and get

you think proper, get the provost to stand for me, and let his Christian name be Harley, in honour to my friend, now lying stabbed and doubtful of his life.

*

As

for Bernage, he writes me word, that his colonel has offered to make him captain-lieutenant for a hundred pounds. He was such a fool to offer him money without writing to me till it was done, though I have had a dozen letters from him; and then he desires I would say nothing of this, for fear his colonel should be angry. People are mad. What can I do? I engaged Colonel Disney, who was one of his solicitors to the secretary, and then told him the story. He assured me, that Fielding (Bernage's colonel) said he might have got that sum; but on account of those great recommendations he had, would give it him for nothing: and I would have Bernage write him a letter of thanks, as of a thing given him for nothing, upon recommendations, &c. Disney tells me he will again speak to Fielding, and clear up this matter; and then I will write to Bernage. A pox on him for promising money till I had it promised to me, and then making it such a ticklish point, that one cannot expostulate with the colonel upon it: but let him do as I say, and there is an end. I engaged the secretary of state in it; and am sure it was meant a kindness to me, snd that no money should be given, and a hundred pounds is too much in a Smithfield bargain, as a major-general told me, whose opinion I asked. I am now hurried, and can say no more. Farewell, &c. &c.

How shall I superscribe to your new lodgings,

Commonly called Duke Disney, the friend and companion of General Withers.

pray madams? Tell me but that, impudence and saucy face.

An't you sauceboxes to write lele [i. e. there] like Presto ?

O poor Presto!

Mr Harley is better to-night, that makes me so pert, you saucy Gog and Magog.

LETTER XVIII.

London, March 10, 1710-11.

PRETTY little MD must expect little from me till Mr Harley is out of danger. We hope he is so now : but I am subject to fear for my friends. He has a head full of the whole business of the nation, was out of order when the villain stabbed him, and had a cruel contusion by the second blow. But all goes well on yet. Mr Ford and I dined with Mr Lewis, and we hope the best.

11. This morning Mr Secretary and I met at court, where we went to the queen, who is out of order and aguish I doubt the worst for this accident to Mr Harley. We went together to his house, and his wound looks well, and he is not feverish at all, and I think it is foolish in me to be so much in pain as I am. I had the penknife in my hand, which is broken within a quarter of an inch of the handle. I have a mind to write and publish an account of all the particularities of this fact: it will be very curious, and I would do it when Mr Harley is past danger.

12. We have been in terrible pain to-day about Mr Harley, who never slept last night, and has been very feverish. But this evening I called there, and young Mr Harley (his only son) tells me he is now much better, and was then asleep. They let nobody see him, and that is perfectly right. The parliament cannot go

on till he is well, and are forced to adjourn their money businesses, which none but he can help them in. * Pray God preseve him.

13. Mr Harley is better to-day, slept well all night, and we are a little out of our fears. I send and call three or four times every day. I went into the city for a walk, and dined there with a private man; and coming home this evening, broke my shin in the Strand, over a tub of sand left just in the way. I got home dirty enough, and went straight to bed, where I have been cooking it with goldbeaters' skin, and have been peevish enough with Patrick, who was near an hour bringing a rag from next door. It is my right shin, where never any humour fell when the other used to swell; so I apprehend it less however, I shall not stir till it is well, which I reckon will be in a week. I am very careful in these sort of things, but I wish I had Mrs Johnson's wa. ter she is out of town, and I must make a shift with alum. I will dine with Mrs Vanhomrigh till I am

* The Whigs, who composed the moneyed interest, endeavoured to distress public business, by selling out of the funds, &c. ; but Harley contrived to form some connections in the city, particularly with Mr John Lambert, a wealthy French merchant, whose purse supplied the urgent necessities of government. Lambert was knighted for the accommodations he afforded upon this

occasion.

well, who lives but five doors off: and that I

ture.

may ven

14. My journals are like to be very diverting, now I cannot stir abroad, between accounts of Mr Harley's mending, and of my broken shin. I just walked to my neighbour Vanhomrigh at two, and came away at six, when little Harrison the Tatler came to me, and begged me to dictate a paper to him, which I was forced in charity to do. Mr Harley still mends; and I hope in a day or two to trouble you no more with him, nor with my shin. Go to bed and sleep, sirrahs, that you may rise to-morrow, and walk to Donnybrook, and lose your money with Stoyte and the dean; do so, dear little rogues, and drink Presto's health. O, pray, do not you drink Presto's health sometimes with your deans, and your Stoytes, and your Walls, and your Manleys, and your every bodies, pray now? I drink MD's to myself a hundred thousand times.

15. I was this morning at Mr Secretary St John's for all my shin, and he has given me for young Harrison the Tatler the prettiest employment in Europe,-secretary to Lord Raby, who is to be ambassador extraordinary at the Hague, where all the great affairs will be concerted; so we shall lose the Tatlers in a fortnight. I will send Harrison to-morrow morning to thank the secretary. Poor Biddy Floyd has got the small-pox. I called this morning to see Lady Betty Germain; and when she told me so, I fairly took my leave. I have the luck of it; for about ten days ago, I was to see Lord Carteret; and my lady was entertaining me with telling

Dr Swift never had the small-pox, and was very apprehensive

of a young lady, a cousin, who was then ill in the house of the small-pox, and is since dead: it was near Lady Betty's, and I fancy Biddy took the fright by it. I dined with Mr Secretary, and a physician came in just from Guiscard, who tells us he is dying of his wounds, and can hardly live till to-morrow. A poor wench that Guiscard kept sent him a bottle of sack; but the keeper would not let him touch it, for fear it was poison. He had two quarts of old clotted blood come out of his side to-day, and is delirious. * I am sorry he is dying; for they have found out a way to hang him. He certainly had an intention to murder the queen. †

16. I have made but little progress in this letter for so many days, thanks to Guiscard and Mr Harley; and it would be endless to tell you all the particulars of that odious fact. I do not yet hear that Guiscard is dead, but they say it is impossible he should recover. I walked too much yesterday for a man with a broken shin; to-day I rested, and went no farther than Mrs Vanhomrigh's, where I dined; and Lady Betty Butler coming in about six, I was forced in good manners to sit with her till nine; then I came home, and Mr Ford came in to visit my shin, and sat with me till eleven so I have been very idle and naughty. It vexes me to the pluck that I should lose walking this delicious day. Have you seen the Spectator yet, a paper that comes out every

* He concealed from the surgeons one of his worst, and most fatal wounds, until it was in a festered state.

+ Guiscard was observed to lurk a good deal about the palace previous to his apprehension; and, in his treasonable correspondence, hinted more than once at a great blow shortly to be struck in England; which was interpreted to imply a design on the queen's person.