Hamilton never dreamt
of a chaplain, nor I believe ever heard of Higgins. You are glorious
newsmongers in Ireland--Dean Francis,(10) Sir R. Levinge,(11) stuff
stuff: and Pratt, more stuff. We have lost our fine frost here; and Abel
Roper tells as you have had floods in Dublin; ho, brave(12) you! Oh
ho! Swanton seized Portraine, now I understand oo. Ay, ay, now I see
Portraune at the top of your letter. I never minded it before. Now
to your second, N.36. So, you read one of the Grub Streets about the
bandbox.(13) The Whig papers have abused me about the bandbox. God help
me, what could I do? I fairly ventured my life. There is a particular
account of it in the Postboy, and Evening Post of that day. Lord
Treasurer has had the seal sent him that sealed the box, and directions
where to find the other pistol in a tree in St. James's Park, which Lord
Bolingbroke's messenger found accordingly; but who sent the present
is not yet known. The Duke of Hamilton avoided the quarrel as much as
possible, according to the foppish rules of honour in practice. What
signified your writing angry to Filby? I hope you said nothing of
hearing anything from me. Heigh! do oo write by sandlelight! nauti,
nauti, nauti dallar, a hundred times, fol doing so. O, fais, DD, I'll
take care of myself! The Queen is in town, and Lady Masham's month of
lying-in is within two days of being out. I was at the christening on
Monday. I could not get the child named Robin, after Lord Treasurer; it
is Samuel, after the father. My brother Ormond sent me some chocolate
to-day. I wish you had share of it: but they say 'tis good for me, and I
design to drink some in a morning. Our Society meets next Thursday, now
the Queen is in town; and Lord Treasurer assures me that the Society for
reforming the language shall soon be established. I have given away ten
shillings to-day to servants; 'tan't be help if one should cry one's
eyes out.(14) Hot a stir is here about your company and visits! Charming
company, no doubt; now I keep no company at all, nor have I any desire
to keep any. I never go to a coffee-house nor a tavern, nor have touched
a card since I left Windsor. I make few visits, nor go to levees; my
only debauching is sitting late where I dine, if I like the company.
I have almost dropped the Duchesses of Shrewsbury and Hamilton, and
several others. Lord Treasurer, the Duke of Ormond, and Lady Orkney are
all that I see very often. Oh yes, and Lady Masham and Lord