LETTER 56.[1]
LONDON, Dec. 12, 1712.
Here is now a stlange ting; a rettle flom MD unanswered: never was before. I
am slower, and MD is faster: but the last was owing to DD's certificate. Why
could it not be sent before, pay now? Is it so hard for DD to prove she is
alive? I protest solemnly I am not able to write to MD for other business,
but I will resume my journal method next time. I find it is easier, though it
contains nothing but where I dine, and the occurrences of the day. I will
write now but once in three weeks till this business is off my hands, which
must be in six, I think, at farthest. O Ppt, I remember your reprimanding me
for meddling in other people's affairs: I have enough of it now, with a
wanion.[2] Two women have been here six times apiece; I never saw them yet.
The first I have despatched with a letter; the other I must see, and tell her
I can do nothing for her: she is wife of one Connor,[3] an old college
acquaintance, and comes on a foolish errand, for some old pretensions, that
will succeed when I am Lord Treasurer. I am got [up] two pair of stairs, in a
private lodging, and have ordered all my friends not to discover where I am;
yet every morning two or three sots are plaguing me, and my present servant
has not yet his lesson perfect of denying me. I have written a hundred and
thirty pages in folio, to be printed, and must write thirty more, which will
make a large book of four shillings.[4] I wish I knew an opportunity of
sending you some snuff. I will watch who goes to Ireland, and do it if
possible. I had a letter from Parvisol, and find he has set my livings very
low. Colonel Hamilton, who was second to the Duke of Hamilton, is tried to-
day. I suppose he is come off, but have not heard.[5] I dined with Lord
Treasurer, but left him by nine, and visited some people. Lady Betty,[6]
his[7] daughter, will be married on Monday next (as I suppose) to the Marquis
of Caermarthen. I did not know your country place had been Portraine, till
you told me so in your last. Has Swanton taken it of Wallis? That Wallis was
a grave, wise coxcomb. God be thanked that Ppt im better of her disoddles.[8]
Pray God keep her so. The pamphlet of Political Lying is written by Dr.
Arbuthnot, the author of John Bull; 'tis very pretty, but not so obvious to be
understood. Higgins,[9] first chaplain to the Duke of Hamilton? Why, the
Duke of Hamilton never dreamt of a chaplain, nor I believe ever heard of
Higgins. You are glorious newsmongers in Ireland--Dean Francis,[10] Sir R.
Levinge,[11] stuff stuff: and Pratt, more stuff. We have lost our fine frost
here; and Abel Roper tells as you have had floods in Dublin; ho, brave[12]
you! Oh ho! Swanton seized Portraine, now I understand oo. Ay, ay, now I see
Portraune at the top of your letter. I never minded it before. Now to your
second, N.36. So, you read one of the Grub Streets about the bandbox.[13]
The Whig papers have abused me about the bandbox. God help me, what could I
do? I fairly ventured my life. There is a particular account of it in the
Postboy, and Evening Post of that day. Lord Treasurer has had the seal sent
him that sealed the box, and directions where to find the other pistol in a
tree in St. James's Park, which Lord Bolingbroke's messenger found
accordingly; but who sent the present is not yet known. The Duke of Hamilton
avoided the quarrel as much as possible, according to the foppish rules of
honour in practice. What signified your writing angry to Filby? I hope you
said nothing of hearing anything from me. Heigh! do oo write by sandlelight!
