LETTER 59.[1]
LONDON, Jan. 25, 1712-1713.
We had such a terrible storm to-day, that, going to Lord Bolingbroke's, I saw
a hundred tiles fallen down; and one swinger fell about forty yards before me,
that would have killed a horse: so, after church and Court, I walked through
the Park, and took a chair to Lord Treasurer's. Next door to his house, a tin
chimneytop had fallen down, with a hundred bricks. It is grown calm this
evening. I wonder had you such a wind to-day? I hate it as much as any hog
does. Lord Treasurer has engaged me to dine again with him to-morrow. He has
those tricks sometimes of inviting me from day to day, which I am forced to
break through. My little pamphlet[2] is out: 'tis not politics. If it
takes, I say again you shall hear of it. Nite dee logues.
26. This morning I felt a little touch of giddiness, which has disordered and
weakened me with its ugly remains all this day. Pity Pdfr. After dinner at
Lord Treasurer's, the French Ambassador, Duke d'Aumont, sent Lord Treasurer
word that his house was burnt down to the ground. It took fire in the upper
rooms, while he was at dinner with Monteleon, the Spanish Ambassador, and
other persons; and soon after Lord Bolingbroke came to us with the same story.
We are full of speculations upon it, but I believe it was the carelessness of
his French rascally servants. 'Tis odd that this very day Lord Somers,
Wharton, Sunderland, Halifax, and the whole club of Whig lords, dined at
Pontack's[3] in the City, as I received private notice. They have some damned
design. I tell you another odd thing; I was observing it to Lord Treasurer,
that he was stabbed on the day King William died; and the day I saved his
life, by opening the bandbox,[4] was King William's birthday. My friend Mr.
Lewis has had a lie spread on him by the mistake of a man, who went to another
of his name, to give him thanks for passing his Privy Seal to come from
France.[5] That other Lewis spread about that the man brought him thanks from
Lord Perth and Lord Melfort (two lords with the Pretender), for his great
services, etc. The Lords will examine that t'other Lewis to-morrow in
council; and I believe you will hear of it in the prints, for I will make Abel
Roper give a relation of it. Pray tell me if it be necessary to write a
little plainer; for I looked over a bit of my last letter, and could hardly
read it. I'll mend my hand, if oo please: but you are more used to it nor I,
as Mr. Raymond says. Nite MD.
27. I dined to-day with Lord Treasurer: this makes four days together; and
he has invited me again to-morrow, but I absolutely refused him. I was this
evening at a christening with him of Lord Dupplin's[6] daughter. He went away
at ten; but they kept me and some others till past twelve; so you may be sure
'tis late, as they say. We have now stronger suspicions that the Duke
d'Aumont's house was set on fire by malice. I was to-day to see Lord Keeper,
who has quite lost his voice with a cold. There Dr. Radcliffe told me that it
was the Ambassador's confectioner set the house on fire by boiling sugar, and
going down and letting it boil over. Yet others still think differently; so I
know not what to judge. Nite my own deelest MD, rove Pdfr.
28. I was to-day at Court, where the Spanish Ambassador talked to me as if he
did not suspect any design in burning d'Aumont's house: but Abbe Gaultier,
Secretary for France here, said quite otherwise; and that d'Aumont had a
letter the very same day to let him know his house should be burnt, and they
tell several other circumstances too tedious to write. One is, that a fellow
mending the tiles just when the fire broke out, saw a pot with wildfire[7] in
the room. I dined with Lord Orkney. Neither Lord Abercorn nor Selkirk will
now speak with me. I have disobliged both sides. Nite dear MD.
29. Our Society met to-day, fourteen of us, and at a tavern. We now resolve
to meet but once a fortnight, and have a Committee every other week of six or
seven, to consult about doing some good. I proposed another message to Lord
Treasurer by three principal members, to give a hundred guineas to a certain
person, and they are to urge it as well as they can. We also raised sixty
guineas upon our own Society; but I made them do it by sessors,[8] and I was
one of them, and we fitted our tax to the several estates. The Duke of Ormond
pays ten guineas, and I the third part of a guinea; at that rate, they may tax
as often as they please. Well, but I must answer oor rettle, ung oomens: not
yet; 'tis rate now, and I can't tind it. Nite deelest MD.
30. I have drank Spa waters this two or three days; but they do not pass, and
make me very giddy. I an't well; faith, I'll take them no more. I sauntered
after church with the Provost to-day to see a library to be sold, and dined at
five with Lord Orkney. We still think there was malice in burning d'Aumont's
house. I hear little Harrison[9] is come over; it was he I sent to Utrecht.
