The Journal to Stella by Jonathan Swift

9. Morning. My cold goes off at last; but I think I have got a small new one. I have no news since last. They say we hear by the way of Calais, that peace is very near concluding. I hope it may be true. I’ll go and seal up my letter, and give it myself to−night into the post−office; and so I bid my dearest MD farewell till to−night.

I heartily wish myself with them, as hope saved. My willows, and quicksets, and trees, will be finely improved, I hope, this year. It has been fine hard frosty weather yesterday and to−day. Farewell, etc. etc. etc.

LETTER 41.[1]

LONDON, Feb. 9, 1711−12.

When my letter is gone, and I have none of yours to answer, my conscience is so clear, and my shoulder so light, and I go on with such courage to prate upon nothing to deerichar MD, oo would wonder. I dined with Sir Matthew Dudley, who is newly turned out of Commission of the Customs. He affects a good heart, and talks in the extremity of Whiggery, which was always his principle, though he was gentle a little, while he kept in employment. We can yet get no packets from Holland. I have not been with any of the Ministry these two or three days. I keep out of their way on purpose, for a certain reason, for some time, though I must dine with the Secretary to−morrow, the choosing of the company being left to me. I have engaged Lord Anglesea[2] and Lord Carteret,[3] and have promised to get three more; but I have a mind that none else should be admitted: however, if I like anybody at Court to−morrow, I may perhaps invite them. I have got another cold, but not very bad. Nite. . . MD.

10. I saw Prince Eugene at Court to−day very plain; he’s plaguy yellow, and tolerably ugly besides. The Court was very full, and people had their Birthday clothes. I dined with the Secretary to−day. I was to invite LETTER 41.[1]

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five, but I only invited two, Lord Anglesea and Lord Carteret. Pshaw, I told you this but yesterday. We have no packets from Holland yet. Here are a parcel of drunken Whiggish lords, like your Lord Santry,[4] who come into chocolate− houses and rail aloud at the Tories, and have challenges sent them, and the next morning come and beg pardon. General Ross[5] was like to swinge the Marquis of Winchester[6] for this trick t’other day; and we have nothing else now to talk of till the Parliament has had another bout with the state of the war, as they intended in a few days. They have ordered the Barrier Treaty to be laid before them; and it was talked some time ago, as if there was a design to impeach Lord Townshend, who made it. I have no more politics now. Nite dee MD.

11. I dined with Lord Anglesea to−day, who had seven Irishmen to be my companions, of which two only were coxcombs; one I did not know, and t’other was young Blith,[7] who is a puppy of figure here, with a fine chariot. He asked me one day at Court, when I had been just talking with some lords who stood near me,

“Doctor, when shall we see you in the county of Meath?” I whispered him to take care what he said, for the people would think he was some barbarian. He never would speak to me since, till we met to−day. I went to Lady Masham’s to−night, and sat with Lord Treasurer and the Secretary there till past two o’clock; and when I came home, found some letters from Ireland, which I read, but can say nothing of them till to−morrow, ’tis so very late; but I[8] must always be. . .,[9] late or early. Nite deelest sollahs.[10]

12. One letter was from the Bishop of Clogher last night, and t’other from Walls, about Mrs. South’s[11]

salary, and his own pension of 18 pounds for his tithe of the park. I will do nothing in either; the first I cannot serve in, and the other is a trifle; only you may tell him I had his letter, and will speak to Ned Southwell about what he desires me. You say nothing of your Dean’s receiving my letter. I find Clements,[12] whom I recommended to Lord Anglesea last year, at Walls’s desire, or rather the Bishop of Clogher’s, is mightily in Lord Anglesea’s favour. You may tell the Bishop and Walls so; I said to Lord Anglesea that I was [glad] I had the good luck to recommend him, etc. I dined in the City with my printer, to consult with him about some papers Lord Treasurer gave me last night, as he always does, too late; however, I will do something with them. My third cold is a little better; I never had anything like it before, three colds successively; I hope I shall have the fourth.[13] Those messengers come from Holland to−day, and they brought over the six packets that were due. I know not the particulars yet, for when I was with the Secretary at noon they were just opening; but one thing I find, that the Dutch are playing us tricks, and tampering with the French; they are dogs; I shall know more tomollow. . . MD.[14]

13. I dined to−day privately with my friend Lewis, at his lodgings, to consult about some observations on the Barrier Treaty. Our news from Holland is not good. The French raise difficulties, and make such offers to the Allies as cannot be accepted. And the Dutch are uneasy that we are likely to get anything for ourselves; and the Whigs are glad at all this. I came home early, and have been very busy three or four hours. I had a letter from Dr. Pratt[15] to−day by a private hand, recommending the bearer to me, for something that I shall not trouble myself about. Wesley[16] writ to recommend the same fellow to me. His expression is that, hearing I am acquainted with my Lord Treasurer, he desires I would do so and so: a matter of nothing. What puppies are mankind! I hope I shall be wiser when I have once done with Courts. I think you han’t troubled me much with your recommendations. I would do you all the saavis[17] I could.

Pray have you got your aplon,[18] maram Ppt? I paid for it but yesterday; that puts me in mind of it. I writ an inventory of what things I sent by Leigh in one of my letters; did you compare it with what you got? I hear nothing of your cards now; do you never play? Yes, at Ballygall. Go to bed. Nite, deelest MD.[19]

14. Our Society dined to−day at Mr. Secretary’s house. I went there at four; but hearing the House of Commons would sit late upon the Barrier Treaty, I went for an hour to Kensington, to see Lord Masham’s children. My young nephew,[20] his son of six months old, has got a swelling in his neck; I fear it is the evil.

We did not go to dinner till eight at night, and I left them at ten. The Commons have been very severe on the Barrier Treaty, as you will find by their votes. A Whig member took out the Conduct of the Allies, and read LETTER 41.[1]

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that passage about the succession with great resentment; but none seconded him. The Church party carried every vote by a great majority. The A.B.[21] Dublin is so railed at by all who come from Ireland that I can defend him no longer. Lord Anglesea assured me that the story of applying Piso out of Tacitus[22] to Lord Treasurer’s being wounded is true. I believe the Duke of Beaufort will be admitted to our Society next meeting. To−day I published the Fable of Midas,[23] a poem, printed in a loose half−sheet of paper. I know not how it will sell; but it passed wonderfully at our Society to−night; and Mr. Secretary read it before me the other night to Lord Treasurer, at Lord Masham’s, where they equally approved of it. Tell me how it passes with you. I think this paper is larger than ordinary; for here is six days’ journal, and no nearer the bottom. I fear these journals are very dull. Nite my deelest lives.

15. Mr. Lewis and I dined by invitation with a Scotch acquaintance, after I had been very busy in my chamber till two afternoon. My third cold is now very troublesome on my breast, especially in the morning.

This is a great revolution in my health; colds never used to return so soon with me, or last so long. ‘Tis very surprising this news to−day of the Dauphin and Dauphiness both dying within six days. They say the old King is almost heart−broke. He has had prodigious mortifications in his family. The Dauphin has left two little sons, of four and two years old; the eldest is sick. There is a foolish story got about the town that Lord Strafford, one of our Plenipotentiaries, is in the interests of France; and it has been a good while said that Lord Privy Seal[24] and he do not agree very well. They are both long practised in business, but neither of them of much parts. Strafford has some life and spirit, but is infinitely proud, and wholly illiterate. Nite, MD.