LETTER LVIII.

London, Jan. 4, 1712-13,

I ENDED my last with the melancholy news of poor Lady Ashburnham's death. The Bishop of Clogher and Dr Pratt made me dine with them today at Lord Mountjoy's, pursuant to an engagement, which I had forgot. Lady Mountjoy told me, that Macartney was got safe out of our clutches, for she had spoke with one who had a letter from him from Holland. Others say the same thing.As I left Lord Mountjoy's, I saw the Duke d'Aumont, the French ambassador, going from Lord Bolingbroke's where he dined, to have a private audience of the queen. I followed, and went up to court, where there was a great crowd. I was talking with the Duke of Argyle, by the fireside in the bedchamber, when the ambassador came out from the queen. Argyle presented me to him, and Lord Bolingbroke, and we talked together a while. He is a fine gentleman, something like the Duke of Ormond, and just such an expensive man. After church to-day, I showed the Bishop of Clogher, at court, who was who. Night, my two dear

rogues.

5. Our frost is broke, but it is bloody cold. Lordtreasurer is recovered, and went out this evening to the queen. I dined with Lady Oxford, and then

sate with lord-treasurer till he went out. He gave me a letter from an unknown hand, relating to Dr Brown, Bishop of Cork, recommending him to a better bishopric, as a person who opposed Lord Wharton, and was made a bishop on that account,

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celebrating him for a great politician, &c. In short, all directly contrary to his character, which I made bold to explain. What dogs there are in the world! I was to see the poor Duke and Duchess of Ormond this morning. The Duke was in his public room, with Mr Southwell and two more gentlemen. When Southwell and I were alone with him, he talked something of Lord Ashburnham, that he was afraid the Whigs would get him again. He bore up as well as he could, but something falling accidentally in discourse, the tears were just falling out of his eyes, and I looked off to give him an opportunity (which he took) of wiping them with his handkerchief. I never saw any thing so moving, nor such a mixture of greatness of mind, and tenderness and discretion. Night, dearest MD.

6. Lord Bolingbroke, and Parnell, and I, dined, by invitation, with my friend Dartineuf, whom you have heard me talk of. Lord Bolingbroke likes Parnell mightily; and it is pleasant to see, that one, who hardly passed for any thing in Ireland, makes his way here with a little friendly forwarding. It is scurvy rainy weather, and I have hardly been abroad to-day, nor know any thing that passes.— Lord-treasurer is quite recovered, and I hope will take care to keep himself well. The Duchess of Marlborough is leaving England, to go to her Duke, and makes presents of rings to several friends, they say worth two hundred pounds a piece. I am sure she ought to give me one, though the Duke pretended to think me his greatest enemy, and got people to tell me so, and very mildly to let me know how gladly he would have me softened toward him. I bid a lady of his acquaintance and mine let him know, that I had hindered many a bitter thing against him; not for his own sake, but because I thought it looked base; and I desired every

thing should be left him, except power. Night, MD.*

7. I dined with Lord and Lady Masham to-day, and this evening played at ombre with Mrs Vanhomrigh, merely for amusement. The ministers have got my papers, and will neither read them, nor give them to me; and I can hardly do any thing. Very warm slabby weather, but I made a shift to get a walk; yet I lost half of it, by shaking off Lord Rochester, † who is a good, civil, simple man. The Bishop of Ossory will not be Bishop of Hereford, to the great grief of himself and his wife. And what is MD doing now, I wonder? Playing at

It cannot be superfluous to compare what Swift here says of the Duchess of Marlborough flagrante odio, with the opinion which she entertained of him, and of his politics, many years afterwards. "Dean Swift gives the most exact account of kings, ministers, bishops, and the courts of justice, that is possible to be writ. He has certainly a vast deal of wit; and since he could contribute so much to the pulling down the most honest and best intentioned ministry that ever I knew, with the help only of Abigail, and one or two more; and has certainly stopt the finishing stroke to ruin the Irish, in the project of the halfpence, in spite of all the ministry could do; I could not [cannot] help wishing, that we had had his assistance in the opposition; for I could easily forgive him all the slaps he has given me, and the Duke of Marlborough, and have thanked him heartily, whenever he would please to do good. I never saw him in my life; and though his writings have entertained me very much, yet I see he writes sometimes for interest: for in his books he gives my Lord Oxford as great a character as if he was speaking of Socrates or Marcus Antoninus. But when I am dead, the reverse of that character will come out, with vouchers to it, under his own hand."-The Opinions of Sarah, Duchess Dowager of Marlborough, 12mo, 1788, p. 79.

