ake another about a day or two hence. I have eat mighty
little fruit; yet I impute my disorder to that little, and shall
henceforth wholly forbear it. I am engaged in a long work, and have
done all I can of it, and wait for some papers from the Ministry for
materials for the rest; and they delay me, as if it were a favour I
asked of them; so that I have been idle here this good while, and it
happened in a right time, when I was too much out of order to study. One
is kept constantly out of humour by a thousand unaccountable things
in public proceedings; and when I reason with some friends, we cannot
conceive how affairs can last as they are. God only knows, but it is a
very melancholy subject for those who have any near concern in it. I am
again endeavouring, as I was last year, to keep people(2) from breaking
to pieces upon a hundred misunderstandings. One cannot withhold them
from drawing different ways, while the enemy is watching to destroy
both. See how my style is altered, by living and thinking and talking
among these people, instead of my canal and river-walk and willows. I
lose all my money here among the ladies;(3) so that I never play when I
can help it, being sure to lose. I have lost five pounds the five weeks
I have been here. I hope Ppt is luckier at picquet with the Dean and
Mrs. Walls. The Dean never answered my letter, though. I have clearly
forgot whether I sent a bill for ME in any of my last letters. I think I
did; pray let me know, and always give me timely notice. I wait here but
to see what they will do for me; and whenever preferments are given from
me, as hope saved, I will come over.

18. I have taken a vomit to-day, and hope I shall be better. I have been
very giddy since I writ what is before, yet not as I used to be: more
frequent, but not so violent. Yesterday we were alarmed with the Queen's
being ill: she had an aguish and feverish fit; and you never saw such
countenances as we all had, such dismal melancholy. Her physicians from
town were sent for, but towards night she grew better; to-day she missed
her fit, and was up: we are not now in any fear; it will be at worst but
an ague, and we hope even that will not return. Lord Treasurer would not
come here from London, because it would make a noise if he came before
his usual time, which is Saturday, and he goes away on Mondays. The
Whigs have lost a great support in the Earl of Godolphin.(4) It is a
good jest to hear the Ministers talk of h