Mrs Vanhomrigh's, and dined, and staid till night very dull and insipid. I hate this town in summer; I'll leave it for a while, if I can have time. 8. I have a fellow of your town, one Tisdall, lodges in the same house with me. Patrick told me squire Tisdall and his lady lodged here. I pretended I never heard of him; but I knew his ugly face, and saw him at church in the next pew to me; and he often looked for a bow, but it would not do. I think he lives in Capel Street, and has an ugly fine wife in a fine coach. Dr Freind and I dined in the city by invitation, and I drank punch, very good, but it makes me hot. People here are troubled with agues, by this continuance of wet cold weather; but I am glad to find the season so temperate. I was this evening to see Will. Congreve, who is a very agreeable companion. 9. I was to-day in the city, and dined with Mr Stratford, who tells me Sir Alexander Cairnes makes difficulties about paying my bill, so that I cannot give order yet to Parvisol to deliver up the bond to Dr Raymond. To-morrow I shall have a positive answer: that Cairnes is a shuffling scoundrel; and several merchants have told me so. What can one expect from a Scot, and a fanatic? I was at Bateman's, the bookseller's, to see a fine old library he has bought; and my fingers itched, as • yours would do at a china shop; but I resisted, and found every thing too dear, and I have fooled away too much money that way already. So go and drink your waters, saucy rogue, and make yourself well; and pray walk while you are there I have a notion there is never a good walk in Ireland.* Do you find all places with * In Ireland there was then a want of foot-paths. * out trees? Pray observe the inhabitants about Wexford; they are old English ; see what they have particular in their manners, names, and language. Magpies have been always there, and no where else in Ireland,† till of late years. They say the cocks and dogs go to sleep at noon, and so do the people. Write your travels, and bring home good eyes, and health. 10. I dined to-day with lord-treasurer : we did not sit down till four. I dispatched three businesses with him, and forgot a fourth. I think I have got a friend an employment; and besides, I made him consent to let me bring Congreve to dine with him. You must understand I have a mind to do a small thing, only turn out all the queen's physicians; for in my conscience they will soon kill her among them; and I must talk over that matter with some people. My lord-treasurer told me, the queen and he between them have lost the paper about the first-fruits; but desires I will let the bishops know it shall be done with the first opportunity. 11. I dined to day with neighbour Van, and walked pretty well in the Park this evening.-Stella, hussy, don't * Of Wexford, Camden says, "This city is none of the greatest, but as remarkable as any, being the first of this island that submitted to the English reduced by Fitz-Stephen, a valiant commander, and made a colony of the English. Upon this account the shire is very full of English, who dress after the old fashion, and speak the old language, but with some allay and mixture of Irish."-CAMDEN'S Ireland. + Derrick, who wrote his IMAGE OF IRELAND in Queen Elizabeth's time, says : No pies to plucke the thatch from house are bred in Irish grounde, But worse than pies the same to burne, you remember, sirrah, you used to reproach me about meddling in other folks affairs. I have enough of it now: two people came to me to-night in the Park, to engage me to speak to lord-treasurer in their behalf; and I believe they made up fifty who have asked me the same favour. I am hardened, and resolved to trouble him, or any other minister, less than ever. And I observe those who have ten times more credit than I will not speak a word for any body. I met yesterday the poor lad I told you of, who lived with Mr Tenison, who has been ill of an ague ever since I saw him. He looked wretchedly, and was exceeding thankful for half-a-crown I gave him. He had a crown from me before. 12. I dined to-day with young Manley in the city, who is to get me out a box of books, and a hamper of wine from Hamburgh. I inquired of Mr Stratford, who tells me that Cairnes has not yet paid my two hundred pounds, but shams and delays from day to day. Young Manley's wife is a very indifferent person of a young woman, goggle-eyed, and looks like a fool: yet he is a handsome fellow, and married her for love, after long courtship, and she refused him until he got his last employment. I believe I shall not be so good a boy for writing as I was during your stay at Wexford, unless 1 may send my letters every second time to Curry's; pray let me know. This, I think, shall go there, or why not to Wexford itself? that's right, and so it shall this next Tuesday, although it costs you tenpence. What care I? 13. This toad of a secretary is come from Windsor, and I can't find him; and he goes back on Sunday, and I can't see him to-morrow. I dined scurvily to-day with Mr Lewis and a parson; and then went to see lord-treasurer, and met him coming from his house in his coach: he smiled, and I shrugged, and we smoked each other; and so my visit is paid. I now confine myself to see him only twice a-week. He has invited me to Windsor, and between two stools, &c. I'll go live at Windsor, if pos sible, that's poz. I have always the luck to pass my sum. mer in London. I called this evening to see poor Sir Matthew Dudley, a commissioner of the customs; I know he is to be out for certain he is in hopes of continuing. I would not tell him bad news, but advised him to prepare for the worst. Dilly was with me this morning, to invite me to dine at Kensington on Sunday, with Lord Mountjoy, who goes soon for Ireland. Your late Chief Justice Broderick is here, and they say violent as a tyger. How is party among you at Wexford? Are the majority of ladies for the late or present ministry? Write me Wexford news, and love Presto, because he's a good boy. 14. Although it was shaving-day, I walked to Chelsea, and was there by nine this morning; and the Dean of Carlisle and I crossed the water to Battersea, and went in his chariot to Greenwich, where we dined at Dr Gastrel's, and passed the afternoon at Lewisham, at the Dean of Canterbury's ; * and there I saw Moll Stanhope, who is grown monstrously tall, but not so handsome as formerly. It is the first little rambling journey I have had this summer about London, and they are the agreeablest pastimes one can have, in a friend's coach, and to good company. Bank stock is fallen three or four per cent., by the whispers about the town of the queen's being ill, who is however very well. 15. How many books have you carried with * Dr Stanhope, then Vicar of Lewisham. you to Wexford? what, not one single book? oh, but your time will be so taken up; and you can borrow of the parson. I dined to-day with Sir Andrew Fountaine and Dilly, at Kensington, with Lord Mountjoy; and in the afternoon Stratford came there, and told me my two hundred pounds was paid at last; so that business is over, and I am at ease about it: and I wish all your money was in the bank too. I'll have my t'other hundred pounds there, that is in Hawkshaw's hands. Have you had the interest of it paid yet? I ordered Parvisol to do it. What makes Presto write so crooked? I'll answer your letter to-morrow, and send it on Tuesday. Here's hot weather come again, yesterday and to-day; fine drinking waters now. We had a sad pert dull parson at Kensington to day. I almost repent my coming to town: I want the walks I had. 16. I dined in the city to-day with a hedge acquaintance, and the day passed without any consequence. I'll answer your letter to-morrow. 17. Morning. I have put your letter before me, and am going to answer it. Hold your tongue: stand by. Your weather and ours were not alike; we had not a bit of hot weather in June, yet you complain of it on the 19th day. What, you used to love hot weather then? I could never endure it: I detest and abominate it. I would not live in a hot country to be king of it. What a splutter you keep about my bonds with Raymond, and all to affront Presto; Presto will be suspicious of every thing but MD, in spite of your little nose. Soft and fair, Madam Stella, how you gallop away in your spleen and your rage about repenting my journey, and preferment here, and sixpence a dozen, and nasty England, and Laracor all my life, Hey dazy, will you never have done? |