I acknowledge to be indebted to the reverend Doctor Swift, Dean of St. Patrick's, the sum of Lo, 1s. 1d. for value received, this 2d day of February 1732-3. FRANCES ARABELLA KELLY.* FROM THE LORD MAYOR OF LONDON. London, Feb. 6, 1732-3. Queen Anne's Birth-day: BELIEVE me, sir, and it is with great truth I speak it, that there is not a person in the world I would sooner oblige than yourself; and I should be glad to have it in my power to serve Mrs. Barber in the way you mention; but it is odds it may not be in my power, for many things may fall, that her spouse is not fit for; as, all places relating to the law, he can have no pretensions to. There are a dozen persons in my house, called lord mayor's officers, who wear black gowns, and give from eight to nine hundred pounds for their places, which at first they make about sixty pounds per annum of, and rise in time to three or four hundred pounds; but they are generally young men. These places, I suppose, should any one fall, would not be thought good enough. There are many other places in my gift. We have had mayors gone through the office who have not got one hundred pounds, and others have * This promissory note is pinned to the letter. It certainly is an answer to some whim or other of the Doctor's.-D. S. got ten thousand pounds: it is all chance. I have gone through the fourth part of my year, and have got only about two hundred guineas, by the deaths of one of the city music, and a porter to Guildhall. But suppose a place should fall worth fifteen hundred or two thousand pounds, that he may be fit for, one-third of the purchase goes to the city, and must be paid before his admission: the other twothirds are mine: but I cannot put a less price than was paid before, because the last price is entered in the city books. I know you love particulars, and thus you have the case as it stands. You will give me leave to add a word or two, which I do in confidence, That I have been, for many years, plagued with a set of ungrateful monsters, called cousins, that I tremble at the name; and though I give yearly pensions to some, and monthly and weekly to others, all would not do, and I am insulted and abused by them, and cannot help myself. Now, as Mrs. Barber and her family design to settle here, and she has done me the honour in most places to call me cousin, I hope it will not be expected I should have the care of them. I have very ill health; and any additional care that way would hurt me very much; but for doing her and her family any good offices, I shall never be wanting. I must now beg leave to return you my thanks for your affectionate and kind wishes. The honour, I own, is very great, I am in possession of, and I am sensible I am placed aloft, and that all my words and actions are scanned; but I will not be discouraged, and hope I shall get through with honour. One motive for making me think so, is the great pleasure and satisfaction I have in the hopes of seeing you here, where your advice and example will be of great use; and therefore I hope you will lose no time, but come away, and I will fit up an apartment for you in Queen's Square, and another at Sheen (which I hope you will accept,) places that I shall hardly be able to see this year. Mr. Pilkington gains daily upon us, and comes out a facetious, agreeable fellow. I carried him the other day to see her grace of Bucks in the Park. Her grace seeing him, asked, Who he was? I answered, "He was a present from you from Dublin.” She smilingly replied, "He is no fool then, I am sure." I shall conclude a long dull letter, with my sincere wishes for your health and prosperity, and that you would not delay one hour coming to bless your friends here with your company; which by none is more desired than, Sir, Your most obedient, and most humble servant, J. BARBER. FROM LADY BETTY GERMAIN. February 28, 1732-3. I RECEIVED yours of the 8th of January but last week, so find it has lain long on the road after the date. It was brought me while at dinner, that very lady sitting close to me, whom you seem to think such an absolute courtier.* She knew your hand, and inquired much after you, as she always does; *The Countess of Suffolk.-H. but I, finding her name frequently mentioned, not with that kindness I am sure she deserves, put it into my pocket with silence and surprise. Indeed, were it in people's power, that live in a court with the appearance of favour, to do all they desire with their friends, they might deserve their anger, and be blamed, when it does not happen right to their minds; but that, I believe, never was the case of any one and in this particular of Mr. Gay, thus far I know, and so far I will answer for, that she was under very great concern, that nothing better could be got for him: and the friendship upon all other occasions in her own power, that she shewed him, did not look like a double-dealer. As to that part concerning yourself and her, I suppose it is my want of comprehension, that I cannot find out why she was to blame to give you advice, when you asked it, that had all the appearance of sincerity, good-nature, and right judgment. And if, after that, the court did not do what you wanted, and she both believed and wished they would, was it her fault? At least, I cannot find out that you have hitherto proved it upon her. And though you say, you lamented the hour you had seen her, yet I cannot tell how to suppose that your good sense and justice can impute anything to her, because it did not fall out just as she endeavoured, and hoped it would. As to your creed in politics, I will heartily and sincerely subscribe to it, (that I detest avarice in courts, corruption in ministers, schisms in religion, illiterate fawning betrayers of the church in mitres.) But, at the same time, I prodigiously want an infallible judge to determine when it is really so: for as I have lived longer in the world, and seen many changes, I know those out of power and place always see the faults of those in, with dreadful large spectacles; and, I dare say, you know many instances of it in Lord Oxford's time. But the strongest in my memory is Sir Robert Walpole, being first pulled to pieces in the year 1720, because the South Sea did not rise high enough, and since that, he has been to the full as well banged about, because it did rise too high. So experience has taught me how wrong, unjust, and senseless, party factions are; therefore, I am determined never wholly to believe any side or party against the other; and to shew that I will not, as my friends are in and out of all sides, so my house receives them altogether; and those people meet here, that have, and would fight in any other place. Those of them that have great and good qualities and virtues, I love and admire; in which number is Lady Suffolk; and I do like and love her, because I believe, and, as far as I am capable of judging, know her to be a wise, discreet, honest, and sincere courtier, who will promise no farther than she can perform, and will always perform what she does promise; so, now, you have my creed as to her. I thought I had told you in my last, at least I am sure I designed it, that I desire you would do just as you like about the monument; and then it will be most undoubtedly approved by Your most sincere and faithful servant, E. GERMAIN. |