LONDON, _July_ 19, 1711.
I HAVE just sent my 26th, and have nothing to say, because I have other
letters to write (pshaw, I began too high); but I must lay the beginning
like a nest-egg: to-morrow I will say more, and fetch up this line to be
straight. This is enough at present for two dear saucy naughty girls.
20. Have I told you that Walls has been with me, and leaves the town in
three days? He has brought no gown with him. Dilly carried him to a
play. He has come upon a foolish errand, and goes back as he comes. I
was this day with Lord Peterborow, who is going another ramble: I believe
I told you so. I dined with Lord Treasurer, but cannot get him to do his
own business with me; he has put me off till to-morrow.
21, 22. I dined yesterday with Lord Treasurer, who would needs take me
along with him to Windsor, although I refused him several times, having
no linen, etc. I had just time to desire Lord Forbes {258a} to call at
my lodging and order my man to send my things to-day to Windsor by his
servant. I lay last night at the Secretary’s lodgings at Windsor, and
borrowed one of his shirts to go to Court in. The Queen is very well. I
dined with Mr. Masham; and not hearing anything of my things, I got Lord
Winchelsea to bring me to town. Here I found that Patrick had broke open
the closet to get my linen and nightgown, and sent them to Windsor, and
there they are; and he, not thinking I would return so soon, is gone upon
his rambles: so here I am left destitute, and forced to borrow a
nightgown of my landlady, and have not a rag to put on to-morrow: faith,
it gives me the spleen.
23. Morning. It is a terrible rainy day, and rained prodigiously on
Saturday night. Patrick lay out last night, and is not yet returned:
faith, poor Presto is a desolate creature; neither servant, nor linen,
nor anything.—Night. Lord Forbes’s man has brought back my portmantua,
and Patrick is come; so I am in Christian circumstances: I shall hardly
commit such a frolic again. I just crept out to Mrs. Van’s, and dined,
and stayed there the afternoon: it has rained all this day. Windsor is a
delicious place: I never saw it before, except for an hour about
seventeen years ago. Walls has been here in my absence, I suppose, to
take his leave; for he designed not to stay above five days in London.
He says he and his wife will come here for some months next year; and, in
short, he dares not stay now for fear of her.
24. I dined to-day with a hedge {258b} friend in the City; and Walls
overtook me in the street, and told me he was just getting on horseback
for Chester. He has as much curiosity as a cow: he lodged with his horse
in Aldersgate Street: he has bought his wife a silk gown, and himself a
hat. And what are you doing? what is poor MD doing now? how do you pass
your time at Wexford? how do the waters agree with you? Let Presto know
soon; for Presto longs to know, and must know. Is not Madam Proby
curious company? I am afraid this rainy weather will spoil your waters.
We have had a great deal of wet these three days. Tell me all the
particulars of Wexford: the place, the company, the diversions, the
victuals, the wants, the vexations. Poor Dingley never saw such a place
in her life; sent all over the town for a little parsley to a boiled
chicken, and it was not to be had; the butter is stark naught, except an
old English woman’s; and it is such a favour to get a pound from her now
and then! I am glad you carried down your sheets with you, else you must
have lain in sackcloth. O Lord!
25. I was this forenoon with Mr. Secretary at his office, and helped to
hinder a man of his pardon, who is condemned for a rape. The Under
Secretary was willing to save him, upon an old notion that a woman cannot
be ravished; but I told the Secretary he could not pardon him without a
favourable report from the judge; besides, he was a fiddler, and
consequently a rogue, and deserved hanging for some thing else; and so he
shall swing. What, I must stand up for the honour of the fair sex! ’Tis
true the fellow had lain with her a hundred times before, but what care I
for that! What, must a woman be ravished because she is a whore?—The
Secretary and I go on Saturday to Windsor for a week. I dined with Lord
Treasurer, and stayed with him till past ten. I was to-day at his levee,
where I went against my custom, because I had a mind to do a good office
for a gentleman: so I talked with him before my lord, that he might see
me, and then found occasion to recommend him this afternoon. I was
forced to excuse my coming to the levee, that I did it to see the sight;
for he was going to chide me away: I had never been there but once, and
that was long before he was Treasurer. The rooms were all full, and as
many Whigs as Tories. He whispered me a jest or two, and bid me come to
dinner. I left him but just now; and ’tis late.
