KENSINGTON, _July_ 1, 1712.
I NEVER was in a worse station for writing letters than this, especially
for writing to MD, since I left off my journals. For I go to town early;
and when I come home at night, I generally go to Lord Masham, where Lord
Treasurer comes, and we stay till past twelve. But I am now resolved to
write journals again, though my shoulder is not yet well; for I have
still a few itching pimples, and a little pain now and then. It is now
high cherry-time with us; take notice, is it so soon with you? And we
have early apricots, and gooseberries are ripe. On Sunday Archdeacon
Parnell came here to see me. It seems he has been ill for grief of his
wife’s death, {445d} and has been two months at the Bath. He has a mind
to go to Dunkirk with Jack Hill, {446a} and I persuade him to it, and
have spoke to Hill to receive him; but I doubt he won’t have spirit to
go. I have made Ford {446b} Gazetteer, and got two hundred pounds a year
settled on the employment by the Secretary of State, beside the
perquisites. It is the prettiest employment in England of its bigness;
yet the puppy does not seem satisfied with it. I think people keep some
follies to themselves, till they have occasion to produce them. He
thinks it not genteel enough, and makes twenty difficulties. ’Tis
impossible to make any man easy. His salary is paid him every week, if
he pleases, without taxes or abatements. He has little to do for it. He
has a pretty office, with coals, candles, papers, etc.; can frank what
letters he will; and his perquisites, if he takes care, may be worth one
hundred pounds more. I hear the Bishop of Clogher is landing, or landed,
in England; and I hope to see him in a few days. I was to see Mrs.
Bradley {446c} on Sunday night. Her youngest son is married to somebody
worth nothing, and her daughter was forced to leave Lady Giffard, because
she was striking up an intrigue with a footman, who played well upon the
flute. This is the mother’s account of it. Yesterday the old Bishop of
Worcester, {446d} who pretends to be a prophet, went to the Queen, by
appointment, to prove to Her Majesty, out of Daniel and the Revelations,
that four years hence there would be a war of religion; that the King of
France would be a Protestant, and fight on their side; that the Popedom
would be destroyed, etc.; and declared that he would be content to give
up his bishopric if it were not true. Lord Treasurer, who told it me,
was by, and some others; and I am told Lord Treasurer confounded him
sadly in his own learning, which made the old fool very quarrelsome. He
is near ninety years old. Old Bradley is fat and lusty, and has lost his
palsy. Have you seen _Toland’s Invitation to Dismal_? {447a} How do you
like it? But it is an imitation of Horace, and perhaps you don’t
understand Horace. Here has been a great sweep of employments, and we
expect still more removals. The Court seems resolved to make thorough
work. Mr. Hill intended to set out to-morrow for Dunkirk, of which he is
appointed Governor; but he tells me to-day that he cannot go till
Thursday or Friday. I wish it were over. Mr. Secretary tells me he is
[in] no fear at all that France will play tricks with us. If we have
Dunkirk once, all is safe. We rail now all against the Dutch, who,
indeed, have acted like knaves, fools, and madmen. Mr. Secretary is soon
to be made a viscount. He desired I would draw the preamble of his
patent; but I excused myself from a work that might lose me a great deal
of reputation, and get me very little. We would fain have the Court make
him an earl, but it would not be; and therefore he will not take the
title of Bullenbrook, {447b} which is lately extinct in the elder branch
of his family. I have advised him to be called Lord Pomfret; but he
thinks that title is already in some other family; {447c} and, besides,
he objects that it is in Yorkshire, where he has no estate; but there is
nothing in that, and I love Pomfret. Don’t you love Pomfret? Why? ’Tis
in all our histories; they are full of Pomfret Castle. But what’s all
this to you? You don’t care for this. Is Goody Stoyte come to London?
I have not heard of her yet. The Dean of St. Patrick’s never had the
manners to answer my letter. I was t’other day to see Sterne {447d} and
his wife. She is not half so handsome as when I saw her with you at
Dublin. They design to pass the summer at a house near Lord Somers’s,
about a dozen miles off. You never told me how my _Letter to Lord
Treasurer_ passes in Ireland. I suppose you are drinking at this time
Temple-something’s {448a} waters. Steele was arrested the other day for
making a lottery directly against an Act of Parliament. He is now under
prosecution; but they think it will be dropped out of pity. {448b} I
believe he will very soon lose his employment, for he has been mighty
impertinent of late in his _Spectators_; and I will never offer a word in
his behalf. Raymond writes me word that the Bishop of Meath {448c} was
going to summon me, in order to suspension, for absence, if the Provost
had not prevented him. I am prettily rewarded for getting them their
First-Fruits, with a p—. We have had very little hot weather during the
whole month of June; and for a week past we have had a great deal of
rain, though not every day. I am just now told that the Governor of
Dunkirk has not orders yet to deliver up the town to Jack Hill and his
forces, but expects them daily. This must put off Hill’s journey a
while, and I don’t like these stoppings in such an affair. Go, get oo
gone, and drink oo waters, if this rain has not spoiled them, sauci doxi.
I have no more to say to oo at plesent; but rove Pdfr, and MD, and ME.
And Podefr will rove Pdfr, and MD and ME. I wish you had taken any
account when I sent money to Mrs. Brent. I believe I han’t done it a
great while. And pray send me notice when ME . . . to have it when it is
due. {448d} Farewell, dearest MD FW FW FW ME ME ME.