19. Ay mally zis is sumsing rike, [477a] for Pdfr to write journals again! ’Tis as natural as mother’s milk, now I am got into it. Lord Treasurer is returned from Wimbledon (’tis not above eight miles off), and sent for me to dine with him at five; but I had the grace to be abroad, and dined with some others, with honest Ben Tooke, by invitation. The Duchess of Ormond promised me her picture, and coming home to-night, I found hers and the Duke’s both in my chamber. Was not that a pretty civil surprise? Yes, and they are in fine gilded frames, too. I am writing a letter to thank her, which I will send to-morrow morning. I’ll tell her she is such a prude that she will not let so much as her picture be alone in a room with a man, unless the Duke’s be with it; and so forth. [477b] We are full of snow, and dabbling. Lady Masham has come abroad these three days, and seen the Queen. I dined with her t’other day at her sister Hill’s. I hope she will remove in a few days to her new lodgings at St. James’s from Kensington. Nite, dee logues MD.
20. I lodge [up] two pair of stairs, have but one room, and deny myself to everybody almost, yet I cannot be quiet; and all my mornings are lost with people, who will not take answers below stairs; such as Dilly, and the Bishop, and Provost, etc. Lady Orkney invited me to dinner to-day, which hindered me from dining with Lord Treasurer. This is his day that his chief friends in the Ministry dine with him. However, I went there about six, and sat with them till past nine, when they all went off; but he kept me back, and told me the circumstances of Lady Betty’s match. The young fellow has £60,000 ready money, three great houses furnished, £7,000 a year at present, and about five more after his father and mother die. I think Lady Betty’s portion is not above £8,000. I remember either Tisdall writ to me in somebody’s letter, or you did it for him, that I should mention him on occasion to Lord Anglesea, with whom, he said, he had some little acquaintance. Lord Anglesea was with me to-night at Lord Treasurer’s; and then I asked him about Tisdall, and described him. He said he never saw him, but that he had sent him his book. [478a] See what it is to be a puppy. Pray tell Mr. Walls that Lord Anglesea thanked me for recommending Clements [478b] to him; that he says he is £20,000 the better for knowing Clements. But pray don’t let Clements go and write a letter of thanks, and tell my lord that he hears so and so, etc. Why, ’tis but like an Irish understanding to do so. Sad weather; two shillings in coaches to-day, and yet I am dirty. I am now going to read over something and correct it. So, nite.
21. Puppies have got a new way of plaguing me. I find letters directed for me at Lord Treasurer’s, sometimes with enclosed ones to him, and sometimes with projects, and some times with libels. I usually keep them three or four days without opening. I was at Court to-day, as I always am on Sundays, instead of a coffee-house, to see my acquaintance. This day se’nnight, after I had been talking at Court with Sir William Wyndham, the Spanish Ambassador [478c] came to him and said he heard that was Dr. Swift, and desired him to tell me that his master, and the King of France, and the Queen, were more obliged to me than any man in Europe; so we bowed, and shook hands, etc. I took it very well of him. I dined with Lord Treasurer, and must again to-morrow, though I had rather not (as DD says); but now the Queen is in town, he does not keep me so late. I have not had time to see Fanny Manley since she came, but intend it one of these days. Her uncle, Jack Manley, [479a] I hear, cannot live a month, which will be a great loss to her father in Ireland, for I believe he is one of his chief supports. Our peace now will soon be determined; for Lord Bolingbroke tells me this morning that four provinces of Holland [479b] have complied with the Queen, and we expect the rest will do so immediately. Nite MD.
22. Lord Keeper promised me yesterday the first convenient living to poor Mr. Gery, [479c] who is married, and wants some addition to what he has. He is a very worthy creature. I had a letter some weeks ago from Elwick, [479d] who married Betty Gery. It seems the poor woman died some time last summer. Elwick grows rich, and purchases lands. I dined with Lord Treasurer to-day, who has engaged me to come again to-morrow. I gave Lord Bolingbroke a poem of Parnell’s. [479e] I made Parnell insert some compliments in it to his lordship. He is extremely pleased with it, and read some parts of it to-day to Lord Treasurer, who liked it as much. And indeed he outdoes all our poets here a bar’s length. Lord Bolingbroke has ordered me to bring him to dinner on Christmas Day, and I made Lord Treasurer promise to see him; and it may one day do Parnell a kindness. You know Parnell. I believe I have told you of that poem. Nite, deel MD.
