LONDON, _Sept._ 9, 1710.
AFTER seeing the Duke of Ormond, dining with Dr. Cockburn, {7a} passing
some part of the afternoon with Sir Matthew Dudley {7b} and Will
Frankland, the rest at St. James’s Coffee-house, I came home, and writ to
the Archbishop of Dublin and MD, and am going to bed. I forgot to tell
you, that I begged Will Frankland to stand Manley’s {7c} friend with his
father in this shaking season for places. He told me, his father was in
danger to be out; that several were now soliciting for Manley’s place;
that he was accused of opening letters; that Sir Thomas Frankland {7d}
would sacrifice everything to save himself; and in that, I fear, Manley
is undone, etc.
10. To-day I dined with Lord Mountjoy at Kensington; saw my mistress,
Ophy Butler’s {7e} wife, who is grown a little charmless. I sat till ten
in the evening with Addison and Steele: Steele will certainly lose his
Gazetteer’s place, all the world detesting his engaging in parties. {8a}
At ten I went to the Coffee-house, hoping to find Lord Radnor, {8b} whom
I had not seen. He was there; and for an hour and a half we talked
treason heartily against the Whigs, their baseness and ingratitude. And
I am come home, rolling resentments in my mind, and framing schemes of
revenge: full of which (having written down some hints) I go to bed. I
am afraid MD dined at home, because it is Sunday; and there was the
little half-pint of wine: for God’s sake, be good girls, and all will be
well. Ben Tooke {8c} was with me this morning.
11. Seven, morning. I am rising to go to Jervas to finish my picture,
and ’tis shaving-day, so good-morrow MD; but don’t keep me now, for I
can’t stay; and pray dine with the Dean, but don’t lose your money. I
long to hear from you, etc.—Ten at night. I sat four hours this morning
to Jervas, who has given my picture quite another turn, and now approves
it entirely; but we must have the approbation of the town. If I were
rich enough, I would get a copy of it, and bring it over. Mr. Addison
and I dined together at his lodgings, and I sat with him part of this
evening; and I am now come home to write an hour. Patrick {8d} observes,
that the rabble here are much more inquisitive in politics than in
Ireland. Every day we expect changes, and the Parliament to be
dissolved. Lord Wharton expects every day to be out: he is working like
a horse for elections; and, in short, I never saw so great a ferment
among all sorts of people. I had a miserable letter from Joe last
Saturday, telling me Mr. Pratt {9a} refuses payment of his money. I have
told it Mr. Addison, and will to Lord Wharton; but I fear with no
success. However, I will do all I can.
12. To-day I presented Mr. Ford {9b} to the Duke of Ormond; and paid my
first visit to Lord President, {9c} with whom I had much discourse; but
put him always off when he began to talk of Lord Wharton in relation to
me, till he urged it: then I said, he knew I never expected anything from
Lord Wharton, and that Lord Wharton knew that I understood it so. He
said that he had written twice to Lord Wharton about me, who both times
said nothing at all to that part of his letter. I am advised not to
meddle in the affair of the First-Fruits, till this hurry is a little
over, which still depends, and we are all in the dark. Lord President
told me he expects every day to be out, and has done so these two months.
I protest, upon my life, I am heartily weary of this town, and wish I had
never stirred.
13. I went this morning to the city, to see Mr. Stratford the Hamburg
merchant, my old schoolfellow; {9d} but calling at Bull’s {9e} on Ludgate
Hill, he forced me to his house at Hampstead to dinner among a great deal
of ill company; among the rest Mr. Hoadley, {9f} the Whig clergyman, so
famous for acting the contrary part to Sacheverell: {9g} but to-morrow I
design again to see Stratford. I was glad, however, to be at Hampstead,
where I saw Lady Lucy {10a} and Moll Stanhope. I hear very unfortunate
news of Mrs. Long; {10b} she and her comrade {10c} have broke up house,
and she is broke for good and all, and is gone to the country: I should
be extremely sorry if this be true.
14. To-day, I saw Patty Rolt, {10d} who heard I was in town; and I dined
with Stratford at a merchant’s in the city, where I drank the first Tokay
wine I ever saw; and it is admirable, yet not to the degree I expected.
Stratford is worth a plum, {10e} and is now lending the Government forty
thousand pounds; yet we were educated together at the same school and
university. {10f} We hear the Chancellor {10g} is to be suddenly out,
and Sir Simon Harcourt {11a} to succeed him: I am come early home, not
caring for the Coffee-house.
15. To-day Mr. Addison, Colonel Freind, {11b} and I, went to see the
million lottery {11c} drawn at Guildhall. The jackanapes of bluecoat
boys gave themselves such airs in pulling out the tickets, and showed
white hands open to the company, to let us see there was no cheat. We
dined at a country-house near Chelsea, where Mr. Addison often retires;
and to-night, at the Coffee-house, we hear Sir Simon Harcourt is made
Lord Keeper; so that now we expect every moment the Parliament will be
dissolved; but I forgot that this letter will not go in three or four
days, and that my news will be stale, which I should therefore put in the
last paragraph. Shall I send this letter before I hear from MD, or shall
I keep it to lengthen? I have not yet seen Stella’s mother, because I
will not see Lady Giffard; but I will contrive to go there when Lady
Giffard is abroad. I forgot to mark my two former letters; but I
remember this is Number 3, and I have not yet had Number 1 from MD; but I
shall by Monday, which I reckon will be just a fortnight after you had my
first. I am resolved to bring over a great deal of china. I loved it
mightily to-day. {11d} What shall I bring?