+ Henry Hyde, son of Laurence, Earl of Rochester, younger son of the Lord Chancellor Clarendon, and minister of Charles II. This Henry succeeded to the title of Earl of Clarendon, March 31, 1723, on the death of Edward, the third Earl of Clarendon. He was cousin-german to Queen Anne by her mother's side.

Dr John Harstonge, 1693-1714. VOL. III.

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cards with the dean and Mrs Walls? I think it is not certain yet that Macartney is escaped. I am plagued with bad authors verse and prose, who send me their books and poems, the vilest trash I ever saw; but I have given their names to my man, never to let them see me. I have got weak ink, and it is very white; and I don't see that it turns black at all. I'll go to sleep; it is past twelve.Night, MD.

8. You must understand that I am in my geers, and have got a chocolate-pot, a present from Mrs Ash of Clogher, and some chocolate from my brother Ormond, and I treat folks sometimes. I dined with lord-treasurer at five o'clock to-day, and was by while he and Lord Bolingbroke were at business; for it is fit I should know all that passes now, because, &c. The Duke of Ormond employed me to speak to lord-treasurer to-day about an affair, and I did so; and the Duke spoke himself two hours before; which vexed me, and I will chide the Duke about it. I'll tell you a good thing; there is not one of the ministry but what will employ me, as gravely to speak for them to lord-treasurer, as if I were their brother or his; and I do it as gravely: though I know they do it only because they will not make themselves uneasy, or had rather I should be denied than they. I believe our peace will not be finished these two months; for I think we must have a return from Spain by a messenger, who will not go till Sunday next. Lord-treasurer has invited me to dine with him again to-morrow. Your commissioner, Keatly, is to be there. Night, dearest MD.

9. Dr Pratt drank chocolate with me this morning, and then we walked. I was yesterday with him to see Lady Betty Butler, grieving for her sister Ashburnham. The jade was in bed in form, and

she did so cant, she made me sick. I meet Tom Leigh every day in the Park, to preserve his health. He is as ruddy as a rose, and tells me his bishop of Dromore recovers very much. That bishop has been very near dying. This day's Examiner talks of the play of What is it like? and you will think it to be mine, and be bit; for I have no hand in these papers at all. I dined with lord-treasurer, and shall again to-morrow, which is his day when all the ministers dine with him. He calls it whipping day. It is always on Saturday, and we do indeed usually rally him about his faults on that day. I was of the original club, when only poor Lord Rivers, lord-keeper, and Lord Bolingbroke came; but now Ormond, Anglesey, lord-steward, Dartmouth, and other rabble intrude, and I scold at it; but now they pretend as good a title as I; and indeed many Saturdays I am not there. The company being too many, I don't love it. Night, MD.

10. At seven this evening, as we sat after dinner at lord-treasurer's, a servant said Lord Peterborow was at the door. Lord-treasurer and Lord Bolingbroke went out to meet him, and brought him in. He was just returned from abroad, where he has been above a year. As soon as he saw me, he left the Duke of Ormond and other lords, and ran and kissed me before he spoke to them; but chid me terribly for not writing to him, which I never did this last time he was abroad, not knowing where he was; and he changed places so often, it was impossible a letter should overtake him. He left England with a bruise, by his coach overturning, that made him spit blood, and was so ill, we expected every post to hear of his death; but he outrode it, or outdrank it, or something, and is come home lustier than ever. He is at least sixty, and has more spirits than any young fellow I know of