26. Mr. Addison and I have at last met again. I dined with him and
Steele to-day at young Jacob Tonson’s. The two Jacobs {260a} think it is
I who have made the Secretary take from them the printing of the
_Gazette_, which they are going to lose, and Ben Tooke and another {260b}
are to have it. Jacob came to me the other day, to make his court; but I
told him it was too late, and that it was not my doing. I reckon they
will lose it in a week or two. Mr. Addison and I talked as usual, and as
if we had seen one another yesterday; and Steele and I were very easy,
though I writ him lately a biting letter, in answer to one of his, where
he desired me to recommend a friend of his to Lord Treasurer. Go, get
you gone to your waters, sirrah. Do they give you a stomach? Do you eat
heartily?—We have had much rain to-day and yesterday.
27. I dined to-day in the City, and saw poor Patty Rolt, and gave her a
pistole to help her a little forward against she goes to board in the
country. She has but eighteen pounds a year to live on, and is forced to
seek out for cheap places. Sometimes they raise their price, and
sometimes they starve her, and then she is forced to shift. Patrick the
puppy put too much ink in my standish, {260c} and, carrying too many
things together, I spilled it on my paper and floor. The town is dull,
wet, and empty; Wexford is worth two of it; I hope so at least, and that
poor little MD finds it so. I reckon upon going to Windsor to-morrow
with Mr. Secretary, unless he changes his mind, or some other business
prevents him. I shall stay there a week, I hope.
28. Morning. Mr. Secretary sent me word he will call at my lodgings by
two this afternoon, to take me to Windsor; so I must dine nowhere; and I
promised Lord Treasurer to dine with him to-day; but I suppose we shall
dine at Windsor at five, for we make but three hours there. {261a} I am
going abroad, but have left Patrick to put up my things, and to be sure
to be at home half an hour before two.—Windsor, at night. We did not
leave London till three, and dined here between six and seven; at nine I
left the company, and went to see Lord Treasurer, who is just come. I
chid him for coming so late; he chid me for not dining with him; said he
stayed an hour for me. Then I went and sat with Mr. Lewis till just now,
and it is past eleven. I lie in the same house with the Secretary, one
of the Prebendary’s houses. The Secretary is not come from his apartment
in the Castle. Do you think that abominable dog Patrick was out after
two to-day, and I in a fright every moment, for fear the chariot should
come; and when he came in, he had not put up one rag of my things! I
never was in a greater passion, and would certainly have cropped one of
his ears, if I had not looked every moment for the Secretary, who sent
his equipage to my lodging before, and came in a chair from Whitehall to
me, and happened to stay half an hour later than he intended. One of
Lord Treasurer’s servants gave me a letter to-night: I found it was from
—, with an offer of fifty pounds, to be paid me in what manner I pleased;
because, he said, he desired to be well with me. I was in a rage; {261b}
but my friend Lewis cooled me, and said it is what the best men sometimes
meet with; and I have been not seldom served in the like manner, although
not so grossly. In these cases I never demur a moment, nor ever found
the least inclination to take anything. Well, I will go try to sleep in
my new bed, and to dream of poor Wexford MD, and Stella that drinks
water, and Dingley that drinks ale.
29. I was at Court and church to-day, as I was this day se’ennight: I
generally am acquainted with about thirty in the drawing-room, and I am
so proud I make all the lords come up to me: one passes half an hour
pleasant enough. We had a dunce to preach before the Queen to-day, which
often happens. Windsor is a delicious situation, but the town is
scoundrel. I have this morning got the _Gazette_ for Ben Tooke and one
Barber a printer; it will be about three hundred pounds a year between
them. The other fellow was printer of the _Examiner_, which is now laid
down. {262a} I dined with the Secretary: we were a dozen in all, three
Scotch lords, and Lord Peterborow. The Duke of Hamilton {262b} would
needs be witty, and hold up my train as I walked upstairs. It is an ill
circumstance that on Sundays much company always meet at the great
tables. Lord Treasurer told at Court what I said to Mr. Secretary on
this occasion. The Secretary showed me his bill of fare, to encourage me
to dine with him. “Poh,” said I, “show me a bill of company, for I value
not your dinner.” See how this is all blotted, {262c} I can write no
more here, but to tell you I love MD dearly, and God bless them.
