LONDON, _Jan._ 25, 1712–1713.
WE had such a terrible storm to-day, that, going to Lord Bolingbroke’s, I
saw a hundred tiles fallen down; and one swinger fell about forty yards
before me, that would have killed a horse: so, after church and Court, I
walked through the Park, and took a chair to Lord Treasurer’s. Next door
to his house, a tin chimneytop had fallen down, with a hundred bricks.
It is grown calm this evening. I wonder had you such a wind to-day? I
hate it as much as any hog does. Lord Treasurer has engaged me to dine
again with him to-morrow. He has those tricks sometimes of inviting me
from day to day, which I am forced to break through. My little pamphlet
{498b} is out: ’tis not politics. If it takes, I say again you shall
hear of it. Nite dee logues.
26. This morning I felt a little touch of giddiness, which has
disordered and weakened me with its ugly remains all this day. Pity
Pdfr. After dinner at Lord Treasurer’s, the French Ambassador, Duke
d’Aumont, sent Lord Treasurer word that his house was burnt down to the
ground. It took fire in the upper rooms, while he was at dinner with
Monteleon, the Spanish Ambassador, and other persons; and soon after Lord
Bolingbroke came to us with the same story. We are full of speculations
upon it, but I believe it was the carelessness of his French rascally
servants. ’Tis odd that this very day Lord Somers, Wharton, Sunderland,
Halifax, and the whole club of Whig lords, dined at Pontack’s {498c} in
the City, as I received private notice. They have some damned design. I
tell you another odd thing; I was observing it to Lord Treasurer, that he
was stabbed on the day King William died; and the day I saved his life,
by opening the bandbox, {498d} was King William’s birthday. My friend
Mr. Lewis has had a lie spread on him by the mistake of a man, who went
to another of his name, to give him thanks for passing his Privy Seal to
come from France. {499a} That other Lewis spread about that the man
brought him thanks from Lord Perth and Lord Melfort (two lords with the
Pretender), for his great services, etc. The Lords will examine that
t’other Lewis to-morrow in council; and I believe you will hear of it in
the prints, for I will make Abel Roper give a relation of it. Pray tell
me if it be necessary to write a little plainer; for I looked over a bit
of my last letter, and could hardly read it. I’ll mend my hand, if oo
please: but you are more used to it nor I, as Mr. Raymond says. Nite MD.
27. I dined to-day with Lord Treasurer: this makes four days together;
and he has invited me again to-morrow, but I absolutely refused him. I
was this evening at a christening with him of Lord Dupplin’s {499b}
daughter. He went away at ten; but they kept me and some others till
past twelve; so you may be sure ’tis late, as they say. We have now
stronger suspicions that the Duke d’Aumont’s house was set on fire by
malice. I was to-day to see Lord Keeper, who has quite lost his voice
with a cold. There Dr. Radcliffe told me that it was the Ambassador’s
confectioner set the house on fire by boiling sugar, and going down and
letting it boil over. Yet others still think differently; so I know not
what to judge. Nite my own deelest MD, rove Pdfr.
28. I was to-day at Court, where the Spanish Ambassador talked to me as
if he did not suspect any design in burning d’Aumont’s house: but Abbé
Gaultier, Secretary for France here, said quite otherwise; and that
d’Aumont had a letter the very same day to let him know his house should
be burnt, and they tell several other circumstances too tedious to write.
One is, that a fellow mending the tiles just when the fire broke out, saw
a pot with wildfire {499c} in the room. I dined with Lord Orkney.
Neither Lord Abercorn nor Selkirk will now speak with me. I have
disobliged both sides. Nite dear MD.
29. Our Society met to-day, fourteen of us, and at a tavern. We now
resolve to meet but once a fortnight, and have a Committee every other
week of six or seven, to consult about doing some good. I proposed
another message to Lord Treasurer by three principal members, to give a
hundred guineas to a certain person, and they are to urge it as well as
they can. We also raised sixty guineas upon our own Society; but I made
them do it by sessors, {500a} and I was one of them, and we fitted our
tax to the several estates. The Duke of Ormond pays ten guineas, and I
the third part of a guinea; at that rate, they may tax as often as they
please. Well, but I must answer oor rettle, ung oomens: not yet; ’tis
rate now, and I can’t tind it. Nite deelest MD.
