WINDSOR, _Sept._ 15, 1712.
I NEVER was so long without writing to MD as now, since I left them, nor
ever will again while I am able to write. I have expected from one week
to another that something would be done in my own affairs; but nothing at
all is, nor I don’t know when anything will, or whether ever at all, so
slow are people at doing favours. I have been much out of order of late
with the old giddiness in my head. I took a vomit for it two days ago,
and will take another about a day or two hence. I have eat mighty little
fruit; yet I impute my disorder to that little, and shall henceforth
wholly forbear it. I am engaged in a long work, and have done all I can
of it, and wait for some papers from the Ministry for materials for the
rest; and they delay me, as if it were a favour I asked of them; so that
I have been idle here this good while, and it happened in a right time,
when I was too much out of order to study. One is kept constantly out of
humour by a thousand unaccountable things in public proceedings; and when
I reason with some friends, we cannot conceive how affairs can last as
they are. God only knows, but it is a very melancholy subject for those
who have any near concern in it. I am again endeavouring, as I was last
year, to keep people {455a} from breaking to pieces upon a hundred
misunderstandings. One cannot withhold them from drawing different ways,
while the enemy is watching to destroy both. See how my style is
altered, by living and thinking and talking among these people, instead
of my canal and river-walk and willows. I lose all my money here among
the ladies; {455b} so that I never play when I can help it, being sure to
lose. I have lost five pounds the five weeks I have been here. I hope
Ppt is luckier at picquet with the Dean and Mrs. Walls. The Dean never
answered my letter, though. I have clearly forgot whether I sent a bill
for ME in any of my last letters. I think I did; pray let me know, and
always give me timely notice. I wait here but to see what they will do
for me; and whenever preferments are given from me, as hope saved, I will
come over.
18. I have taken a vomit to-day, and hope I shall be better. I have
been very giddy since I writ what is before, yet not as I used to be:
more frequent, but not so violent. Yesterday we were alarmed with the
Queen’s being ill: she had an aguish and feverish fit; and you never saw
such countenances as we all had, such dismal melancholy. Her physicians
from town were sent for, but towards night she grew better; to-day she
missed her fit, and was up: we are not now in any fear; it will be at
worst but an ague, and we hope even that will not return. Lord Treasurer
would not come here from London, because it would make a noise if he came
before his usual time, which is Saturday, and he goes away on Mondays.
The Whigs have lost a great support in the Earl of Godolphin. {456a} It
is a good jest to hear the Ministers talk of him now with humanity and
pity, because he is dead, and can do them no more hurt. Lady Orkney,
{456b} the late King’s mistress (who lives at a fine place, five miles
from hence, called Cliffden {456c}), and I, are grown mighty
acquaintance. She is the wisest woman I ever saw; and Lord Treasurer
made great use of her advice in the late change of affairs. I heard Lord
Marlborough is growing ill of his diabetes; which, if it be true, may
soon carry him off; and then the Ministry will be something more at ease.
MD has been a long time without writing to Pdfr, though they have not the
same cause: it is seven weeks since your last came to my hands, which was
N. 32, that you may not be mistaken. I hope Ppt has not wanted her
health. You were then drinking waters. The doctor tells me I must go
into a course of steel, though I have not the spleen; for that they can
never give me, though I have as much provocation to it as any man alive.
Bernage’s {456d} regiment is broke; but he is upon half-pay. I have not
seen him this long time; but I suppose he is overrun with melancholy. My
Lord Shrewsbury is certainly designed to be Governor of Ireland; and I
believe the Duchess will please the people there mightily. The Irish
Whig leaders promise great things to themselves from his government; but
care shall be taken, if possible, to prevent them. Mrs. Fenton {456e}
has writ to me that she has been forced to leave Lady Giffard, and come
to town, for a rheumatism: that lady does not love to be troubled with
sick people. Mrs. Fenton writes to me as one dying, and desires I would
think of her son: I have not answered her letter. She is retired {457a}
to Mrs. Povey’s. Is my aunt alive yet? and do you ever see her? I
suppose she has forgot the loss of her son. Is Raymond’s new house quite
finished? and does he squander as he used to do? Has he yet spent all
his wife’s fortune? I hear there are five or six people putting strongly
in for my livings; God help them! But if ever the Court should give me
anything, I would recommend Raymond to the Duke of Ormond; not for any
particular friendship to him, but because it would be proper for the
minister of Trim to have Laracor. You may keep the gold-studded
snuff-box now; for my brother Hill, Governor of Dunkirk, has sent me the
finest that ever you saw. {457b} It is allowed at Court that none in
England comes near it, though it did not cost above twenty pounds. And
the Duchess of Hamilton has made me pockets for [it] like a woman’s, with
a belt and buckle (for, you know, I wear no waistcoat in summer), and
there are several divisions, and one on purpose for my box, oh ho!—We
have had most delightful weather this whole week; but illness and
vomiting have hindered me from sharing in a great part of it. Lady
Masham made the Queen send to Kensington for some of her preserved ginger
for me, which I take in the morning, and hope it will do me good. Mrs.
Brent {457c} sent me a letter by a young fellow, a printer, desiring I
would recommend him here, which you may tell her I have done: but I
cannot promise what will come of it, for it is necessary they should be
made free here {457d} before they can be employed. I remember I put the
boy prentice to Brent. I hope Parvisol has set my tithes well this year:
he has writ nothing to me about it; pray talk to him of it when you see
him, and let him give me an account how things are. I suppose the corn
is now off the ground. I hope he has sold that great ugly horse. Why
don’t you sell to him? He keeps me at charges for horses that I never
ride: yours is lame, and will never be good for anything. The Queen will
stay here about a month longer, I suppose; but Lady Masham will go in ten
days to lie in at Kensington. Poor creature, she fell down in the court
here t’other day. She would needs walk across it upon some displeasure
with her chairmen, and was likely to be spoiled so near her time; but we
hope all is over for a black eye and a sore side: though I shall not be
at ease till she is brought to bed. I find I can fill up a letter, some
way or other, without a journal. If I had not a spirit naturally
cheerful, I should be very much discontented at a thousand things. Pray
God preserve MD’s health, and Pdfr’s, and that I may live far from the
envy and discontent that attends those who are thought to have more
favour at Courts than they really possess. Love Pdfr, who loves MD above
all things. Farewell, deelest, ten thousand times deelest, MD MD MD, FW
FW, ME ME ME ME. Lele, Lele, Lele, Lele.