LONDON, _March_ 1, 1712–13.
’TIS out of my head whether I answered all your letter in my last
yesterday or no. I think I was in haste, and could not: but now I see I
answered a good deal of it; no, only about your brother, and ME’s bill.
I dined with Lady Orkney, and we talked politics till eleven at night;
and, as usual, found everything wrong, and put ourselves out of humour.
Yes, I have Lady Giffard’s picture sent me by your mother. It is boxed
up at a place where my other things are. I have goods in two or three
places; and when I leave a lodging, I box up the books I get (for I
always get some), and come naked into a new lodging; and so on. Talk not
to me of deaneries; I know less of that than ever by much. Nite MD.
2. I went to-day into the City to see Pat Rolt, {516b} who lodges with a
City cousin, a daughter of coz Cleve; (you are much the wiser). I had
never been at her house before. My he-coz Thompson the butcher is dead,
or dying. I dined with my printer, and walked home, and went to sit with
Lady Clarges. I found four of them at whist; Lady Godolphin {516c} was
one. I sat by her, and talked of her cards, etc., but she would not give
me one look, nor say a word to me. She refused some time ago to be
acquainted with me. You know she is Lord Marlborough’s eldest daughter.
She is a fool for her pains, and I’ll pull her down. What can I do for
Dr. Smith’s daughter’s husband? I have no personal credit with any of
the Commissioners. I’ll speak to Keatley; {517a} but I believe it will
signify nothing. In the Customs people must rise by degrees, and he must
at first take what is very low, if he be qualified for that. Ppt
mistakes me; I am not angry at your recommending anyone to me, provided
you will take my answer. Some things are in my way, and then I serve
those I can. But people will not distinguish, but take things ill, when
I have no power; but Ppt is wiser. And employments in general are very
hard to be got. Nite MD.
3. I dined to-day with Lord Treasurer, who chid me for my absence, which
was only from Saturday last. The Parliament was again prorogued for a
week, and I suppose the peace will be ready by then, and the Queen will
be able to be brought to the House, and make her speech. I saw Dr.
Griffith {517b} two or three months ago, at a Latin play at Westminster;
but did not speak to him. I hope he will not die; I should be sorry for
Ppt’s sake; he is very tender of her. I have long lost all my colds, and
the weather mends a little. I take some steel drops, and my head is
pretty well. I walk when I can, but am grown very idle; and, not
finishing my thing, I gamble {517c} abroad and play at ombre. I shall be
more careful in my physic than Mrs. Price: ’tis not a farthing matter her
death, I think; and so I say no more to-night, but will read a dull book,
and go sleep. Nite dee MD.
4. Mr. Ford has been this half-year inviting me to dine at his lodgings:
so I did to-day, and brought the Provost and Dr. Parnell with me, and my
friend Lewis was there. Parnell went away, and the other three played at
ombre, and I looked on; which I love, and would not play. Tisdall is a
pretty fellow, as you say; and when I come back to Ireland with nothing,
he will condole with me with abundance of secret pleasure. I believe I
told you what he wrote to me, that I have saved England, and he Ireland;
{517d} but I can bear that. I have learned to hear and see, and say
nothing. I was to see the Duchess of Hamilton to-day, and met Blith
{518a} of Ireland just going out of her house into his coach. I asked
her how she came to receive young fellows. It seems he had a ball in the
Duke of Hamilton’s house when the Duke died; and the Duchess got an
advertisement put in the _Postboy_, {518b} reflecting on the ball,
because the Marlborough daughters {518c} were there; and Blith came to
beg the Duchess’s pardon, and clear himself. He’s a sad dog. Nite poo
dee deelest MD.
5. Lady Masham has miscarried; but is well almost again. I have many
visits to-day. I met Blith at the Duke of Ormond’s; and he begged me to
carry him to the Duchess of Hamilton, to beg her pardon again. I did on
purpose to see how the blunderbuss behaved himself; but I begged the
Duchess to use him mercifully, for she is the devil of a teaser. The
good of it is, she ought to beg his pardon, for he meant no harm; yet she
would not allow him to put in an advertisement to clear himself from
hers, though hers was all a lie. He appealed to me, and I gravely gave
it against him. I was at Court to-day, and the foreign Ministers have
got a trick of employing me to speak for them to Lord Treasurer and Lord
Bolingbroke; which I do when the case is reasonable. The College {518d}
need not fear; I will not be their Governor. I dined with Sir Thomas
Hanmer and his Duchess. {518e} The Duke of Ormond was there, but we
parted soon, and I went to visit Lord Pembroke for the first time; but it
was to see some curious books. Lord Cholmondeley {518f} came in; but I
would not talk to him, though he made many advances. I hate the
scoundrel for all he is your Griffith’s friend.—Yes, yes, I am abused
enough, if that be all. Nite sollahs.