nauti, nauti, nauti dallar, a hundred times, fol doing so. O, fais, DD, I'll
take care of myself! The Queen is in town, and Lady Masham's month of lying-
in is within two days of being out. I was at the christening on Monday. I
could not get the child named Robin, after Lord Treasurer; it is Samuel, after
the father. My brother Ormond sent me some chocolate to-day. I wish you had
share of it: but they say 'tis good for me, and I design to drink some in a
morning. Our Society meets next Thursday, now the Queen is in town; and Lord
Treasurer assures me that the Society for reforming the language shall soon be
established. I have given away ten shillings to-day to servants; 'tan't be
help if one should cry one's eyes out.[14] Hot a stir is here about your
company and visits! Charming company, no doubt; now I keep no company at all,
nor have I any desire to keep any. I never go to a coffee-house nor a tavern,
nor have touched a card since I left Windsor. I make few visits, nor go to
levees; my only debauching is sitting late where I dine, if I like the
company. I have almost dropped the Duchesses of Shrewsbury and Hamilton, and
several others. Lord Treasurer, the Duke of Ormond, and Lady Orkney are all
that I see very often. Oh yes, and Lady Masham and Lord Bolingbroke, and one
or two private friends. I make no figure but at Court, where I affect to turn
from a lord to the meanest of my acquaintance, and I love to go there on
Sundays to see the world. But, to say the truth, I am growing weary of it. I
dislike a million of things in the course of public affairs; and if I were to
stay here much longer, I am sure I should ruin myself with endeavouring to
mend them. I am every day invited into schemes of doing this, but I cannot
find any that will probably succeed. It is impossible to save people against
their own will; and I have been too much engaged in patchwork already. Do you
understand all this stuff? No. Well zen, you are now returned to ombre and
the Dean, and Christmas; I wish oo a very merry one; and pray don't lose oo
money, nor play upon Watt Welch's game. Nite, sollahs, 'tis rate I'll go to
seep; I don't seep well, and therefore never dare to drink coffee or tea after
dinner: but I am very seepy in a molning. This is the effect of time and
years. Nite deelest MD.
18. Morn. I am so very seepy in the morning that my man wakens me above ten
times; and now I can tell oo no news of this day. (Here is a restless dog,
crying cabbages and savoys, plagues me every morning about this time; he is
now at it. I wish his largest cabbage were sticking in his throat.) I lodge
over against the house in Little Rider Street, where DD lodged. Don't oo
lememble, maram? To-night I must see the Abbe Gaultier,[15] to get some
particulars for my History. It was he who was first employed by France in the
overtures of peace, and I have not had time this month to see him; he is but a
puppy too. Lady Orkney has just sent to invite me to dinner; she has not
given me the bed-nightgown;[16] besides, I am come very much off from writing
in bed, though I am doing it this minute; but I stay till my fire is burnt up.
My grate is very large; two bushels of coals in a week: but I save it in
lodgings. Lord Abercorn is come to London, and will plague me, and I can do
him no service. The Duke of Shrewsbury goes in a day or two for France,
perhaps to-day. We shall have a peace very soon; the Dutch are almost
entirely agreed, and if they stop we shall make it without them; that has been
long resolved. One Squire Jones,[17] a scoundrel in my parish, has writ to me
to desire I would engage Joe Beaumont to give him his interest for Parliament-
man for Trim: pray tell Joe this; and if he designed to vote for him already,
then he may tell Jones that I received his letter, and that I writ to Joe to
do it. If Joe be engaged for any other, then he may do what he will: and
Parvisol may say he spoke to Joe, but Joe's engaged, etc. I received three
pair of fine thread stockings from Joe lately. Pray thank him when you see
him, and that I say they are very fine and good. (I never looked at them yet,
but that's no matter.) This is a fine day. I am ruined with coaches and
chairs this twelvepenny weather. I must see my brother Ormond at eleven, and
then the Duchess of Hamilton, with whom I doubt I am in disgrace, not having
seen her these ten days. I send this to-day, and must finish it now; and
perhaps some people may come and hinder me; for it im ten o'clock (but not
shaving-day), and I must be abroad at eleven. Abbe Gaultier sends me word I
can't see him to-night; pots cake him! I don't value anything but one letter
he has of Petecum's,[18] showing the roguery of the Dutch. Did not the
Conduct of the Allies make you great politicians? Fais, I believe you are not
quite so ignorant as I thought you. I am glad to hear oo walked so much in
the country. Does DD ever read to you, ung ooman? O, fais! I shall find
strange doings hen I tum ole![19] Here is somebody coming that I must see
that wants a little place; the son of cousin Rooke's eldest daughter, that
died many years ago. He's here. Farewell, deelest MD MD MD ME ME ME FW FW
FW, Lele.