He is now Queen's Secretary to the Embassy, and has brought with him the
Barrier Treaty, as it is now corrected by us, and yielded to by the Dutch,
which was the greatest difficulty to retard the peace. I hope he will bring
over the peace a month hence, for we will send him back as soon as possible.
I long to see the little brat, my own creature. His pay is in all a thousand
pounds a year, and they have never paid him a groat, though I have teased
their hearts out. He must be three or four hundred pounds in debt at least,
the brat! Let me go to bed, sollahs.--Nite dee richar MD.
31. Harrison was with me this morning: we talked three hours, and then I
carried him to Court. When we went down to the door of my lodging, I found a
coach waited for him. I chid him for it; but he whispered me it was
impossible to do otherwise; and in the coach he told me he had not one
farthing in his pocket to pay it; and therefore took the coach for the whole
day, and intended to borrow money somewhere or other. So there was the
Queen's Minister entrusted in affairs of the greatest importance, without a
shilling in his pocket to pay a coach! I paid him while he was with me seven
guineas, in part of a dozen of shirts he bought me in Holland. I presented
him to the Duke of Ormond, and several lords at Court; and I contrived it so
that Lord Treasurer came to me and asked (I had Parnell by me) whether that
was Dr. Parnell, and came up and spoke to him with great kindness, and invited
him to his house. I value myself upon making the Ministry desire to be
acquainted with Parnell, and not Parnell with the Ministry. His poem is
almost fully corrected, and shall soon be out. Here's enough for to-day:
only to tell you that I was in the City with my printer to alter an Examiner
about my friend Lewis's story,[10] which will be told with remarks. Nite MD.
Feb. 1. I could do nothing till to-day about the Examiner, but the printer
came this morning, and I dictated to him what was fit to be said, and then Mr.
Lewis came, and corrected it as he would have it; so I was neither at church
nor Court. The Duke of Ormond and I dined at Lord Orkney's. I left them at
seven, and sat with Sir Andrew Fountaine, who has a very bad sore leg, for
which he designs to go to France. Fais, here's a week gone, and one side of
this letter not finished. Oh, but I write now but once in three weeks; iss,
fais, this shall go sooner. The Parliament is to sit on the third, but will
adjourn for three or four days; for the Queen is laid up with the gout, and
both Speakers out of order, though one of them, the Lord Keeper, is almost
well. I spoke to the Duke of Ormond a good deal about Ireland. We do not
altogether agree, nor am I judge enough of Irish affairs; but I will speak to
Lord Treasurer to-morrow, that we three may settle them some way or other.
Nite sollahs both, rove Pdfr.
2. I had a letter some days ago from Moll Gery;[11] her name is now Wigmore,
and her husband has turned parson. She desires nothing but that I would get
Lord Keeper to give him a living; but I will send her no answer, though she
desires it much. She still makes mantuas at Farnham. It rained all this day,
and Dilly came to me, and was coaching it into the City; so I went with him
for a shaking, because it would not cost me a farthing. There I met my friend
Stratford,[12] the merchant, who is going abroad to gather up his debts, and
be clear in the world. He begged that I would dine with some merchant friends
of ours there, because it was the last time I should see him: so I did, and
thought to have seen Lord Treasurer in the evening, but he happened to go out
at five; so I visited some friends, and came home. And now I have the
greatest part of your letter to answer; and yet I will not do it to-night, say
what oo please. The Parliament meets to-morrow, but will be prorogued for a
fortnight; which disappointment will, I believe, vex abundance of them, though
they are not Whigs; for they are forced to be in town at expense for nothing:
but we want an answer from Spain, before we are sure of everything being right
for the peace; and God knows whether we can have that answer this month. It
is a most ticklish juncture of affairs; we are always driving to an inch: I
am weary of it. Nite MD.
3. The Parliament met, and was prorogued, as I said, and I found some cloudy
faces, and heard some grumbling. We have got over all our difficulties with
France, I think. They have now settled all the articles of commerce between
us and them, wherein they were very much disposed to play the rogue if we had
not held them to [it]; and this business we wait from Spain is to prevent some
other rogueries of the French, who are finding an evasion to trade to the
Spanish West Indies; but I hope we shall prevent it. I dined with Lord
Treasurer, and he was in good humour enough. I gave him that part of my book
in manuscript to read where his character was, and drawn pretty freely. He
was reading and correcting it with his pencil, when the Bishop of St.