6. I was to-day at an auction of pictures with Pratt, {519a} and laid
out two pound five shillings for a picture of Titian, and if it were a
Titian it would be worth twice as many pounds. If I am cheated, I’ll
part with it to Lord Masham: if it be a bargain, I’ll keep it to myself.
That’s my conscience. But I made Pratt buy several pictures for Lord
Masham. Pratt is a great virtuoso that way. I dined with Lord
Treasurer, but made him go to Court at eight. I always tease him to be
gone. I thought to have made Parnell dine with him, but he was ill; his
head is out of order like mine, but more constant, poor boy!—I was at
Lord Treasurer’s levee with the Provost, to ask a book for the College.—I
never go to his levee, unless to present somebody. For all oor rallying,
saucy {519b} Ppt, as hope saved, I expected they would have decided about
me long ago; and as hope saved, as soon as ever things are given away and
I not provided for, I will be gone with the very first opportunity, and
put up bag and baggage. But people are slower than can be thought. Nite
MD.
7. Yes, I hope Leigh will soon be gone, a p— on him! I met him once,
and he talked gravely to me of not seeing the Irish bishops here, and the
Irish gentlemen; but I believe my answers fretted him enough. I would
not dine with Lord Treasurer to-day, though it was Saturday (for he has
engaged me for to-morrow), but went and dined with Lord Masham, and
played at ombre, sixpenny running ombre, for three hours. There were
three voles {519c} against me, and I was once a great loser, but came off
for three shillings and sixpence. One may easily lose five guineas at
it. Lady Orkney is gone out of town to-day, and I could not see her for
laziness, but writ to her. She has left me some physic. Fais, I never
knew MD’s politics before, and I think it pretty extraordinary, and a
great compliment to you, and I believe never three people conversed so
much with so little politics. I avoid all conversation with the other
party; it is not to be borne, and I am sorry for it. O yes, things [are]
very dear. DD must come in at last with DD’s two eggs a penny. There
the proverb was well applied. Parvisol has sent me a bill of fifty
pounds, as I ordered him, which, I hope, will serve me, and bring me
over. Pray God MD does not be delayed for it; but I have had very little
from him this long time. I was not at Court to-day; a wonder! Nite
sollahs . . . Pdfr.
8. Oo must know, I give chocolate almost every day to two or three
people that I suffer to come to see me in a morning. My man begins to
lie pretty well. ’Tis nothing for people to be denied ten times. My man
knows all I will see, and denies me to everybody else. This is the day
of the Queen’s coming to the Crown, and the day Lord Treasurer was
stabbed by Guiscard. I was at Court, where everybody had their Birthday
clothes on, and I dined with Lord Treasurer, who was very fine. He
showed me some of the Queen’s speech, which I corrected in several
places, and penned the vote of address of thanks for the speech; but I
was of opinion the House should not sit on Tuesday next, unless they hear
the peace is signed; that is, provided they are sure it will be signed
the week after, and so have one scolding for all. Nite MD.
9. Lord Treasurer would have had me dine with him to-day; he desired me
last night, but I refused, because he would not keep the day of his
stabbing with all the Cabinet, as he intended: so I dined with my friend
Lewis; and the Provost and Parnell, and Ford, was with us. I lost
sixteen shillings at ombre; I don’t like it, as etc. At night Lewis
brought us word that the Parliament does not sit to-morrow. I hope they
are sure of the peace by next week, and then they are right in my
opinion: otherwise I think they have done wrong, and might have sat three
weeks ago. People will grumble; but Lord Treasurer cares not a rush.
Lord Keeper is suddenly taken ill of a quinsy, and some lords are
commissioned, I think Lord Trevor, {520} to prorogue the Parliament in
his stead. You never saw a town so full of ferment and expectation. Mr.
Pope has published a fine poem, called _Windsor Forest_. {521a} Read it.
Nite.
10. I was early this morning to see Lord Bolingbroke. I find he was of
opinion the Parliament should sit; and says they are not sure the peace
will be signed next week. The prorogation is to this day se’nnight. I
went to look on a library I am going to buy, if we can agree. I have
offered a hundred and twenty pounds, and will give ten more. Lord
Bolingbroke will lend me the money. I was two hours poring on the books.