30. I have drank Spa waters this two or three days; but they do not
pass, and make me very giddy. I an’t well; faith, I’ll take them no
more. I sauntered after church with the Provost to-day to see a library
to be sold, and dined at five with Lord Orkney. We still think there was
malice in burning d’Aumont’s house. I hear little Harrison {500b} is
come over; it was he I sent to Utrecht. He is now Queen’s Secretary to
the Embassy, and has brought with him the Barrier Treaty, as it is now
corrected by us, and yielded to by the Dutch, which was the greatest
difficulty to retard the peace. I hope he will bring over the peace a
month hence, for we will send him back as soon as possible. I long to
see the little brat, my own creature. His pay is in all a thousand
pounds a year, and they have never paid him a groat, though I have teased
their hearts out. He must be three or four hundred pounds in debt at
least, the brat! Let me go to bed, sollahs.—Nite dee richar MD.
31. Harrison was with me this morning: we talked three hours, and then I
carried him to Court. When we went down to the door of my lodging, I
found a coach waited for him. I chid him for it; but he whispered me it
was impossible to do otherwise; and in the coach he told me he had not
one farthing in his pocket to pay it; and therefore took the coach for
the whole day, and intended to borrow money somewhere or other. So there
was the Queen’s Minister entrusted in affairs of the greatest importance,
without a shilling in his pocket to pay a coach! I paid him while he was
with me seven guineas, in part of a dozen of shirts he bought me in
Holland. I presented him to the Duke of Ormond, and several lords at
Court; and I contrived it so that Lord Treasurer came to me and asked (I
had Parnell by me) whether that was Dr. Parnell, and came up and spoke to
him with great kindness, and invited him to his house. I value myself
upon making the Ministry desire to be acquainted with Parnell, and not
Parnell with the Ministry. His poem is almost fully corrected, and shall
soon be out. Here’s enough for to-day: only to tell you that I was in
the City with my printer to alter an _Examiner_ about my friend Lewis’s
story, {501} which will be told with remarks. Nite MD.
Feb. 1. I could do nothing till to-day about the _Examiner_, but the
printer came this morning, and I dictated to him what was fit to be said,
and then Mr. Lewis came, and corrected it as he would have it; so I was
neither at church nor Court. The Duke of Ormond and I dined at Lord
Orkney’s. I left them at seven, and sat with Sir Andrew Fountaine, who
has a very bad sore leg, for which he designs to go to France. Fais,
here’s a week gone, and one side of this letter not finished. Oh, but I
write now but once in three weeks; iss, fais, this shall go sooner. The
Parliament is to sit on the third, but will adjourn for three or four
days; for the Queen is laid up with the gout, and both Speakers out of
order, though one of them, the Lord Keeper, is almost well. I spoke to
the Duke of Ormond a good deal about Ireland. We do not altogether
agree, nor am I judge enough of Irish affairs; but I will speak to Lord
Treasurer to-morrow, that we three may settle them some way or other.
Nite sollahs both, rove Pdfr.
2. I had a letter some days ago from Moll Gery; {502a} her name is now
Wigmore, and her husband has turned parson. She desires nothing but that
I would get Lord Keeper to give him a living; but I will send her no
answer, though she desires it much. She still makes mantuas at Farnham.
It rained all this day, and Dilly came to me, and was coaching it into
the City; so I went with him for a shaking, because it would not cost me
a farthing. There I met my friend Stratford, {502b} the merchant, who is
going abroad to gather up his debts, and be clear in the world. He
begged that I would dine with some merchant friends of ours there,
because it was the last time I should see him: so I did, and thought to
have seen Lord Treasurer in the evening, but he happened to go out at
five; so I visited some friends, and came home. And now I have the
greatest part of your letter to answer; and yet I will not do it
to-night, say what oo please. The Parliament meets to-morrow, but will
be prorogued for a fortnight; which disappointment will, I believe, vex
abundance of them, though they are not Whigs; for they are forced to be
in town at expense for nothing: but we want an answer from Spain, before
we are sure of everything being right for the peace; and God knows
whether we can have that answer this month. It is a most ticklish
juncture of affairs; we are always driving to an inch: I am weary of it.
Nite MD.
3. The Parliament met, and was prorogued, as I said, and I found some
cloudy faces, and heard some grumbling. We have got over all our
difficulties with France, I think. They have now settled all the
articles of commerce between us and them, wherein they were very much
disposed to play the rogue if we had not held them to [it]; and this
business we wait from Spain is to prevent some other rogueries of the
French, who are finding an evasion to trade to the Spanish West Indies;
but I hope we shall prevent it. I dined with Lord Treasurer, and he was
in good humour enough. I gave him that part of my book in manuscript to
read where his character was, and drawn pretty freely. He was reading
and correcting it with his pencil, when the Bishop of St. David’s [{503a}
(now removing to Hereford) came in and interrupted us. I left him at
eight, and sat till twelve with the Provost and Bishop of Clogher at the
Provost’s. Nite MD.