23. This morning I presented one Diaper, [479f] a poet, to Lord Bolingbroke, with a new poem, which is a very good one; and I am to give him a sum of money from my lord; and I have contrived to make a parson of him, for he is half one already, being in deacon’s orders, and serves a small cure in the country; but has a sword at his a— here in town. ’Tis a poor little short wretch, but will do best in a gown, and we will make Lord Keeper give him a living. Lord Bolingbroke writ to Lord Treasurer to excuse me to-day; so I dined with the former, and Monteleon, the Spanish Ambassador, who made me many compliments. I stayed till nine, and now it is past ten, and my man has locked me up, and I have just called to mind that I shall be in disgrace with Tom Leigh. [480a] That coxcomb had got into acquaintance with one Eckershall, [480b] Clerk of the Kitchen to the Queen, who was civil to him at Windsor on my account; for I had done some service to Eckershall. Leigh teases me to pass an evening at his lodgings with Eckershall. I put it off several times, but was forced at last to promise I would come to-night; and it never was in my head till I was locked up, and I have called and called, but my man is gone to bed; so I will write an excuse to-morrow. I detest that Tom Leigh, and am as formal to him as I can when I happen to meet him in the Park. The rogue frets me, if he knew it. He asked me why I did not wait on the Bishop of Dromore. [480c] I answered I had not the honour to be acquainted with him, and would not presume, etc. He takes me seriously, and says the Bishop is no proud man, etc. He tells me of a judge in Ireland that has done ill things. I ask why he is not out? Says he, “I think the bishops, and you, and I, and the rest of the clergy, should meet and consult about it.” I beg his pardon, and say, “I cannot be serviceable that way.” He answers, “Yes, everybody may help something.”—Don’t you see how curiously he contrives to vex me; for the dog knows that with half a word I could do more than all of them together. But he only does it from the pride and envy of his own heart, and not out of a humorous design of teasing. He is one of those that would rather a service should not be done, than done by a private man, and of his own country. You take all this, don’t you? Nite dee sollahs, I’ll go seep a dozey.
24. I dined to-day with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in order to look over some of my papers; but nothing was done. I have been also mediating between the Hamilton family and Lord Abercorn, to have them compound with him; and I believe they will do it. Lord Selkirk, [480d] the late Duke’s brother, is to be in town, in order to go to France, to make the demands; and the Ministry are of opinion they will get some satisfaction, and they empowered me to advise the Hamilton side to agree with Abercorn, who asks a fourth part, and will go to France and spoil all if they won’t yield it. Nite sollahs.
25. All melly Titmasses—melly Titmasses—I said it first—I wish it a souzand [times] zoth with halt [481a] and soul. [481b] I carried Parnell to dine at Lord Bolingbroke’s, and he behaved himself very well; and Lord Bolingbroke is mightily pleased with him. I was at St. James’s Chapel by eight this morning; and church and sacrament were done by ten. The Queen has the gout in her hand, and did not come to church to-day; and I stayed so long in my chamber that I missed going to Court. Did I tell you that the Queen designs to have a Drawing-room and company every day? Nite dee logues.
26. I was to wish the Duke of Ormond a happy Christmas, and give half a crown to his porter. It will cost me a dozen half-crowns among such fellows. I dined with Lord Treasurer, who chid me for being absent three days. Mighty kind, with a p—; less of civility, and more of his interest! We hear Maccartney is gone over to Ireland. Was it not comical for a gentleman to be set upon by highwaymen, and to tell them he was Maccartney? Upon which they brought him to a justice of peace, in hopes of the reward, [481c] and the rogues were sent to gaol. Was it not great presence of mind? But maybe you heard this already; for there was a Grub Street of it. Lord Bolingbroke told me I must walk away to-day when dinner was done, because Lord Treasurer, and he, and another, were to enter upon business; but I said it was as fit I should know their business as anybody, for I was to justify [it]. [482] So the rest went, and I stayed, and it was so important, I was like to sleep over it. I left them at nine, and it is now twelve. Nite, MD.
27. I dined to-day with General Hill, Governor of Dunkirk. Lady Masham and Mrs. Hill, his two sisters, were of the company, and there have I been sitting this evening till eleven, looking over others at play; for I have left off loving play myself; and I think Ppt is now a great gamester. I have a great cold on me, not quite at its height. I have them seldom, and therefore ought to be patient. I met Mr. Addison and Pastoral Philips on the Mall to-day, and took a turn with them; but they both looked terrible dry and cold. A curse of party! And do you know I have taken more pains to recommend the Whig wits to the favour and mercy of the Ministers than any other people. Steele I have kept in his place. Congreve I have got to be used kindly, and secured. Rowe I have recommended, and got a promise of a place. Philips I could certainly have provided for, if he had not run party mad, and made me withdraw my recommendation; and I set Addison so right at first that he might have been employed, and have partly secured him the place he has; yet I am worse used by that faction than any man. Well, go to cards, sollah Ppt, and dress the wine and olange, sollah MD, and I’ll go seep. ’Tis rate. Nite MD.
28. My cold is so bad that I could not go to church to-day, nor to Court; but I was engaged to Lord Orkney’s with the Duke of Ormond, at dinner; and ventured, because I could cough and spit there as I pleased. The Duke and Lord Arran left us, and I have been sitting ever since with Lord and Lady Orkney till past eleven: and my cold is worse, and makes me giddy. I hope it is only my cold. Oh, says Ppt, everybody is giddy with a cold; I hope it is no more; but I’ll go to bed, for the fellow has bawled “Past twelve.” Night, deels.