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sires an employment. T'other day at the Court of Requests Dr Yalden saluted me by name: Sacheverel, who was just by, came up to me, and made me many acknowledgments and compliments. Last night I desired lordtreasurer to do something for that brother of Sacheverel's he said he never knew he had a brother, but thanked me for telling him, and immediately put his name in his table-book. I will let Sacheverel know this, that he may take his measures accordingly, but he shall be none of my acquaintance. * I dined to-day privately with the secretary, left him at six, paid a visit or two, and came home.

23. I dined again to-day with the secretary, but could not dispatch some business I had with him, he has so much besides upon his hands at this juncture, and preparing against the great business to-morrow, which we are top full of. The minister's design is, that the Duke of Marlborough shall be censured as gently as possible, provided his friends will not make head to defend him, but if they do, it may end in some severer votes. A gentleman, who was just now with him, tells me he is much cast down, and fallen away; but he is positive, if he has but ten friends in the House, that they shall defend him to the utmost, and endeavour to prevent the least censure upon him, which I think cannot be, since the bribery is manifest. Sir Solomon Medina paid him six thousand pounds a-year to have the employment of

* Swift's resolutions in favour of Dr Sacheverel's brother probably arose from a sense of the obligations which the present ministry lay under to this fiery high churchman. His personal dislike was grounded in his thorough contempt of the Doctor's talents and doctrine.

providing bread for the army, and the duke owns it in his letter to the commissioners of accounts. I was tonight at Lord Masham's; Lord Dupplin took out my new little pamphlet, and the secretary read a great deal of it to lord-treasurer; they all commended it to the skies, and so did I, and they began a health to the author. But I doubt lord-treasurer suspected; for he said, This is Dr Davenant's * style, which is his cant when he suspects me. But I carried the matter very well. Lord-treasurer put the pamphlet in his pocket to read at home. I'll answer your letter to-morrow.

24. The secretary made me promise to dine with him to-day, after the parliament was up; I said I would come; but I dined at my usual time; knowing the House would sit late on this great affair. I dined at a tavern with Mr Domville and another gentleman; I have not done so before these many months. At ten this evening I went to the secretary, but he was not come home; I sat with his lady till twelve, then came away; and he just came as I was gone, and he sent to my lodgings, but I would not go back; and so I know not how things have passed, but hope all is well; and I will tell you to-morrow day. It is late, &c.

25. The secretary sent to me this morning to know whether we should dine together; I went to him, and there I learned that the question went against the Duke of Marlborough, by a majority of a hundred; so the ministry is mighty well satisfied, and the duke will now be able to do no hurt. The secretary and I, and Lord

* Davenant was abused as the author of the Examiner, long after Swift had commenced author of that paper. On this mistake the treasurer's jeer was grounded.

Masham, &c., dined with Lieutenant-General Withers, who is just going to look after the army in Flanders: the secretary and I left them a little after seven, and I am come home, and will now answer your letter, because this goes to morrow: let me seeThe box at Chester; O, burn that box, and hang that Sterne; I have desired one to inquire for it who went toward Ireland last Monday, but I am in utter despair of it. No, I was not splenetic; you see what plunges the court has been at to set all right again. And that duchess is not out yet, and may one day cause more mischief. Somerset shows all about a letter from the queen, desiring him to let his wife continue with her. Is not that rare! I find Dingley smelled a rat; because the Whigs are upish; but if ever I hear that word again, I'll uppish you. I am glad you got your rasp safe and sound; does Stella like her apron ? Your critics about guarantees of succession are puppies; that's an answer to the objection. The answerers here made the same objection, but it is wholly wrong. I am of your opinion, that Lord Marlborough is used too hardly: I have often scratched out passages from papers and pamphlets sent me, before they were printed; because I thought them too severe. But he is certainly a vile man, and has no sort of merit beside the military. The Examiners are good for little : I would fain have hindered the severity of the two or three last, but could not. I will either bring your papers over, or leave them with Tooke, for whose honesty I will engage. And I think it is best not to venture them with me at sea. Stella is a prophet, by foretelling so very positively that all would be well. Duke of Ormond speak against peace? No, simpleton, he is one of the stanchest we have for the ministry. Neither trouble yourself about

the printer he appeared the first day of term, and is to appear when summoned again; but nothing else will come of it. Lord Chief Justice is cooled since this new settlement. No; I will not split my journals in half; I will write but once a fortnight: but you may do as you will; which is, read only half at once, and t'other half next week. So now your letter is answered. (Pox on these blots.) What must I say more? I will set out in March, if there be a fit of fine weather; unless the ministry desire me to stay till the end of the session, which may be a month longer but I believe they will not for I suppose the peace will be made, and they will have no farther service for me. I must make my canal fine this summer, as fine as I can. I am afraid I shall see great neglects among my quicksets. I hope the cherry trees on the river walk are fine things now. But no more of

this.

26. I forgot to finish this letter this morning, and am come home so late I must give it to the bellman; but I would have it go to-night, lest you should think there is any thing in the story of my being arrested in an action of twenty thousand pounds by Lord Marlborough, which I hear is in Dyer's letter, and, consequently, I suppose, gone to Ireland. Farewell, dearest MD, &c. &c.

LETTER XL.

London, Jan. 26, 1711-12.

I HAVE no gilt paper left of this size, so you must be content with plain. Our society dined together to-day, for H h

VOL. II.

it was put off, as I told you, upon Lord Marlborough's business on Thursday. The Duke of Ormond dined with us to-day, the first time; we were thirteen at table ; and Lord Lansdown came in after dinner, so that we wanted but three. The secretary proposed the Duke of Beaufort,* who desires to be one of our society; but I stopped it, because the Duke of Ormond doubts a little about it; and he was gone before it was proposed. I left them at seven, and sat this evening with poor Mrs Wesley, who has been mightily ill to-day with a fainting fit; she has often convulsions too; she takes a mixture with assafoetida, which I have now in my nose; and every thing smells of it. I never smelt it before; 'tis abominable. We have eight packets, they say, due from Ireland.

27. I could not see Prince Eugene at court to-day, the crowd was so great. The Whigs contrive to have a crowd always about him, and employ the rabble to give the word, when he sets out from any place. When the Duchess of Hamilton † came from the queen after t church, she whispered me that she was going to pay me a visit: I went to Lady Oglethorp's, the place appointed; for ladies always visit me in third places, and she kept me till near four: she talks too much, is a plaguy detractor, and I believe I shall not much like her. I was engaged to dine with Lord Masham; they staid as long

*

Henry, second Duke of Beaufort. He was so zealous a Tory, that he never appeared at court during Godolphin's ministry: and when he attended there upon the changes, he told her majesty he could now call her queen in reality. The duke died in 1714, aged

only thirty years.

+ Elizabeth daughter and heiress of Digby, Lord Gerrard of Bromley, by Elizabeth, daughter to Charles Earl of Macclesfield.

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