LONDON, _May_ 31, 1712.
I CANNOT yet arrive to my journal letters, my pains continuing still,
though with less violence; but I don’t love to write journals while I am
in pain; and above all, not journals to MD. But, however, I am so much
mended, that I intend my next shall be in the old way; and yet I shall,
perhaps, break my resolution when I feel pain. I believe I have lost
credit with you, in relation to my coming over; but I protest it is
impossible for one who has anything to do with this Ministry to be
certain when he fixes any time. There is a business which, till it take
some turn or other, I cannot leave this place in prudence or honour. And
I never wished so much as now that I had stayed in Ireland; but the die
is cast, and is now a spinning, and till it settles, I cannot tell
whether it be an ace or a sise. {439d} I am confident by what you know
yourselves, that you will justify me in all this. The moment I am used
ill, I will leave them; but know not how to do it while things are in
suspense. The session will soon be over (I believe in a fortnight), and
the peace, we hope, will be made in a short time; and there will be no
further occasion for me; nor have I anything to trust to but Court
gratitude, so that I expect to see my willows {440a} a month after the
Parliament is up: but I will take MD in my way, and not go to Laracor
like an unmannerly spraenekich ferrow. {440b} Have you seen my _Letter
to Lord Treasurer_? There are two answers come out to it already; {440c}
though it is no politics, but a harmless proposal about the improvement
of the English Tongue. I believe if I writ an essay upon a straw some
fool would answer it. About ten days hence I expect a letter from MD; N.
30.—You are now writing it, near the end, as I guess.—I have not received
DD’s money; but I will give you a note for it on Parvisol, and bed oo
paadon {440d} I have not done it before. I am just now thinking to go
lodge at Kensington for the air. Lady Masham has teased me to do it, but
business has hindered me; but now Lord Treasurer has removed thither.
Fifteen of our Society dined together under a canopy in an arbour at
Parson’s Green {440e} last Thursday: I never saw anything so fine and
romantic. We got a great victory last Wednesday in the House of Lords by
a majority, I think, of twenty-eight; and the Whigs had desired their
friends to bespeak places to see Lord Treasurer carried to the Tower.
{440f} I met your Higgins {440g} here yesterday: he roars at the
insolence of the Whigs in Ireland, talks much of his own sufferings and
expenses in asserting the cause of the Church; and I find he would fain
plead merit enough to desire that his fortune should be mended. I
believe he designs to make as much noise as he can in order to
preferment. Pray let the Provost, when he sees you, give you ten English
shillings, and I will give as much here to the man who delivered me
Rymer’s books: {441a} he knows the meaning. Tell him I will not trust
him, but that you can order it to be paid me here; and I will trust you
till I see you. Have I told you that the rogue Patrick has left me these
two months, to my great satisfaction? I have got another, who seems to
be much better, if he continues it. I am printing a threepenny pamphlet,
{441b} and shall print another in a fortnight, and then I have done,
unless some new occasion starts. Is my curate Warburton married to Mrs.
Melthrop in my parish? so I hear. Or is it a lie? Has Raymond got to
his new house? Do you see Joe now and then? What luck have you at
ombre? How stands it with the Dean? . . . {441c} My service to Mrs.
Stoyte, and Catherine, if she be come from Wales. I have not yet seen
Dilly Ashe’s wife. I called once, but she was not at home: I think she
is under the doctor’s hand. . . . {441d} I believe the news of the Duke
of Ormond producing letters in the council of war, with orders not to
fight, will surprise you in Ireland. Lord Treasurer said in the House of
Lords that in a few days the treaty of peace should be laid before them;
and our Court thought it wrong to hazard a battle, and sacrifice many
lives in such a juncture. If the peace holds, all will do well,
otherwise I know not how we shall weather it. And it was reckoned as a
wrong step in politics for Lord Treasurer to open himself so much. The
Secretary would not go so far to satisfy the Whigs in the House of
Commons; but there all went swimmingly. I’ll say no more to oo to-nite,
sellohs, because I must send away the letter, not by the bell, {441e} but
early: and besides, I have not much more to say at zis plesent liting.
{442a} Does MD never read at all now, pee? {442b} But oo walk
plodigiousry, I suppose; oo make nothing of walking to, to, to, ay, to
Donnybrook. I walk too as much as I can, because sweating is good; but
I’ll walk more if I go to Kensington. I suppose I shall have no apples
this year neither, for I dined t’other day with Lord Rivers, who is sick
at his country-house, and he showed me all his cherries blasted. Nite
deelest sollahs; farewell deelest rives; rove poo poo Pdfr. Farewell
deelest richar MD, MD, MD, FW, FW, FW, FW, FW, ME, ME, Lele, ME, Lele,
Lele, richar MD.