Letter II

London, Sept. 9, 1710.

I got here last Thursday, [4a] after five days’ travelling, weary the first, almost dead the second, tolerable the third, and well enough the rest; and am now glad of the fatigue, which has served for exercise; and I am at present well enough. The Whigs were ravished to see me, and would lay hold on me as a twig while they are drowning, [4b] and the great men making me their clumsy apologies, etc. But my Lord Treasurer [4c] received me with a great deal of coldness, which has enraged me so, I am almost vowing revenge. I have not yet gone half my circle; but I find all my acquaintance just as I left them. I hear my Lady Giffard [4d] is much at Court, and Lady Wharton [4e] was ridiculing it t’other day; so I have lost a friend there. I have not yet seen her, nor intend it; but I will contrive to see Stella’s mother [4f] some other way. I writ to the Bishop of Clogher from Chester; and I now write to the Archbishop of Dublin. [4g] Everything is turning upside down; every Whig in great office will, to a man, be infallibly put out; and we shall have such a winter as hath not been seen in England. Everybody asks me, how I came to be so long in Ireland, as naturally as if here were my being; but no soul offers to make it so: and I protest I shall return to Dublin, and the Canal at Laracor, [4h] with more satisfaction than ever I did in my life. The Tatler [5a] expects every day to be turned out of his employment; and the Duke of Ormond, [5b] they say, will be Lieutenant of Ireland. I hope you are now peaceably in Presto’s [5c] lodgings; but I resolve to turn you out by Christmas; in which time I shall either do my business, or find it not to be done. Pray be at Trim by the time this letter comes to you; and ride little Johnson, who must needs be now in good case. I have begun this letter unusually, on the post-night, and have already written to the Archbishop; and cannot lengthen this. Henceforth I will write something every day to MD, and make it a sort of journal; and when it is full, I will send it, whether MD writes or no; and so that will be pretty: and I shall always be in conversation with MD, and MD with Presto. Pray make Parvisol pay you the ten pounds immediately; so I ordered him. They tell me I am grown fatter, and look better; and, on Monday, Jervas [5d] is to retouch my picture. I thought I saw Jack Temple [5e] and his wife pass by me to-day in their coach; but I took no notice of them. I am glad I have wholly shaken off that family. Tell the Provost, [5f] I have obeyed his commands to the Duke of Ormond; or let it alone, if you please. I saw Jemmy Leigh [6a] just now at the Coffee-house, who asked after you with great kindness: he talks of going in a fortnight to Ireland. My service to the Dean, [6b] and Mrs. Walls, and her Archdeacon. [6c] Will Frankland’s [6d] wife is near bringing to-bed, and I have promised to christen the child. I fancy you had my Chester letter the Tuesday after I writ. I presented Dr. Raymond to Lord Wharton [6e] at Chester. Pray let me know when Joe gets his money. [6f] It is near ten, and I hate to send by the bellman. [6g] MD shall have a longer letter in a week, but I send this only to tell I am safe in London; and so farewell, etc.