David's[13] (now removing to Hereford) came in and interrupted us. I left him
at eight, and sat till twelve with the Provost and Bishop of Clogher at the
Provost's. Nite MD.
4. I was to-day at Court, but kept out of Lord Treasurer's way, because I was
engaged to the Duke of Ormond, where I dined, and, I think, ate and drank too
much. I sat this evening with Lady Masham, and then with Lord Masham and Lord
Treasurer at Lord Masham's. It was last year, you may remember, my constant
evening place. I saw Lady Jersey[14] with Lady Masham, who has been laying
out for my acquaintance, and has forced a promise for me to drink chocolate
with her in a day or two, which I know not whether I shall perform (I have
just mended my pen, you see), for I do not much like her character; but she is
very malicious, and therefore I think I must keep fair with her. I cannot
send this letter till Saturday next, I find; so I will answer oors now. I see
no different days of the month; yet it is dated January 3: so it was long a
coming. I did not write to Dr. Coghill that I would have nothing in Ireland,
but that I was soliciting nothing anywhere, and that is true. I have named
Dr. Sterne to Lord Treasurer, Lord Bolingbroke, and the Duke of Ormond, for a
bishopric, and I did it heartily. I know not what will come of it; but I tell
you as a great secret that I have made the Duke of Ormond promise me to
recommend nobody till he tells me, and this for some reasons too long to
mention. My head is still in no good order. I am heartily sorry for poo Ppt,
I'm sure. Her head is good for. . .[15] I'll answer more to-mollow. Nite,
dearest MD; nite dee sollahs, MD.[16]
5. I must go on with oo letter. I dined to-day with Sir Andrew Fountaine and
the Provost, and I played at ombre with him all the afternoon. I won, yet Sir
Andrew is an admirable player. Lord Pembroke[17] came in, and I gave him
three or four scurvy Dilly puns, that begin with an IF. Well, but oor letter,
well, ret me see.--No; I believe I shall write no more this good while, nor
publish what I have done. Nauty (?) Ppt, oo are vely tempegant. I did not
suspect oo would tell Filby.[18] Oo are so. . . [19] Turns and visitations--
what are these? I'll preach and visit as much for Mr. Walls. Pray God mend
poopt's[20] health; mine is but very indifferent. I have left off Spa water;
it makes my leg swell. Nite deelest MD.
6. This is the Queen's Birthday, and I never saw it celebrated with so much
luxury and fine clothes. I went to Court to see them, and I dined with Lord
Keeper, where the ladies were fine to admiration. I passed the evening at
Mrs. Vanhomrigh's, and came home pretty early, to answer oo rettle again.
Pray God keep the Queen. She was very ill about ten days ago, and had the
gout in her stomach. When I came from Lord Keeper's, I called at Lord
Treasurer's, because I heard he was very fine, and that was a new thing; and
it was true, for his coat and waistcoat were embroidered. I have seen the
Provost often since, and never spoke to him to speak to the Temples about
Daniel Carr, nor will; I don't care to do it. I have writ lately to Parvisol.
Oo did well to let him make up his accounts. All things grow dear in Ireland,
but corn to the parsons; for my livings are fallen much this year by
Parvisol's account. Nite dee logues, MD.
7.(8) I was at Court to-day, but saw no Birthday clothes; the great folks
never wear them above once or twice. I dined with Lord Orkney, and sat the
evening with Sir Andrew Fountaine, whose leg is in a very dubious condition.
Pray let me know when DD's money is near due: always let me know it
beforehand. This, I believe, will hardly go till Saturday; for I tell you
what, being not very well, I dare not study much: so I let company come in a
morning, and the afternoon pass in dining and sitting somewhere. Lord
Treasurer is angry if I don't dine with him every second day, and I cannot
part with him till late: he kept me last night till near twelve. Our weather
is constant rain above these two months, which hinders walking, so that our
spring is not like yours. I have not seen Fanny Manley[21] yet; I cannot find
time. I am in rebellion with all my acquaintance, but I will mend with my
health and the weather. Clogher make a figure! Clogher make a ----. Colds!
why, we have been all dying with colds; but now they are a little over, and my
second is almost off. I can do nothing for Swanton indeed. It is a thing
impossible, and wholly out of my way. If he buys, he must buy. So now I have
answered oo rettle; and there's an end of that now; and I'll say no more, but
bid oo nite, dee MD.
8.(9) It was terrible rainy to-day from morning till night. I intended to
have dined with Lord Treasurer, but went to see Sir Andrew Fountaine, and he
kept me to dinner, which saved coach-hire; and I stayed with him all the
afternoon, and lost thirteen shillings and sixpence at ombre. There was
management! and Lord Treasurer will chide; but I'll dine with him to-morrow.
