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,[32] 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.[33]
LETTER 62.[1]
LONDON, March 21, 1712−13.
I gave your letter in this night. I dined with Lord Treasurer to−day, and find he has been at a meeting at Lord Halifax’s house, with four principal Whigs; but he is resolved to begin a speech against them when the Parliament sits; and I have begged that the Ministers may have a meeting on purpose to settle that matter, and let us be the attackers; and I believe it will come to something, for the Whigs intend to attack the Ministers: and if, instead of that, the Ministers attack the Whigs, it will be better: and farther, I believe we shall attack them on those very points they intend to attack us. The Parliament will be again prorogued for a fortnight, because of Passion Week. I forgot to tell you that Mr. Griffin has given Ppt’s brother[2] a new employment, about ten pounds a year better than his former; but more remote, and consequently cheaper. I wish I could LETTER 62.[1]
215
The Journal to Stella
have done better, and hope oo will take what can be done in good part, and that oo brother will not dislike it.
Nite own dear. . . MD.
22. I dined to−day with Lord Steward.[3] There Frank Annesley[4] (a Parliament−man) told me he had heard that I had wrote to my friends in Ireland to keep firm to the Whig interest; for that Lord Treasurer would certainly declare for it after the peace. Annesley said twenty people had told him this. You must know this is what they endeavour to report of Lord Treasurer, that he designs to declare for the Whigs; and a Scotch fellow has wrote the same to Scotland; and his meeting with those lords gives occasion to such reports. Let me henceforth call Lord Treasurer Eltee, because possibly my letters may be opened. Pray remember Eltee.
You know the reason; L.T. and Eltee pronounced the same way. Stay, ’tis five weeks since I had a letter from MD. I allow you six. You see why I cannot come over the beginning of April; whoever has to do with this Ministry can fix no time: but as[5] hope saved, it is not Pdfr’s fault. Pay don’t blame poo Pdfr. Nite deelest logues MD.[6]
23. I dined to−day at Sir Thomas Hanmer’s, by an old appointment: there was the Duke of Ormond, and Lord and Lady Orkney. I left them at six. Everybody is as sour as vinegar. I endeavour to keep a firm friendship between the Duke of Ormond and Eltee. (Oo know who Eltee is, or have oo fordot already?) I have great designs, if I can compass them; but delay is rooted in Eltee’s heart; yet the fault is not altogether there, that things are no better. Here is the cursedest libel in verse come out that ever was seen, called The Ambassadress;[7] it is very dull, too; it has been printed three or four different ways, and is handed about, but not sold. It abuses the Queen horribly. The Examiner has cleared me to−day of being author of his paper, and done it with great civilities to me.[8] I hope it will stop people’s mouths; if not, they must go on and be hanged, I care not. ‘Tis terribly rainy weather, I’ll go sleep. Nite deelest MD.
24. It rained all this day, and ruined me in coach−hire. I went to Colonel Disney, who is past danger. Then I visited Lord Keeper, who was at dinner; but I would not dine with him, but drove to Lord Treasurer (Eltee I mean), paid the coachman, and went in; but he dined abroad: so I was forced to call the coachman again, and went to Lord Bolingbroke’s. He dined abroad too; and at Lord Dupplin’s I alighted, and by good luck got a dinner there, and then went to the Latin play at Westminster School, acted by the boys; and Lord Treasurer (Eltee I mean again) honoured them with his presence. Lady Masham’s eldest son, about two years old, is ill, and I am afraid will not live: she is full of grief, and I pity and am angry with her. Four shillings to−day in coach−hire; fais, it won’t do. Our peace will certainly be ready by Thursday fortnight; but our Plenipotentiaries were to blame that it was not done already. They thought their powers were not full enough to sign the peace, unless every Prince was ready, which cannot yet be; for Spain has no Minister yet at Utrecht; but now ours have new orders. Nite MD.
25. Weather worse than ever; terrible rain all day, but I was resolved I would spend no more money. I went to an auction of pictures with Dr. Pratt, and there met the Duke of Beaufort, who promised to come with me to Court, but did not. So a coach I got, and went to Court, and did some little business there, but was forced to go home; for oo must understand I take a little physic over−night, which works me next day. Lady Orkney is my physician. It is hiera picra,[9] two spoonfuls, devilish stuff! I thought to have dined with Eltee, but would not, merely to save a shilling; but I dined privately with a friend, and played at ombre, and won six shillings.
Here are several people of quality lately dead of the smallpox. I have not yet seen Miss Ashe, but hear she is well. The Bishop of Clogher has bought abundance of pictures, and Dr. Pratt has got him very good pennyworths.[10] I can get no walks, the weather is so bad. Is it so with oo, sollahs?. . . [11]
26. Though it was shaving−day, head and beard, yet I was out early to see Lord Bolingbroke, and talk over affairs with him; and then I went to the Duke of Ormond’s, and so to Court, where the Ministers did not come, because the Parliament was prorogued till this day fortnight. We had terrible rain and hail to−day. Our Society met this day, but I left them before seven, and went to Sir A[ndrew] F[ountaine], and played at ombre with him and Sir Thomas Clarges, till ten, and then went to Sir Thomas Hanmer. His wife, the Duchess of LETTER 62.[1]
216
The Journal to Stella
Grafton, left us after a little while, and I stayed with him about an hour, upon some affairs, etc. Lord Bolingbroke left us at the Society before I went; for there is an express from Utrecht, but I know not yet what it contains; only I know the Ministers expect the peace will be signed in a week, which is a week before the session. Nite, MD.
27. Parnell’s poem is mightily esteemed; but poetry sells ill. I am plagued with that. . . [12] poor Harrison’s mother; you would laugh to see how cautious I am of paying her the 100 pounds I received for her son from the Treasury. I have asked every creature I know whether I may do it safely, yet durst not venture, till my Lord Keeper assured me there was no danger. I have not paid her, but will in a day or two: though I have a great mind to stay till Ppt sends me her opinion, because Ppt is a great lawyer. I dined to−day with a mixture of people at a Scotchman’s, who made the invitation to Mr. Lewis and me, and has some design upon us, which we know very well. I went afterwards to see a famous moving picture,[13] and I never saw anything so pretty. You see a sea ten miles wide, a town on t’other end, and ships sailing in the sea, and discharging their cannon. You see a great sky, with moon and stars, etc. I’m a fool. Nite, dee MD.
28. I had a mighty levee to−day. I deny myself to everybody, except about half a dozen, and they were all here, and Mr. Addison was one, and I had chocolate twice, which I don’t like. Our rainy weather continues.
Coach−hire goes deep. I dined with Eltee and his Saturday company, as usual, and could not get away till nine. Lord Peterborow was making long harangues, and Eltee kept me in spite. Then I went to see the Bishop of Ossory, who had engaged me in the morning; he is going to Ireland. The Bishop of Killaloe[14] and Tom Leigh was with us. The latter had wholly changed his style, by seeing how the bishops behaved themselves, and he seemed to think me one of more importance than I really am. I put the ill conduct of the bishops about the First− Fruits, with relation to Eltee and me, strongly upon Killaloe, and showed how it had hindered me from getting a better thing for them, called the Crown rents, which the Queen had promised. He had nothing to say, but was humble, and desired my interest in that and some other things. This letter is half done in a week: I believe oo will have it next. Nite MD.