I will sell some of them, and keep the rest; but I doubt they won’t take
the money. I dined in the City, and sat an hour in the evening with Lord
Treasurer, who was in very good humour; but reproached me for not dining
with him yesterday and to-day. What will all this come to? Lord Keeper
had a pretty good night, and is better. I was in pain for him. How do
oo do sollahs? . . . Nite MD. {521b}
11. I was this morning to visit the Duke and Duchess of Ormond, and the
Duchess of Hamilton, and went with the Provost to an auction of pictures,
and laid out fourteen shillings. I am in for it, if I had money; but I
doubt I shall be undone; for Sir Andrew Fountaine invited the Provost and
me to dine with him, and play at ombre, when I fairly lost fourteen
shillings. Fais, it won’t do; and I shall be out of conceit with play
this good while. I am come home; and it is late, and my puppy let out my
fire, and I am gone to bed and writing there, and it is past twelve a
good while. Went out four matadores and a trump in black, and was
bested. Vely bad, fais! Nite my deelest logues MD.
12. I was at another auction of pictures to-day, and a great auction it
was. I made Lord Masham lay out forty pounds. There were pictures sold
of twice as much value apiece. Our Society met to-day at the Duke of
Beaufort’s: a prodigious fine dinner, which I hate; but we did some
business. Our printer was to attend us, as usual; and the Chancellor of
the Exchequer sent the author of the _Examiner_ {522a} twenty guineas.
He is an ingenious fellow, but the most confounded vain coxcomb in the
world, so that I dare not let him see me, nor am acquainted with him. I
had much discourse with the Duke of Ormond this morning, and am driving
some points to secure us all in case of accidents, etc. {522b} I left
the Society at seven. I can’t drink now at all with any pleasure. I
love white Portugal wine better than claret, champagne, or burgundy. I
have a sad vulgar appetite. I remember Ppt used to maunder, when I came
from a great dinner, and DD had but a bit of mutton. I cannot endure
above one dish; nor ever could since I was a boy, and loved stuffing. It
was a fine day, which is a rarity with us, I assure [you]. Never fair
two days together. Nite dee MD.
13. I had a rabble of Irish parsons this morning drinking my chocolate.
I cannot remember appointments. I was to have supped last night with the
Swedish Envoy at his house, and some other company, but forgot it; and he
rallied me to-day at Lord Bolingbroke’s, who excused me, saying, the
Envoy ought not to be angry, because I serve Lord Treasurer and him the
same way. For that reason, I very seldom promise to go anywhere. I
dined with Lord Treasurer, who chid me for being absent so long, as he
always does if I miss a day. I sat three hours this evening with Lady
Jersey; but the first two hours she was at ombre with some company. I
left Lord Treasurer at eight: I fancied he was a little thoughtful, for
he was playing with an orange by fits, which, I told him, among common
men looked like the spleen. This letter shall not go to-morrow; no
haste, ung oomens; nothing that presses. I promised but once in three
weeks, and I am better than my word. I wish the peace may be ready, I
mean that we have notice it is signed, before Tuesday; otherwise the
grumbling will much increase. Nite logues.
14. It was a lovely day this, and I took the advantage of walking a good
deal in the Park, before I went to Court. Colonel Disney, one of our
Society, is ill of a fever, and, we fear, in great danger. We all love
him mightily, and he would be a great loss. I doubt I shall not buy the
library; for a roguey bookseller has offered sixty pounds more than I
designed to give; so you see I meant to have a good bargain. I dined
with Lord Treasurer and his Saturday company; but there were but seven at
table. Lord Peterborrow is ill, and spits blood, with a bruise he got
before he left England; but, I believe, an Italian lady he has brought
over is the cause that his illness returns. You know old Lady Bellasis
{523a} is dead at last? She has left Lord Berkeley of Stratton {523b}
one of her executors, and it will be of great advantage to him; they say
above ten thousand pounds. I stayed with Lord Treasurer upon business,
after the company was gone; but I dare not tell you upon what. My
letters would be good memoirs, if I durst venture to say a thousand
things that pass; but I hear so much of letters opening at your
post-office that I am fearful, etc., and so good-nite, sollahs, rove
Pdfr, MD.
15. Lord Treasurer engaged me to dine with him again to-day, and I had
ready what he wanted; but he would not see it, but put me off till
to-morrow. The Queen goes to chapel now. She is carried in an open
chair, and will be well enough to go to Parliament on Tuesday, if the
Houses meet, which is not yet certain; neither, indeed, can the Ministers
themselves tell; for it depends on winds and weather, and circumstances
of negotiation. However, we go on as if it was certainly to meet; and I
am to be at Lord Treasurer’s to-morrow, upon that supposition, to settle
some things relating that way. Ppt {524a} may understand me. The
doctors tell me that if poor Colonel Disney does not get some sleep
to-night, he must die. What care you? Ah! but I do care. He is one of
our Society; a fellow of abundance of humour; an old battered rake, but
very honest, not an old man, but an old rake. It was he that said of
Jenny Kingdom, {524b} the maid of honour, who is a little old, that,
since she could not get a husband, the Queen should give her a brevet to
act as a married woman. You don’t understand this. They give brevets to
majors and captains to act as colonels in the army. Brevets are
commissions. Ask soldiers, dull sollahs. Nite MD.