The Bishop of Clogher's daughter has been ill some days,[22] and it proves the
smallpox. She is very full; but it comes out well, and they apprehend no
danger. Lady Orkney has given me her picture; a very fine original of Sir
Godfrey Kneller's; it is now a mending. He has favoured her squint admirably;
and you know I love a cast in the eye. I was to see Lady Worsley[23] to-day,
who is just come to town; she is full of rheumatic pains. All my acquaintance
grow old and sickly. She lodges in the very house in King Street, between St.
James's Street and St. James's Square, where DD's brother bought the
sweetbread, when I lodged there, and MD came to see me. Short sighs.[24]
Nite MD.
9.(10) I thought to have dined with Lord Treasurer to-day, but he dined abroad
at Tom Harley's; so I dined at Lord Masham's, and was winning all I had lost
playing with Lady Masham at crown picquet, when we went to pools, and I lost
it again. Lord Treasurer came in to us, and chid me for not following him to
Tom Harley's. Miss Ashe is still the same, and they think her not in danger;
my man calls there daily after I am gone out, and tells me at night. I was
this morning to see Lady Jersey, and we have made twenty parties about dining
together, and I shall hardly keep one of them. She is reduced after all her
greatness to seven servants, and a small house, and no coach.[25] I like her
tolerably as yet. Nite MD.
10.(11) I made visits this morning to the Duke and Duchess of Ormond, and Lady
Betty, and the Duchess of Hamilton. (When I was writing this near twelve
o'clock, the Duchess of Hamilton sent to have me dine with her to-morrow. I
am forced to give my answer through the door, for my man has got the key, and
is gone to bed; but I cannot obey her, for our Society meets to-morrow.) I
stole away from Lord Treasurer by eight, and intended to have passed the
evening with Sir Thomas Clarges[26] and his lady; but met them in another
place, and have there sat till now. My head has not been ill to-day. I was
at Court, and made Lord Mansel walk with me in the Park before we went to
dinner.--Yesterday and to-day have been fair, but yet it rained all last
night. I saw Sterne staring at Court to-day. He has been often to see me, he
says: but my man has not yet let him up. He is in deep mourning; I hope it
is not for his wife.[27] I did not ask him. Nite MD.
12.[28] I have reckoned days wrong all this while; for this is the twelfth. I
do not know when I lost it. I dined to-day with our Society, the greatest
dinner I have ever seen. It was at Jack Hill's, the Governor of Dunkirk. I
gave an account of sixty guineas I had collected, and am to give them away to
two authors to-morrow; and Lord Treasurer has promised us a hundred pounds to
reward some others. I found a letter on my table last night to tell me that
poor little Harrison, the Queen's Secretary, that came lately from Utrecht
with the Barrier Treaty, was ill, and desired to see me at night; but it was
late, and I could not go till to-day. I have often mentioned him in my
letters, you may remember. . . . I went in the morning, and found him mighty
ill, and got thirty guineas for him from Lord Bolingbroke, and an order for a
hundred pounds from the Treasury to be paid him to-morrow; and I have got him
removed to Knightsbridge for air. He has a fever and inflammation on his
lungs; but I hope will do well. Nite.
13. I was to see a poor poet, one Mr. Diaper,[29] in a nasty garret, very
sick. I gave him twenty guineas from Lord Bolingbroke, and disposed the other
sixty to two other authors, and desired a friend to receive the hundred pounds
for poor Harrison, and will carry it to him to-morrow morning. I sent to see
how he did, and he is extremely ill; and I very much afflicted for him, for he
is my own creature, and in a very honourable post, and very worthy of it. I
dined in the City. I am in much concern for this poor lad. His mother and
sister attend him, and he wants nothing. Nite poo dee MD.
14. I took Parnell this morning, and we walked to see poor Harrison. I had
the hundred pounds in my pocket. I told Parnell I was afraid to knock at the
door; my mind misgave me. I knocked, and his man in tears told me his master
was dead an hour before. Think what grief this is to me! I went to his
mother, and have been ordering things for his funeral with as little cost as
possible, to-morrow at ten at night. Lord Treasurer was much concerned when I
told him. I could not dine with Lord Treasurer, nor anywhere else; but got a
bit of meat toward evening. No loss ever grieved me so much: poor creature!
Pray God Almighty bless poor MD. Adieu.
I send this away to-night, and am sorry it must go while I am in so much
grief.
