say so. She is gone to see the duke of Beaufort, who is so ill, it is feared he cannot recover.

She

went this morning so early, I have had no particular account how he is; but am told, he does nothing but doze. The messenger came to her at three in the morning; and she went away immediately afterward.

Lady Betty desires me to thank you for your letter, and would be glad, since the provost is graciously pleased to stay her majesty's time, to know where it is he designs to stay.

Honest Townshend and I have the satisfaction to drink your health, as often as we do drink together. Whether you approve of your being toasted with the bishop of London, and such people, I cannot tell; but at present we have disposed you in the first list of rank tories.

A servant is just now come from the duchess of Ormond, and gives such an account of the duke of Beaufort, that it is thought he cannot possibly re-.

cover.

SIR,

FROM MR. GAY *.

London, June 8, 1714.

SINCE you went out of the town, my lord Clarendon was appointed envoy exrraordinary to Hanover, in the room of lord Paget; and by making use of those friends, which I entirely owe to you, he has accepted me for his secretary. This day, by appointment, I met his lordship at Mr. secretary Bromley's office the then ordered me to be ready by Saturday,

*Endorsed, "The dean sent Gay abroad." N.
+ Bromley was joint secretary with Bolingbroke. H.

I am quite off from the duchess of Monmouth *. Mr. Lewis was very ready to serve me upon this occasion, as were Dr. Arbuthnot and Mr. Ford. I am every day attending my lord treasurer for his bounty, in order to set me out; which he has promised me upon the following petition, which I sent him by Dr. Arbuth

not:

The epigrammatical Petition of John Gay.

I'm no more to converse with the swains,
But go where fine people resort:
One can live without money on plains,
But never without it at court.

If, when with the swains I did gambol,
I array'd me in silver and blue:

When abroad, and in courts I shall ramble,
Pray, my lord, how much money will do?

We had the honour of the treasurer's company last Saturday, when we sat upon Scriblerus +. Pope is in town, and has brought with him the first book of Homer.

I am this evening to be at Mr. Lewis's with the Provost, Mr. Ford, Parnell, and Pope. It is thought my lord Clarendon will make but a short stay at Hanover. If it was possible, that any recommendation could be procured to make me more distinguished than ordinary, during my stay at that court, I should think myself very happy, if you could contrive any method to prosecute it; for I am told, that their civilities very rarely descend so low as to the secretary. I have all the reason in the world to acknowledge this

* Mr. Gay had been secretary, or domestick steward, to the duchess, widow of the duke of Monmouth, who was beheaded in the first year of king James II. B.

+ Memoirs of Martinus Scriblerus; a joint work of Pope, Arbuthnot, and others. See Pope's works.

H.

Of Dublin college, Dr. Benjamin Pratt, H,

as wholly owing to you. And the many favours I have received from you, purely out of your love for doing good, assures me you will not forget me in my absence. As for myself, whether I am at home or abroad, gratitude will always put me in mind of the man, to whom I owe so many benefits. I am your most obliged humble servant, J. GAY.

I

TO MISS VANHOMRIGH.

Upper Letcombe, near Wantage, Berks, June 8, 1714.

HAVE not much news to tell you from hence, nor have I had one line from any body since I left London, of which I am very glad: but to say the truth, I believe I shall not stay here so long as I intended; I am at a clergyman's house, whom I love very well; but he is such a melancholy thoughtful man, partly from nature, and partly by a solitary life, that I shall soon catch the spleen from him. Out of ease and complaisance, I desire him not to alter any of his methods for me; so we dine exactly between twelve and one, At eight we have some bread and butter, and a glass of ale; and at ten he goes to bed. Wine is a stranger, except a little I sent him; of which, one evening in two, we have a pint between us. His wife has been this month twenty miles off, at her father's, and will not return these ten days. I never saw her; and perhaps the house will be worse when she comes. read all day, or walk; and do not speak as many words as I have now writ, in three days: so that, in short, I have a mind to steal to Ireland, unless I find my self take more to this way of living, so different, every circumstance, from what I left. This is the first syllable I have writ to any body since you saw me. I shall be glad to hear from you, not as you are

in

I

a Londoner, but as a friend; for I care not threepence for news, nor have heard one syllable since I came here. The pretender, or duke of Cambridge, may both be landed, and I never the wiser; but if this place were ten times worse, nothing shall make me return to town, while things are in the situation I left them. I give a guinea a week for my board, and can eat any thing.

I

DEAR SIR,

FROM MR. BARBER.

London, June 8, 1714.

HAVE enclosed all the letters that have come to my hands. I saw my lord treasurer to-day, who asked me where you were gone? I told his lordship you were in Berkshire *. He answered, "It is very well; I suppose I shall soon hear from him." My lord Bolingbroke was very merry with me upon your journey, and hoped the world would be the better for your retirement, and that I should soon be the midwife. The schism bill was read the second time yesterday, and committed for to-morrow, without a division. Every body is in the greatest consternation at your retirement, and wonders at the cause. I tell them, it is for your health's sake. Mr. Gay is made secre

*Swift having in vain endeavoured to bring about a reconciliation between the lords Oxford and Bolingbroke, retired about this time, to the house of his friend the Rev. Mr Gery, at Letcombe, Berks; where he wrote "Free Thoughts on the present State of Affairs; which through the medium of his friend John, he put to the press of John Barber; who, pleased with his pamphlet, but not knowing by whom it was written, communicated it to lord Bolingbroke, who made in it some alterations not attested by the Dean, and which retarded the progress at the press so long, that in the interim the queen died, and the pamphlet was wholly suppressed. N.

She can walk,

tary to my lord Clarendon, and is well pleased with his promotion. The queen is so well, that the Sicilian ambassador has his audience to-night. thank God, and is well recovered. consent, I will appoint the happy day; your most obedient humble servant,

as does, sir, TYRANT.

I forgot to tell you that I saw Mr. Harley, who told me he would instantly send for the horse from Herefordshire, but that, being at grass, he had ordered his man not to ride hard; but that you should have him with all convenient speed.

FROM DR. ARBUTHNOT, THE QUEEN'S DOMESTICK PHYSICIAN.

DEAR BROTHER*,

St. James's, June 12, 1714. I AM glad your proud stomach is come down, and that you submit to write to your friends. I was of opinion, that if they managed you right, they might bring you to be even fond of an article in the Postboy, or Flying-post. As for the present state of our court affairs, I thank God, I am almost as ignorant as you are, to my great ease and comfort. I have never inquired about any thing, since my lady Masham told the dragont, that she would carry no more messages, nor meddle nor make, &c. I do not know whether things were quite so bad when you The dragon manages this bill pretty well; know that it is his forte: and I believe, at the

went.

for you

* One of the sixteen. H.

+ Lord treasurer Oxford. B.

+ "To prevent the growth of schism, and for the further "security of the church of England, as by law established."? It passed the house of lords, June 13, 1714. B.