16. Morning. Sir John Holland, {11e} Comptroller of the Household, has
sent to desire my acquaintance: I have a mind to refuse him, because he
is a Whig, and will, I suppose, be out among the rest; but he is a man of
worth and learning. Tell me, do you like this journal way of writing?
Is it not tedious and dull?
Night. I dined to-day with a cousin, a printer, {12a} where Patty Rolt
lodges, and then came home, after a visit or two; and it has been a very
insipid day. Mrs. Long’s misfortune is confirmed to me; bailiffs were in
her house; she retired to private lodgings; thence to the country, nobody
knows where: her friends leave letters at some inn, and they are carried
to her; and she writes answers without dating them from any place. I
swear, it grieves me to the soul.
17. To-day I dined six miles out of town, with Will Pate, {12b} the
learned woollen-draper; Mr. Stratford went with me; six miles here is
nothing: we left Pate after sunset, and were here before it was dark.
This letter shall go on Tuesday, whether I hear from MD or no. My health
continues pretty well; pray God Stella may give me a good account of
hers! and I hope you are now at Trim, or soon designing it. I was
disappointed to-night: the fellow gave me a letter, and I hoped to see
little MD’s hand; and it was only to invite me to a venison pasty to-day:
so I lost my pasty into the bargain. Pox on these declining courtiers!
Here is Mr. Brydges, {12c} the Paymaster-General, desiring my
acquaintance; but I hear the Queen sent Lord Shrewsbury {12d} to assure
him he may keep his place; and he promises me great assistance in the
affair of the First-Fruits. Well, I must turn over this leaf to-night,
though the side would hold another line; but pray consider this is a
whole sheet; it holds a plaguy deal, and you must be content to be weary;
but I’ll do so no more. Sir Simon Harcourt is made Attorney-General, and
not Lord Keeper.
18. To-day I dined with Mr. Stratford at Mr. Addison’s retirement near
Chelsea; then came to town; got home early, and began a letter to the
_Tatler_, {13a} about the corruptions of style and writing, etc., and,
having not heard from you, am resolved this letter shall go to-night.
Lord Wharton was sent for to town in mighty haste, by the Duke of
Devonshire: {13b} they have some project in hand; but it will not do, for
every hour we expect a thorough revolution, and that the Parliament will
be dissolved. When you see Joe, tell him Lord Wharton is too busy to
mind any of his affairs; but I will get what good offices I can from Mr.
Addison, and will write to-day to Mr. Pratt; and bid Joe not to be
discouraged, for I am confident he will get the money under any
Government; but he must have patience.
19. I have been scribbling this morning, and I believe shall hardly fill
this side to-day, but send it as it is; and it is good enough for naughty
girls that won’t write to a body, and to a good boy like Presto. I
thought to have sent this to-night, but was kept by company, and could
not; and, to say the truth, I had a little mind to expect one post more
for a letter from MD. Yesterday at noon died the Earl of Anglesea, {13c}
the great support of the Tories; so that employment of Vice-Treasurer of
Ireland is again vacant. We were to have been great friends, and I could
hardly have a loss that could grieve me more. The Bishop of Durham {14a}
died the same day. The Duke of Ormond’s daughter {14b} was to visit me
to-day at a third place by way of advance, {14c} and I am to return it
to-morrow. I have had a letter from Lady Berkeley, begging me for
charity to come to Berkeley Castle, for company to my lord, {14d} who has
been ill of a dropsy; but I cannot go, and must send my excuse to-morrow.
I am told that in a few hours there will be more removals.
20. To-day I returned my visits to the Duke’s daughters; {14e} the
insolent drabs came up to my very mouth to salute me. Then I heard the
report confirmed of removals; my Lord President Somers; the Duke of
Devonshire, Lord Steward; and Mr. Boyle, {14f} Secretary of State, are
all turned out to-day. I never remember such bold steps taken by a
Court: I am almost shocked at it, though I did not care if they were all
hanged. We are astonished why the Parliament is not yet dissolved, and
why they keep a matter of that importance to the last. We shall have a
strange winter here, between the struggles of a cunning provoked
discarded party, and the triumphs of one in power; of both which I shall
be an indifferent spectator, and return very peaceably to Ireland, when I
have done my part in the affair I am entrusted with, whether it succeeds
or no. To-morrow I change my lodgings in Pall Mall for one in Bury
Street, {15a} where I suppose I shall continue while I stay in London.
If anything happens to-morrow, I will add it.—Robin’s Coffee-house. {15b}
We have great news just now from Spain; Madrid taken, and Pampeluna. I
am here ever interrupted.
21. I have just received your letter, which I will not answer now; God
be thanked all things are so well. I find you have not yet had my
second: I had a letter from Parvisol, who tells me he gave Mrs. Walls a
bill of twenty pounds for me, to be given to you; but you have not sent
it. This night the Parliament is dissolved: great news from Spain; King
Charles and Stanhope are at Madrid, and Count Staremberg has taken
Pampeluna. Farewell. This is from St. James’s Coffee-house. I will
begin my answer to your letter to-night, but not send it this week. Pray
tell me whether you like this journal way of writing.—I don’t like your
reasons for not going to Trim. Parvisol tells me he can sell your horse.
Sell it, with a pox? Pray let him know that he shall sell his soul as
soon. What? sell anything that Stella loves, and may sometimes ride? It
is hers, and let her do as she pleases: pray let him know this by the
first that you know goes to Trim. Let him sell my grey, and be hanged.