30. In my conscience, I fear I shall have the gout. I sometimes feel
pains about my feet and toes: I never drank till within these two years,
and I did it to cure my head. I often sit evenings with some of these
people, and drink in my turn; but I am now resolved to drink ten times
less than before; but they advise me to let what I drink be all wine, and
not to put water to it. Tooke and the printer stayed to-day to finish
their affair, and treated me and two of the Under Secretaries upon their
getting the _Gazette_. Then I went to see Lord Treasurer, and chid him
for not taking notice of me at Windsor. He said he kept a place for me
yesterday at dinner, and expected me there; but I was glad I did not go,
because the Duke of Buckingham was there, and that would have made us
acquainted; which I have no mind to. However, we appointed to sup at Mr.
Masham’s, and there stayed till past one o’clock; and that is late,
sirrahs: and I have much business.
31. I have sent a noble haunch of venison this afternoon to Mrs.
Vanhomrigh: I wish you had it, sirrahs. I dined gravely with my landlord
the Secretary. The Queen was abroad to-day in order to hunt; but,
finding it disposed to rain, she kept in her coach; she hunts in a chaise
with one horse, which she drives herself, and drives furiously, like
Jehu, and is a mighty hunter, like Nimrod. Dingley has heard of Nimrod,
but not Stella, for it is in the Bible. I was to-day at Eton, which is
but just cross the bridge, to see my Lord Kerry’s son, {263} who is at
school there. Mr. Secretary has given me a warrant for a buck; I can’t
send it to MD. It is a sad thing, faith, considering how Presto loves
MD, and how MD would love Presto’s venison for Presto’s sake. God bless
the two dear Wexford girls!
Aug. 1. We had for dinner the fellow of that haunch of venison I sent to
London; ’twas mighty fat and good, and eight people at dinner; that was
bad. The Queen and I were going to take the air this afternoon, but not
together; and were both hindered by a sudden rain. Her coaches and
chaises all went back, and the guards too; and I scoured into the
market-place for shelter. I intended to have walked up the finest avenue
I ever saw, two miles long, with two rows of elms on each side. I walked
in the evening a little upon the terrace, and came home at eight: Mr.
Secretary came soon after, and we were engaging in deep discourse, and I
was endeavouring to settle some points of the greatest consequence, and
had wormed myself pretty well into him, when his Under Secretary came in
(who lodges in the same house with us) and interrupted all my scheme. I
have just left him: it is late, etc.
2. I have been now five days at Windsor, and Patrick has been drunk
three times that I have seen, and oftener I believe. He has lately had
clothes that have cost me five pounds, and the dog thinks he has the
whip-hand of me: he begins to master me; so now I am resolved to part
with him, and will use him without the least pity. The Secretary and I
have been walking three or four hours to-day. The Duchess of Shrewsbury
{264a} asked him, was not that Dr.—Dr.— and she could not say my name in
English, but said Dr. Presto, which is Italian for Swift. Whimsical
enough, as Billy Swift {264b} says. I go to-morrow with the Secretary to
his house at Bucklebury, twenty-five miles from hence, and return early
on Sunday morning. I will leave this letter behind me locked up, and
give you an account of my journey when I return. I had a letter
yesterday from the Bishop of Clogher, who is coming up to his Parliament.
Have you any correspondence with him to Wexford? Methinks, I now long
for a letter from you, dated Wexford, July 24, etc. O Lord, that would
be so pretending; {264c} and then, says you, Stella can’t write much,
because it is bad to write when one drinks the waters; and I think, says
you, I find myself better already, but I cannot tell yet whether it be
the journey or the waters. Presto is so silly to-night; yes he be; but
Presto loves MD dearly, as hope saved.
3. Morning. I am to go this day at noon, as I told you, to Bucklebury:
we dine at twelve, and expect to be there in four hours. I cannot bid
you good-night now, because I shall be twenty-five miles from this paper
to-night, and so my journal must have a break; so good-morrow, etc.
4, 5. I dined yesterday at Bucklebury, where we lay two nights, and set
out this morning at eight, and were here at twelve; in four hours we went
twenty-six miles. Mr. Secretary was a perfect country gentleman at
Bucklebury: he smoked tobacco with one or two neighbours; he inquired
after the wheat in such a field; he went to visit his hounds, and knew
all their names; he and his lady saw me to my chamber just in the country
fashion. His house is in the midst of near three thousand pounds a year
he had by his lady, {265} who is descended from Jack Newbury, of whom
books and ballads are written; and there is an old picture of him in the
house. She is a great favourite of mine. I lost church to-day; but I
dressed and shaved, and went to Court, and would not dine with the
Secretary, but engaged myself to a private dinner with Mr. Lewis, and one
friend more. We go to London to-morrow; for Lord Dartmouth, the other
Secretary, is come, and they are here their weeks by turns.
