Mrs. South
having a pension; the other about his salary from the Government for the
tithes of the park that lie in his parish, to be put upon the establishment,
but oo must not know zees sings, zey are secrets; and we must keep them flom
nauty dallars. I dined in the City with my printer, with whom I had some
small affair; but I have no large work on my hands now. I was with Lord
Treasurer this morning, and hat[17] care oo for zat? Oo dined with the Dean
to-day. Monday is parson's holiday, and oo lost oo money at cards and dice;
ze Givars[18] device. So I'll go to bed. Nite, my two deelest logues.
4. I sat to-day with poor Mrs. Wesley, who made me dine with her. She is
much better than she was. I heartily pray for her health, out of the entire
love I bear to her worthy husband. This day has passed very insignificantly.
But it is a great comfort to me now that I can come home and read, and have
nothing upon my hands to write. I was at Lord Masham's to-night, and stayed
there till one. Lord Treasurer was there; but I thought, I thought he looked
melancholy, just as he did at the beginning of the session, and he was not so
merry as usual. In short, the majority in the House of Lords is a very weak
one: and he has much ado to keep it up; and he is not able to make those
removes he would, and oblige his friends; and I doubt too[19] he does not take
care enough about it, or rather cannot do all himself, and will not employ
others: which is his great fault, as I have often told you. 'Tis late.
Nite, MD.
5. I wish you a merry Lent. I hate Lent; I hate different diets, and furmity
and butter, and herb porridge; and sour devout faces of people who only put on
religion for seven weeks. I was at the Secretary's office this morning; and
there a gentleman brought me two letters, dated last October; one from the
Bishop of Clogher, t'other from Walls. The gentleman is called Colonel
Newburgh.[20] I think you mentioned him to me some time ago; he has business
in the House of Lords. I will do him what service I can. The Representation
of the House of Commons is printed:[21] I have not seen it yet; it is plaguy
severe, they say. I dined with Dr. Arbuthnot, and had a true Lenten dinner,
not in point of victuals, but spleen; for his wife and a child or two were
sick in the house, and that was full as mortifying as fish. We have had fine
mighty cold frosty weather for some days past. I hope you take the advantage
of it, and walk now and then. You never answer that part of my letters where
I desire you to walk. I must keep my breath to cool my Lenten porridge. Tell
Jemmy Leigh that his boy that robbed him now appears about the town: Patrick
has seen him once or twice. I knew nothing of his being robbed till Patrick
told me he had seen the boy. I wish it had been Sterne that had been robbed,
to be revenged for the box that he lost,[22] and be p-xed to him. Nite, MD.
6. I hear Mr. Prior has suffered by Stratford's breaking. I was yesterday to
see Prior, who is not well, and I thought he looked melancholy. He can ill
afford to lose money. I walked before dinner in the Mall a good while with
Lord Arran and Lord Dupplin, two of my brothers, and then we went to dinner,
where the Duke of Beaufort was our President. We were but eleven to-day. We
are now in all nine lords and ten commoners. The Duke of Beaufort had the
confidence to propose his brother-in-law, the Earl of Danby,[23] to be a
member; but I opposed it so warmly that it was waived. Danby is not above
twenty, and we will have no more boys, and we want but two to make up our
number. I stayed till eight, and then we all went away soberly. The Duke of
Ormond's treat last week cost 20 pounds, though it was only four dishes and
four, without a dessert; and I bespoke it in order to be cheap. Yet I could
not prevail to change the house. Lord Treasurer is in a rage with us for
being so extravagant: and the wine was not reckoned neither; for that is
always brought by him that is President. Lord Orrery[24] is to be President
next week; and I will see whether it cannot be cheaper; or else we will leave
the house. . .[25] Lord Masham made me go home with him to-night to eat
boiled oysters. Take oysters, wash them clean; that is, wash their shells
clean; then put your oysters into an earthen pot, with their hollow sides
down, then put this pot into a great kettle with water, and so let them boil.
Your oysters are boiled in their own liquor, and not mixed water. Lord
Treasurer was not with us; he was very ill to-day with a swimming in the head,
and is gone home to be cupped, and sent to desire Lady Masham to excuse him to
the Queen. Nite, dee MD.
7. I was to-day at the House of Lords about a friend's Bill. Then I crossed
the water at Westminster Stairs to Southwark, went through St. George's Fields
to the Mint, which is the dominion of the King's[26] Bench Prison, where
Stratford lodges in a blind alley, and writ to me to come to him; but he was
gone to the 'Change. I thought he had something to say to me about his own
affairs. I found him at his usual coffee-house, and went to his own lodgings,
and dined with him and his wife, and other company. His business was only to
desire I would intercede with the Ministry about his brother-in-law, Ben
Burton,[27] of Dublin, the banker, who is likely to come into trouble, as we
hear, about spreading false Whiggish news. I hate Burton, and told Stratford
so; and I will advise the Duke of Ormond to make use of it, to keep the rogue
in awe. Mrs. Stratford tells me her husband's creditors have consented to
give him liberty to get up his debts abroad; and she hopes he will pay them
all. He was cheerfuller than I have seen him this great while. I have walked
much today.--Night, deelest logues.
8. This day twelvemonth Mr. Harley was stabbed; but he is ill, and takes
physic to-day, I hear ('tis now morning), and cannot have the Cabinet Council
with him, as he intended, nor me to say grace. I am going to see him. Pray
read the Representation; 'tis the finest that ever was writ. Some of it is
Pdfr's style, but not very much. This is the day of the Queen's accession to
the Crown; so it is a great day. I am going to Court, and will dine with Lord
Masham; but I must go this moment to see the Secretary about some businesses;
so I will seal up this, and put it in the post my own self. Farewell, deelest
hearts and souls, MD. Farewell MD MD MD FW FW FW ME ME Lele Lele Lele Sollahs
lele.
