foreign ministers against the late changes at court. * Cadogan has had a little paring; his mother told me yesterday he had lost the place of envoy: † but I hope they will go no farther with him, for he was not at those mutinous meetings. Well, these saucy jades take up so much of my time, with writing to them in a morning; but faith I am glad to see you whenever I can: a little snap and away; so hold your tongue, for I must rise: not a word for your life. How nowww? so very well; stay till I come home, and then perhaps you may hear farther from me. And where will you go to-day, for I cannot be with you for these ladies? It is a rainy ugly day. I would have you send for Walls, and go to the dean's; but do not play small games when you lose. You will be ruined by Manilio, Basto, the queen, and two small trumps in red. I confess it is a good hand against the player; but then there are Spadilio, Punto, the king, strong trumps against you, which, with one trump more, are three tricks ten ace : for, suppose you * Lieutenant-General Meredyth's regiment was given to the Earl of Orrery; Major-General Macartney's to Colonel Kane; and Brigadier Honeywood's to Colonel Clayton. These gentlemen alleged, that their offence only amounted to drinking a health to the Duke of Marlborough, and confusion to his enemies. But, it was affirmed, that an example of severity was necessary, as some of the chief officers of the army had dropped doubtful and dangerous expressions about standing by their general, and this at a time when he was suspected of having nourished the ambition of becoming general for life. + Lieutenant-General Cadogan, the friend and confident of Marlborough, was at this time envoy to the United Provinces, and the government of Spanish Flanders. He was recalled on this occasion, and replaced by Mr Richard Hill. Cadogan was raised to an earldom, and died 7th July 1726. play your Manilio-O, silly, how I prate and cannot get away from this MD in a morning. Go, get you gone, dear naughty girls, and let me rise. There, Patrick locked up my ink again the third time last night: the rogue gets the better of me; but I will rise in spite of you, sirrahs. At night. Lady Kerry, Mrs Pratt, Mrs Cadogan, and I, in one coach; Lady Kerry's son and his governor, and two gentlemen, in another; maids and misses, and little master, (Lord Shelburn's children,) in a third, all hackneys, set out at ten o'clock this morning from Lord Shelburn's house in Piccadilly to the Tower, and saw all the sights, lions, &c. then to Bedlam; then dined at the chophouse behind the Exchange; then to Gresham College, (but the keeper was not at home,) and concluded the night at the puppetshow, * whence we came home safe at night, and I left them. The ladies were all in mobs; how do you call it ? undressed; and it was the rainiest day that ever dripped; and I am weary, and it is now past eleven. 14. Stay, I will answer some of your letter this morning in bed let me see; come and appear, little letter. Here I am, says he, and what say you to Mrs MD this morning, fresh and fasting? who dares think MD negligent? I allow them a fortnight, and they give it me. I could fill a letter in a week; but it is longer every day, and so I keep it a fortnight, and then it is cheaper by one half. I have never been giddy, dear Stella, * Then in such request, that De Foe, in a pamphlet entitled "Les Soupirs de la Grande Bretagne, 1713," says, that the celebrated Mr Powell, the manager of Punch Theatre, “ by subscriptions and full houses, has gathered such wealth as is sufficient to buy all the poets in England." since that morning: I have taken a whole box of pills, and kecked at them every night, and drank a pint of brandy at mornings.-O then, you kept Presto's little birthday would to God I had been with you. I forgot it, as I told you before. Rediculous, madam? I suppose you mean ridiculous: let me have no more of that; it is the author of the Atlantis's spelling. I have mended it in your letter. And can Stella read this writing without hurting her dear eyes? O, faith, I am afraid not. Have a care of those eyes, pray, pray, pretty Stella. It is well enough what you observe, That if I writ better, perhaps you would not read so well, being used to this manner; it is an alphabet you are used to; you know such a pothook makes a letter; and you know what letter, and so and so.-I will swear he told me so, and that they were long letters too; but I told him it was a gasconade of yours, &c. I am talking of the Bishop of Clogher, how he forgot. Turn over. * I had not room on the other side to say that, so I did it on this: I fancy that is a good Irish blunder. Ah, why do not you go down to Clogher nautinautinautidear girls; I dare not say nauti without dear: O, faith, you govern me. But seriously, I am sorry you do not go, as far as I can judge at this distance. No, we would get you another horse; I will make Parvisol get you one. I always doubted that horse of yours; prithee sell him, and let it be a present to me. My heart aches when I think you ride him. Order Parvisol to sell him, and that you are to return me the money: I shall * He seems to have written these words on the reverse of the page, which was therefore to be turned before they could be read. never be easy until he is out of your hands. Faith, I have dreamed five or six times of horses stumbling since I had your letter. If he cannot sell him, let him run this winter. Faith, if I was near you, I would whip your to some tune, for your grave saucy answer about the dean and Jonsonibus; I would, young women. And did the dean preach for me? very well. Why, would they have me stand here and preach to them? No, the Tatler of the Shilling was not mine, more than the hint, and two or three general heads for it. I have much more important business on my hands: and, besides, the ministry hate to think that I should help him, and have made reproaches on it; and I frankly told them, I would do it no more. This is a secret though, Madam Stella. You win eight shillings! you win eight fiddlesticks. Faith, you say nothing of what you lose, young women.-I hope Manley is in no great danger; for Ned Southwell is his friend, and so is Sir Thomas Frankland; and his brother John Manley stands up heartily for him. On the other side, all the gentlemen of Ireland here are furiously against him. Now, Mistress Dingley, are not you an impudent slut to expect a letter next packet from Presto, when you confess yourself, that you had so lately two letters in four days? unreasonable baggage! no, little Dingley, I am always in bed by twelve; I mean my candle's out by twelve, and I take great care of myself. Pray let every body know, upon occasion, that Mr Harley got the firstfruits from the queen for the clergy of Ireland, and that nothing remains but the forms, &c. So you say the dean and you dined at Stoyte's, and Mrs Stoyte was in raptures that I remembered her. I must do it but seldom, or it will take off her rapture.-But, what now, you saucy sluts, all this written in a morning, and I must rise and go abroad. Pray stay till night do not think I will squander mornings upon you, pray good madam. Faith, if I go on longer in this trick of writing in the mornings, I shall be afraid of leaving it off, and think you expect it, and be in awe. Good morrow, sirrahs, I will rise.-At night. I went today to the Court of Requests (I will not answer the rest of your letter yet, that by the way) in hopes to dine with Mr Harley: but Lord Dupplin, his son-in-law, told me he did not dine at home; so I was at a loss, until I met with Mr Secretary St John, and went home and dined with him, where he told me of a good bite. * Lord Rivers + told me two days ago, that he was resolved to come Sunday fortnight next to hear me preach before the queen. I assured him the day was not yet fixed, and I knew nothing of it. To-day the secretary told me, that his father, (Sir Harry St John,) and Lord Rivers, were to be at St James's church, to hear me preach there; and were assured I was to preach: so there will be another bite; for I know nothing of the matter, but that Mr Harley and St John are resolved I must preach before the queen, and the secretary of state has told me will give me three weeks warning; but I desired to be excused, which he will not. St John, " you shall not be excused :" however, I hope they will forget it; for, if it should happen, all the puppies hereabouts will throng to hear me, and expect something wonderful, and be plaguily balked, for I shall preach + plain honest stuff. I staid with St John till * In modern cant, a quiz. + Envoy to Hanover. This same sermon was never preached. |
