kinder to me than before. I am not mortified at what you tell me of Mercurialis; only I would know, whether any disrespectful conduct of mine has brought it upon me; or whether it is only a general dislike of me, because I am not a man of parts, or because I am in other interests? They would not give the dragon the least quarter, excepting only a pension, if he will work journeywork by the quarter. I have long thought his parts decayed, and am more of that opinion than ever. The new commission is not yet named. Would not the world have roared against the dragon for such a thing? Mercurialis entertained Stanhope, Craggs, Pulteney, and Walpole. What if the dragon had done so? The duke of Somerset dines to day with the fraternity at Greenwich, with Withers. Nobody goes out with the dragon; but many will sit very loose. Some say the new men will be Lexington, Wyndam, Strangeways, sir John Stonehouse, and Campion.
FROM MR. JOHN BARBER.
I AM heartily sorry I should be the messenger of so ill news, as to tell you the queen is dead, or dying: if alive, it is said, she cannot live till morning. You may easily imagine the confusion we are all in on this sad occasion. I had set out yesterday to wait on you, but for this sad accident, and should have brought letters from lord Bolingbroke, and
