ner. less it be for an intimate friend. However, I will do what I can. I missed the secretary, and then walked to Chelsea to dine with the Dean of Christchurch,* who was engaged to Lord Orrery with some other Christchurch-men. He made me go with him whether I would or not, for they have this long time admitted me a Christchurch-man. Lord Orrery, generally every winter, gives his old acquaintance of that college a dinThere were nine clergymen at table, and four laymen. The dean and I soon left them, and after a visit or two, I went to Lord Masham's and lord-treasur er, Arbuthnot and I sat till twelve. And now I am come home and got to-bed. I came a-foot, but had my man with me. Lord-treasurer advised me not to go in a chair, because the Mohocks insult chairs more than they do those on foot. They think there is some mischievous design in those villains. Several of them, lordtreasurer told me, are actually taken up. I heard, at dinner, that one of them was killed last night. We shall know more in a little time. I do not like them as to 16. This morning, at the secretary's, I met General Ross, and recommended Newcomb's case to him, who promises to join with me in working up the Duke of Ormond to do something for him. Lord Winchelsea told me to-day at court, that two of the Mohocks caught a maid of old Lady Winchelsea's, at the door of their house in the park, with a candle, and had just lighted out somebody. They cut all her face, and beat her without any provocation. I hear my friend Lewis has got a * Dr Atterbury. Mohock in one of the messengers' hands. * The queen was at church to-day, but was carried in an open chair. She has got an ugly cough, Arbuthnot, her physician, says. I dined with Crowe, late governor of Barbados; an acquaintance of Sterne's. After dinner I asked him, * The following account of the brutal practices of these rakes is given in the Spectator:-" Agreeable to their name, the avowed design of their institution is mischief; and upon this foundation all their rules and orders are framed. An outrageous ambition of doing all possible hurt to their fellow-creatures is the great cement of their assembly, and the only qualification required in the members. In order to exert this principle in its full strength and perfection, they take care to drink themselves to a pitch, that is, beyond the possibility of attending to any motions of reason or humanity; then make a general sally, and attack all that are so unfortunate as to walk the streets through which they patrole. Some are knocked down, others stabbed, others cut and carbonaded. To put the watch to a total rout, and mortify some of those inoffensive militia, is reckoned a coup d'eclat. The particular talents by which these misanthropes are distinguished from one another consist in the various kinds of barbarities which they execute upon their pri soners, Some are celebrated for a happy dexterity in tipping the lion upon them; which is performed by squeezing the nose flat to the face, and boring out the eyes with their fingers. Others are called the dancing-masters, and teach their scholars to cut capers, by running swords through their legs; a new invention, whether originally French, I cannot tell. A third sort are the tumblers, whose office is to set women on their heads, and commit certain indecencies, or rather barbarities, on the limbs which they expose. But these I forbear to mention, because they cannot but be very shocking to the reader, as well as the spectator."-Spectator, No. 324. A proclamation was issued, offering L.100 reward to any one who would bring to justice any of these desperadoes. But as the only persons tried for such offences proved to be common footpads, it was keenly argued by the Whigs, that the notion of these riots and barbarities had been greatly exaggerated by the agents of ministers, in order to throw odium on the opposition. whether he had heard of Stearn? Here he is, said he, at the door in a coach: and in came Stearn. He has been here this week. He is buying a captainship, in his cousin Stearn's regiment. He told me, he left Jemmy Leigh playing at cards with you. He is to give 800 guineas for his commission. I suppose you know all this better than I. How shall I have room to answer your letter when I get it, I have gone so far already? Night, dearest rogues. 