16. I was at Lord Treasurer’s before he came; and, as he entered, he
told me the Parliament was prorogued till Thursday se’nnight. They have
had some expresses, by which they count that the peace may be signed by
that time; at least, that France, Holland, and we, will sign some
articles, by which we shall engage to sign the peace when it is ready:
but Spain has no Minister there; for Monteleon, who is to be their
Ambassador at Utrecht, is not yet gone from hence; and till he is there,
the Spaniards can sign no peace: and [of] one thing take notice, that a
general peace can hardly be finished these two months, so as to be
proclaimed here; for, after signing, it must be ratified; that is,
confirmed by the several princes at their Courts, which to Spain will
cost a month; for we must have notice that it is ratified in all Courts
before we can proclaim it. So be not in too much haste. Nite MD.
17. The Irish folks were disappointed that the Parliament did not meet
to-day, because it was St. Patrick’s Day; and the Mall was so full of
crosses that I thought all the world was Irish. Miss Ashe is almost
quite well, and I see the Bishop, but shall not yet go to his house. I
dined again with Lord Treasurer; but the Parliament being prorogued, I
must keep what I have till next week: for I believe he will not see it
till just the evening before the session. He has engaged me to dine with
him again to-morrow, though I did all I could to put it off; but I don’t
care to disoblige him. Nite dee sollahs ’tis late. Nite MD.
18. I have now dined six days successively with Lord Treasurer; but
to-night I stole away while he was talking with somebody else, and so am
at liberty to-morrow. There was a flying report of a general cessation
of arms: everybody had it at Court; but, I believe, there is nothing in
it. I asked a certain French Minister how things went. And he whispered
me in French, “Your Plenipotentiaries and ours play the fool.” None of
us, indeed, approve of the conduct of either at this time; but Lord
Treasurer was in full good-humour for all that. He had invited a good
many of his relations; and, of a dozen at table, they were all of the
Harley family but myself. Disney is recovering, though you don’t care a
straw. Dilly murders us with his _if_ puns. You know them. . . . {525a}
Nite MD.
19. The Bishop of Clogher has made an _if_ pun that he is mighty proud
of, and designs to send it over to his brother Tom. But Sir Andrew
Fountaine has wrote to Tom Ashe last post, and told him the pun, and
desired him to send it over to the Bishop as his own; and, if it
succeeds, ’twill be a pure bite. The Bishop will tell it us as a wonder
that he and his brother should jump so exactly. I’ll tell you the
pun:—If there was a hackney coach at Mr. Pooley’s {525b} door, what town
in Egypt would it be? Why, it would be Hecatompolis; _Hack at Tom
Pooley’s_. “Sillly,” says Ppt. I dined with a private friend to-day;
for our Society, I told you, meet but once a fortnight. I have not seen
Fanny Manley yet; I can’t help it. Lady Orkney is come to town: why, she
was at her country house; hat {526a} care you? Nite darling (?) dee MD.
20. Dilly read me a letter to-day from Ppt. She seems to have scratched
her head when she writ it. ’Tis a sad thing to write to people without
tact. There you say, you hear I was going to Bath. No such thing; I am
pretty well, I thank God. The town is now sending me to Savoy. {526b}
Forty people have given me joy of it, yet there is not the least truth
that I know in it. I was at an auction of pictures, but bought none. I
was so glad of my liberty, that I would dine nowhere; but, the weather
being fine, I sauntered into the City, and ate a bit about five, and then
supped at Mr. Burke’s {526c} your Accountant-General, who had been
engaging me this month. The Bishop of Clogher was to have been there,
but was hindered by Lord Paget’s {526d} funeral. The Provost and I sat
till one o’clock; and, if that be not late, I don’t know what is late.
Parnell’s poem will be published on Monday, and to-morrow I design he
shall present it to Lord Treasurer and Lord Bolingbroke at Court. The
poor lad is almost always out of order with his head. Burke’s wife is
his sister. She has a little of the pert Irish way. Nite MD.
21. Morning. I will now finish my letter; for company will come, and a
stir, and a clutter; and I’ll keep the letter in my pottick, {526e} and
give it into the post myself. I must go to Court, and you know on
Saturdays I dine with Lord Treasurer, of course. Farewell, deelest MD MD
MD, FW FW FW, MD ME ME ME Lele sollahs. {526f}