4. I was to-day at Court, but kept out of Lord Treasurer’s way, because
I was engaged to the Duke of Ormond, where I dined, and, I think, ate and
drank too much. I sat this evening with Lady Masham, and then with Lord
Masham and Lord Treasurer at Lord Masham’s. It was last year, you may
remember, my constant evening place. I saw Lady Jersey {503b} with Lady
Masham, who has been laying out for my acquaintance, and has forced a
promise for me to drink chocolate with her in a day or two, which I know
not whether I shall perform (I have just mended my pen, you see), for I
do not much like her character; but she is very malicious, and therefore
I think I must keep fair with her. I cannot send this letter till
Saturday next, I find; so I will answer oors now. I see no different
days of the month; yet it is dated January 3: so it was long a coming. I
did not write to Dr. Coghill that I would have nothing in Ireland, but
that I was soliciting nothing anywhere, and that is true. I have named
Dr. Sterne to Lord Treasurer, Lord Bolingbroke, and the Duke of Ormond,
for a bishopric, and I did it heartily. I know not what will come of it;
but I tell you as a great secret that I have made the Duke of Ormond
promise me to recommend nobody till he tells me, and this for some
reasons too long to mention. My head is still in no good order. I am
heartily sorry for poo Ppt, I’m sure. Her head is good for . . . {503c}
I’ll answer more to-mollow. Nite, dearest MD; nite dee sollahs, MD.
{503d}
5. I must go on with oo letter. I dined to-day with Sir Andrew
Fountaine and the Provost, and I played at ombre with him all the
afternoon. I won, yet Sir Andrew is an admirable player. Lord Pembroke
{504a} came in, and I gave him three or four scurvy Dilly puns, that
begin with an IF. Well, but oor letter, well, ret me see.—No; I believe
I shall write no more this good while, nor publish what I have done.
Nauty (?) Ppt, oo are vely tempegant. I did not suspect oo would tell
Filby. {504b} Oo are so . . . {504c} Turns and visitations—what are
these? I’ll preach and visit as much for Mr. Walls. Pray God mend
poopt’s {504d} health; mine is but very indifferent. I have left off Spa
water; it makes my leg swell. Nite deelest MD.
6. This is the Queen’s Birthday, and I never saw it celebrated with so
much luxury and fine clothes. I went to Court to see them, and I dined
with Lord Keeper, where the ladies were fine to admiration. I passed the
evening at Mrs. Vanhomrigh’s, and came home pretty early, to answer oo
rettle again. Pray God keep the Queen. She was very ill about ten days
ago, and had the gout in her stomach. When I came from Lord Keeper’s, I
called at Lord Treasurer’s, because I heard he was very fine, and that
was a new thing; and it was true, for his coat and waistcoat were
embroidered. I have seen the Provost often since, and never spoke to him
to speak to the Temples about Daniel Carr, nor will; I don’t care to do
it. I have writ lately to Parvisol. Oo did well to let him make up his
accounts. All things grow dear in Ireland, but corn to the parsons; for
my livings are fallen much this year by Parvisol’s account. Nite dee
logues, MD.
7. [8] I was at Court to-day, but saw no Birthday clothes; the great
folks never wear them above once or twice. I dined with Lord Orkney, and
sat the evening with Sir Andrew Fountaine, whose leg is in a very dubious
condition. Pray let me know when DD’s money is near due: always let me
know it beforehand. This, I believe, will hardly go till Saturday; for I
tell you what, being not very well, I dare not study much: so I let
company come in a morning, and the afternoon pass in dining and sitting
somewhere. Lord Treasurer is angry if I don’t dine with him every second
day, and I cannot part with him till late: he kept me last night till
near twelve. Our weather is constant rain above these two months, which
hinders walking, so that our spring is not like yours. I have not seen
Fanny Manley {505a} yet; I cannot find time. I am in rebellion with all
my acquaintance, but I will mend with my health and the weather. Clogher
make a figure! Clogher make a —. Colds! why, we have been all dying
with colds; but now they are a little over, and my second is almost off.
I can do nothing for Swanton indeed. It is a thing impossible, and
wholly out of my way. If he buys, he must buy. So now I have answered
oo rettle; and there’s an end of that now; and I’ll say no more, but bid
oo nite, dee MD.
8. [9] It was terrible rainy to-day from morning till night. I intended
to have dined with Lord Treasurer, but went to see Sir Andrew Fountaine,
and he kept me to dinner, which saved coach-hire; and I stayed with him
all the afternoon, and lost thirteen shillings and sixpence at ombre.