17. Dr Sacheverel came this morning, to give me thanks for getting his brother an employment. It was but six or seven weeks since I spoke to lord-treasurer for him. Sacheverel brought Trap along with him. We dined together at my printer's, and I sate with them till seven. I little thought, and I believe so did he, that ever I should be his solicitor to the present ministry, when I left Ire. land. This is the seventh I have now provided for since I came, and can do nothing for myself. I don't care; I shall have ministries and other people obliged to me. Trap is a coxcomb, and the other is not very deep; and their judgment in things of wit and sense is miraculous. The Second Part of Law is a Bottomless Pit is just now printed, and better, I think, than the first. Night, my two dear saucy little rogues. 18. There is a proclamation out against the Mohocks. One of those that are taken is a baronet. I dined with poor Mrs Wesley, who is returning to the Bath. Mrs Percival's youngest daughter has got the small-pox, but will do well. 1 walked this evening in the Park, and met Prior, who made me go home with him, where I staid till past twelve, and could not get a coach, and was alone, and was afraid enough of the Mohocks. I will do so no more, though I got home safe. Prior and I were talking discontentedly about some managements, that no more people are turned out, which gets lord-treasurer many enemies but whether the fault be in him, or the queen, I know not; I doubt, in both. Young women, it is now seven weeks since I received your last; but I expect one next packet, to fill the rest of this paper; but, if it don't come, I'll do without it: so I wish you good luck at ombre with the dean. Night, **** 19. Newcomb came to me this morning, and I went to the Duke of Ormond to speak for him; but the Duke was just going out to take the oaths for general. The Duke of Shrewsbury is to be Lord-lieutenant of Ireland. I walked with Domville and Ford to Kensington, where we dined, and it cost me above a crown. I don't like it, as my man said. It was very windy walking. I saw there Lord Masham's children. The youngest, my nephew, I fear, has got the king's evil; the other two are daughters of three and four years old. The gardens there are mighty fine. I passed the evening at Lord Masham's with lord-treasurer and Arbuthnot, as usual, and we staid till past one; but I had my man to come with me, and at home I found three letters; one from one Fetherston, a parson, with a postscript of Tisdall's to recommend him. And Fetherston, whom I never saw, has been so kind as to give me a letter of attorney, to recover a debt for him: another from Lord Abercorn, to get him the dukedom of Châtelleraut from the King of France; in which I will do what I can, for his pretensions are very just :* the third I warrant you, from our * The claims of the Earl of Abercorn upon the dukedom of Chatelherault stand thus. That peerage was conferred on the Earl of Arran, during the minority of Queen Mary of Scotland, as a MD. It is a great stir this, of getting a dukedom from the King of France: but it is only to speak to the secretary, and get the Duke of Ormond to engage in it, and mention the case to lord-treasurer, &c. and this I shall do. Night, dearest little MD. 20. I was with the Duke of Ormond this morning, about Lord Abercorn, Dr Freind, and Newcomb. Some will do, and some will not do that's wise, mistresses. The Duke of Shrewsbury is certainly to be your governor. I will go in a day or two, and give the Duchess joy, and recommend the Archbishop of Dublin to her. I writ to the archbishop, some months ago, that it would be so and told him I would speak a good word for him to the Duchess; and he says he has a great respect for her, &c. I made our society change their house, and we met together at the Star and Garter in the Pall Mall. Lord Arran was president. The other dog was so extravagant in his bills, that for four dishes part of the gratuity which he received from the court of France, for resigning the regency of the kingdom to Mary of Lorraine, the queen's mother. The eldest son of the Earl of Arran, first Duke of Chatelherault, died without issue. The male line of his second son became extinct by the death of William, the second Duke of Hamilton, mortally wounded at the battle of Worcester, 1651. The estate and title of Duchess of Hamilton devolved upon an heirfemale, Lady Anne Hamilton, who married the Earl of Selkirk. Their son was James, fourth Duke of Hamilton, often mentioned in this Journal. But as this nobleman only represented the House of Hamilton, in right of his mother, it became a question, whether the French dukedom of Chatelherault ought to descend to him whether, as a male fief, it should pass to the Earl of Abercorn, the lineal descendant of Lord Claud Hamilton, third son of James, the first Duke of Chatelherault, he being undoubted heir-male of the Hamilton family. ; or |