character with him, I know not.* business, and bid you good night. And so I go to my 21. I was this morning busy with my printer; I gave him the fifth sheet, and then I went and dined with him in the city, to correct something, and alter, &c. and I walked home in the dusk, and the rain overtook me : and I found a letter here from Mr Lewis; well, and so I opened it; and he says, the peace is past danger, &c. Well; and so there was another letter enclosed in his; well; and so I looked on the outside of this t'other letter. Well; and so who do you think this t'other letter was from? Well; and so I'll tell you, it was from little MD, N. 23, 23, 23, 23. I tell you it is no more, I have told you so before: but I just looked again to satisfy you. Hie, Stella, you write like an emperor, a great deal together; a very good hand, and but four false spellings in all. Shall I send them to you? I am glad you did not take my correction ill. Well; but I won't answer your letter now, sirrah saucy boxes, no, no; not yet; just a month and three days from the last, which is just five weeks: you see it comes just when I begin to grumble. 22. Morning. Tooke has just brought me Dingley's money. I will give you a note for it at the end of this letter. There was half-a-crown for entering the letter of attorney but I swore to stop that. I'll spend your * It proved as Swift prophesied; for Lord Strafford absolutely refused to be joined in commission with a person of such low birth, so that the department of trade, with which Prior was to have been intrusted, was necessarily committed to the Bishop of Bristol, Lord Privy Seal, a charge which greatly added to the difficulties of the negotiation. money bravely here. Morrow, dear sirrahs.——At night. I dined to-day with Sir Thomas Hanmer; his wife, the Duchess of Grafton, * dined with us: she wears a great high head-dress, such as was in fashion fifteen years ago, † and looks like a mad woman in it; yet she has great remains of beauty. I was this evening to see Lord Harley, and thought to have sat with lordtreasurer, but he was taken up with the Dutch envoy and such folks; and I would not stay. One particular in life here, different from what I have in Dublin, is, that whenever I come home I expect to find some letter for me, and seldom miss; and never any worth a farthing, but often to vex me. The queen does not come to town till Saturday. Prior is not yet declared; but these ministers being at Hampton Court, I know nothing; and if I write news from common hands, it is always lies. You will think it affectation; but nothing has vexed me more for some months past, than people I never saw pretending to be acquainted with me, and yet speak ill of me too; at least some of them. An old crooked Scotch countess, whom I never heard of in my life, told the Duchess of Hamilton t'other day, that I often visited her. People of worth never do that; so that a man only gets the scandal of having scurvy acquaintance. Three ladies were railing against me some time ago, and said they were very well acquainted with me; two of which I had never heard of; and the third I had only seen twice where I happened to visit. A man who has once seen * Daughter of Henry Bennet, Earl of Arlington, and relict of the first Duke of Grafton. + This alludes to an old-fashioned head-dress called a Fontange, which was the mode about 1700. me in a coffeehouse will ask me how I do, when he sees me talking at court with a minister of state; who is sure to ask me, how I came acquainted with that scoundrel. But come, sirrahs, this is all stuff to you, so I'll say no more on this side the paper, but turn over. 23. My printer invited Mr Lewis* and me to dine at a tavern to-day, which I have done five times since I came to England; I never will call it Britain, pray don't call it Britain. My week is not out, and one side of this paper is out, and I have a letter to answer of MD's into the bargain: must I write on the third side? faith that will give you an ill habit. I saw Leigh last night; he gives a terrible account of Sterne; he reckons he is seduced by some wench; he is over head and ears in debt, and has pawned several things. Leigh says he goes on Monday next for Ireland, but believes Sterne will not go with him; Sterne has kept him these three months. Leigh has got the apron and things, and promises to call for the box at Chester; but I despair of it. Good night, sirrahs; I have been late abroad. 24. I have finished my pamphlet to-day, which has cost me so much time and trouble; it will be published in three or four days, when the parliament begins sitting. I suppose the queen is come to town, but know nothing, having been in the city finishing and correcting with the * The dean's great regard for Mr Lewis appears from the following memorandum, written by him on the back of one of that gentleman's letters : "Lewis, who is wiser than ever he was; the best of husbands; I am sure I can say, from my own experience, that he is the best of friends; he was so to me, when I had little hopes I should ever live to thank him."-Mr Lewis was also distinguished by the friendship of Mr Pope, who left him a legacy for a ring. printer. When I came home, I found letters on my table as usual, and one from your mother, to tell me, that you desire your writings and a picture should be sent to me, to be sent over to you. I have just answered her letter, and promised to take care of them if they be sent She is at Farnham: it is too late to send them by Leigh; besides, I will wait your orders, Madam Stella. I am going to finish a letter to lord-treasurer about reforming our language; but first I must put an end to a ballad; and go you to your cards, sirrahs, this is card to me. season. 25. I was early with the secretary to-day, but he was gone to his devotions, and to receive the sacrament; several rakes did the same; it was not for piety, but employments; according to act of parliament. I dined with Lady Mary Dudley; and passed my time since insipidly, only I was at court at noon, and saw fifty acquaintance I had not met this long time: that is the advantage of a court, and I fancy I am better known than any man that goes there. Sir John Walters' quarrel with me has entertained the town ever since; and yet we never had a word, only he railed at me behind my back. The parliament is again to be prorogued for eight or nine days; for the Whigs are too strong in the House of Lords other reasons are pretended, but that is the truth. The prorogation is not yet known, but will be to-morrow. 26. Mr Lewis and I dined with a friend of his, and unexpectedly there dined with us an Irish knight, one Sir John St Leger, who follows the law here, but at a great distance: he was so pert, I was forced to take him * Afterwards a judge in Ireland. * down more than once. I saw to-day the pope, and devil, and the other figures of cardinals, &c. fifteen in all, which have made such a noise. I have put an understrapper upon writing a twopenny pamphlet to give an account of the whole design. My large pamphlet will be published to-morrow; copies are sent to the great men this night. Domville † is come home from his travels; I am vexed at it: I have not seen him yet; I design to present him to all the great men. 27. Domville came to me this morning, and we dined at Pontack's, and were all day together, till six this evening; he is perfectly as fine a gentleman as I know ; he set me down at lord-treasurer's, with whom I staid about an hour, till Monsieur Buys, the Dutch envoy, came to him about business. My lord-treasurer is pretty well; but stiff in the hips with the remains of the rheumatism. I am to bring Domville to my Lord Harley in a day or two. It was the dirtiest rainy day that ever I saw. The pamphlet is published; lord-treasurer had it by him on the table, and was asking me about the mottoes in the title-page; he gave me one of them himself. I must send you the pamphlet, if I can. * The reader will find this in the fugitive pieces relating to this period. + William Domville, of Longman's-town, in the county of Dublin, Esq. + "The Conduct of the Allies." The mottoes are pointedly severe against the Duke of Marlborough. Partem tibi Gallia nostri Eripuit: Partem duris Hispania bellis : Odimus accipitrem quia semper vivit in armis. |