6. Lord Treasurer comes every Saturday to Windsor, and goes away on
Monday or Tuesday. I was with him this morning at his levee, for one
cannot see him otherwise here, he is so hurried: we had some talk; and I
told him I would stay this week at Windsor by myself, where I can have
more leisure to do some business that concerns them. Lord Treasurer and
the Secretary thought to mortify me; for they told me they had been
talking a great deal of me to-day to the Queen, and she said she had
never heard of me. I told them that was their fault, and not hers, etc.,
and so we laughed. I dined with the Secretary, and let him go to London
at five without me; and here am I alone in the Prebendary’s house, which
Mr. Secretary has taken; only Mr. Lewis is in my neighbourhood, and we
shall be good company. The Vice-Chamberlain, {266a} and Mr. Masham, and
the Green Cloth, {266b} have promised me dinners. I shall want but four
till Mr. Secretary returns. We have a music-meeting in our town
to-night. I went to the rehearsal of it, and there was Margarita, {266c}
and her sister, and another drab, and a parcel of fiddlers: I was weary,
and would not go to the meeting, which I am sorry for, because I heard it
was a great assembly. Mr. Lewis came from it, and sat with me till just
now; and ’tis late.
7. I can do no business, I fear, because Mr. Lewis, who has nothing or
little to do here, sticks close to me. I dined to-day with the gentlemen
ushers, among scurvy company; but the Queen was hunting the stag till
four this afternoon, and she drove in her chaise above forty miles, and
it was five before we went to dinner. Here are fine walks about this
town. I sometimes walk up the avenue.
8. There was a Drawing-room to-day at Court; but so few company, that
the Queen sent for us into her bed-chamber, where we made our bows, and
stood about twenty of us round the room, while she looked at us round
with her fan in her mouth, and once a minute said about three words to
some that were nearest her, and then she was told dinner was ready, and
went out. I dined at the Green Cloth, by Mr. Scarborow’s {266d}
invitation, who is in waiting. It is much the best table in England, and
costs the Queen a thousand pounds a month while she is at Windsor or
Hampton Court, and is the only mark of magnificence or hospitality I can
see in the Queen’s family: it is designed to entertain foreign Ministers,
and people of quality, who come to see the Queen, and have no place to
dine at.
9. Mr. Coke, the Vice-Chamberlain, made me a long visit this morning,
and invited me to dinner; but the toast, his lady, {267a} was
unfortunately engaged to Lady Sunderland. {267b} Lord Treasurer stole
here last night, but did not lie at his lodgings in the Castle; and,
after seeing the Queen, went back again. I just drank a dish of
chocolate with him. I fancy I shall have reason to be angry with him
very soon; but what care I? I believe I shall die with Ministries in my
debt.—This night I received a certain letter from a place called Wexford,
from two dear naughty girls of my acquaintance; but, faith, I will not
answer it here, no in troth. I will send this to Mr. Reading, supposing
it will find you returned; and I hope better for the waters.
10. Mr. Vice-Chamberlain lent me his horses to ride about and see the
country this morning. Dr. Arbuthnot, the Queen’s physician and
favourite, went out with me to show me the places: we went a little after
the Queen, and overtook Miss Forester, {267c} a maid of honour, on her
palfrey, taking the air; we made her go along with us. We saw a place
they have made for a famous horse-race to-morrow, where the Queen will
come. We met the Queen coming back, and Miss Forester stood, like us,
with her hat off while the Queen went by. The Doctor and I left the lady
where we found her, but under other conductors; and we dined at a little
place he has taken, about a mile off.—When I came back I found Mr.
Scarborow had sent all about to invite me to the Green Cloth, and
lessened his company on purpose to make me easy. It is very obliging,
and will cost me thanks. Much company is come to town this evening, to
see to-morrow’s race. I was tired with riding a trotting mettlesome
horse a dozen miles, having not been on horseback this twelvemonth. And
Miss Forester did not make it easier; she is a silly true maid of honour,
and I did not like her, although she be a toast, and was dressed like a
man. {268a}
11. I will send this letter to-day. I expect the Secretary by noon. I
will not go to the race unless I can get room in some coach. It is now
morning. I must rise, and fold up and seal my letter. Farewell, and God
preserve dearest MD.