thing in London. And therefore I fhall advife the K---g, when I go next to England, to fend no more of her fort, (if füch another can be found) for fear of turning all his loyal female-fubjects here against him.

How is our old friend Mrs. Barton? (I forget her new name.) I faw her three years ago, at court, almoft dwindled to an echo, and hardly knew her; while your eyes dazzled me as much as when I first met them: Which, confidering myself, is a greater compliment than you are aware of. I wish you may have grace to find it.

My Lady Carteret hath made me a prefent, which I take to be malicious, with a defign to stand in your place.. Therefore I would have you to provide against it by another, and something of your own work, as hers is. For you know I always expect advances and presents from Ladies. Neither was I ever deceived in this laft article by any of your fex but the Q----n, whom I taxed three years ago with a prefent of ten pounds value. Upon taking my leave, she faid fhe intended a medal for me, but it was not finished. I afterwards fent her, on her own commands, about five and thirty pounds worth of filk, for herself and the Princeffes; but never received the medal

medal to this day. Therefore, I will truft your sex no more. You are to prefent my most humble fervice to my old friend Sir Robert Worley. I hope my friend Harry is well, and fattening in the fun, and continuing a batchelor to enrich the poor Worfley family.

I command you to believe me to be, with the greatest truth and respect, &c,

LETTER XLVIII,

To the Earl of CHESTERFIELD.

MY LORD,

November 10th, 1730.

I WAS pofitively advised by a friend, whose opinion hath much weight with me, and who hath a great veneration for your Lordship, to venture a letter of folicitation: And it is the first request of this kind that I ever made fince the public changes, in times, perfons, meafures, and opinions, drove me into diftance and obfcurity.

There is an honeft man, whose name is Launcelot; he hath been long a fervant to my Lord Suffex: He married a relation of mine, a widow, with a tolerable jointure; which, depending upon a lease which the

Duke

tune.

Duke of Grafton fuffered to expire about three years ago, funk half her little forMr. Launcelot had many promises from the Duke of Dorset, while his Grace held that office which is now in your Lordship *, but they all failed, after the usual fate that the bulk of court-fuiters must expect.

I am very fenfible that I have no manner of claim to the leaft favour from your Lordship, whom I have hardly the honour to be known to, although you were always pleased to treat me with much humanity, and with more diftinction than I could pretend to deferve. I am likewise confcious of that demerit which I have largely fhared with all those who concerned themselves in a court and ministry, whose maxims and proceedings have been ever fince fo much exploded. But your Lordship will grant me leave to say, that, in those times, when any perfons of the ejected party came to court, and were of tolerable confequence, they never failed to fucceed in any reasonable request they made for a friend. And, when I fometimes

The Earl of Chesterfield was then Lord Steward of his Majefty's household.

added

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added my poor folicitations, I used to quote to the then minifters a paffage in the Gofpel, The poor (meaning their own dependents) you have always with you, &c.

This is the strongest argument I have to entreat your Lordship's favour for Mr. Launcelot, who is a perfect honeft man, and as loyal as you could wifh. His wife, my near relation, hath been my favourite from her youth, and as deferving as it is poffible for one of her level. It is underftood, that fome little employments about the Court may be often in your Lordship's disposal; and that my Lord Suffex will give Mr. Launcelot the character he deferves: And then let my petition be (to speak in my own trade) a drop in the bucket.

Remember, my Lord, that, although this letter be long, yet what particularly concerns my request is but of a few lines.

I shall not congratulate with your Lordship upon any of your prefent great employments, or upon the greatest that can poffibly be given to you;. because you are one of those very few who do more honour to a Court, than you can poffibly receive from it: Which I take to be a greater compliment to any Court than it is to your Lordship. I am,

MY LORD, &c.

LETTER XLIX.

To the Countefs of SUFFOLK.

MADAM,

November 21, 1730.

Do now pity the leifure you have to read

a letter from me, and this letter fhall be a history. Firft, therefore, I call you to witness that I did not attend on the Q--n till I had received her own repeated meffages; which, of course, occafioned my being introduced to you. I never asked any thing, till, upon leaving England the first time, I defired from you a present worth a guinea, and from her Majefty one worth ten pounds, by way of a memorial. Your's I received; and the Q-----n, upon my taking leave of her, made an excufe that he had intended a medal for me; which, not being ready, the would fend it me the Christmas following: Yet this was never done, nor at all remembered when I went back to England the next year, and, by her commands, attended her as I had done before. I muft now tell you, Madam, that I will receive no medal from her Majefty, nor any thing lefs than her picture at half length, drawn by Jervas;

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