There was management! and Lord Treasurer will chide; but I’ll dine with
him to-morrow. The Bishop of Clogher’s daughter has been ill some days,
{505b} and it proves the smallpox. She is very full; but it comes out
well, and they apprehend no danger. Lady Orkney has given me her
picture; a very fine original of Sir Godfrey Kneller’s; it is now a
mending. He has favoured her squint admirably; and you know I love a
cast in the eye. I was to see Lady Worsley {505c} to-day, who is just
come to town; she is full of rheumatic pains. All my acquaintance grow
old and sickly. She lodges in the very house in King Street, between St.
James’s Street and St. James’s Square, where DD’s brother bought the
sweetbread, when I lodged there, and MD came to see me. Short sighs.
{505d} Nite MD.
9. [10] I thought to have dined with Lord Treasurer to-day, but he dined
abroad at Tom Harley’s; so I dined at Lord Masham’s, and was winning all
I had lost playing with Lady Masham at crown picquet, when we went to
pools, and I lost it again. Lord Treasurer came in to us, and chid me
for not following him to Tom Harley’s. Miss Ashe is still the same, and
they think her not in danger; my man calls there daily after I am gone
out, and tells me at night. I was this morning to see Lady Jersey, and
we have made twenty parties about dining together, and I shall hardly
keep one of them. She is reduced after all her greatness to seven
servants, and a small house, and no coach. {506a} I like her tolerably
as yet. Nite MD.
10. [11] I made visits this morning to the Duke and Duchess of Ormond,
and Lady Betty, and the Duchess of Hamilton. (When I was writing this
near twelve o’clock, the Duchess of Hamilton sent to have me dine with
her to-morrow. I am forced to give my answer through the door, for my
man has got the key, and is gone to bed; but I cannot obey her, for our
Society meets to-morrow.) I stole away from Lord Treasurer by eight, and
intended to have passed the evening with Sir Thomas Clarges {506b} and
his lady; but met them in another place, and have there sat till now. My
head has not been ill to-day. I was at Court, and made Lord Mansel walk
with me in the Park before we went to dinner.—Yesterday and to-day have
been fair, but yet it rained all last night. I saw Sterne staring at
Court to-day. He has been often to see me, he says: but my man has not
yet let him up. He is in deep mourning; I hope it is not for his wife.
{507a} I did not ask him. Nite MD.
12. {507b} I have reckoned days wrong all this while; for this is the
twelfth. I do not know when I lost it. I dined to-day with our Society,
the greatest dinner I have ever seen. It was at Jack Hill’s, the
Governor of Dunkirk. I gave an account of sixty guineas I had collected,
and am to give them away to two authors to-morrow; and Lord Treasurer has
promised us a hundred pounds to reward some others. I found a letter on
my table last night to tell me that poor little Harrison, the Queen’s
Secretary, that came lately from Utrecht with the Barrier Treaty, was
ill, and desired to see me at night; but it was late, and I could not go
till to-day. I have often mentioned him in my letters, you may remember.
. . . I went in the morning, and found him mighty ill, and got thirty
guineas for him from Lord Bolingbroke, and an order for a hundred pounds
from the Treasury to be paid him to-morrow; and I have got him removed to
Knightsbridge for air. He has a fever and inflammation on his lungs; but
I hope will do well. Nite.
13. I was to see a poor poet, one Mr. Diaper, {507c} in a nasty garret,
very sick. I gave him twenty guineas from Lord Bolingbroke, and disposed
the other sixty to two other authors, and desired a friend to receive the
hundred pounds for poor Harrison, and will carry it to him to-morrow
morning. I sent to see how he did, and he is extremely ill; and I very
much afflicted for him, for he is my own creature, and in a very
honourable post, and very worthy of it. I dined in the City. I am in
much concern for this poor lad. His mother and sister attend him, and he
wants nothing. Nite poo dee MD.
14. I took Parnell this morning, and we walked to see poor Harrison. I
had the hundred pounds in my pocket. I told Parnell I was afraid to
knock at the door; my mind misgave me. I knocked, and his man in tears
told me his master was dead an hour before. Think what grief this is to
me! I went to his mother, and have been ordering things for his funeral
with as little cost as possible, to-morrow at ten at night. Lord
Treasurer was much concerned when I told him. I could not dine with Lord
Treasurer, nor anywhere else; but got a bit of meat toward evening. No
loss ever grieved me so much: poor creature! Pray God Almighty bless
poor MD. Adieu.
I send this away to-night, and am sorry it must go while I am in so much
grief.