minutes pleasant. I dine with my lord and lady Masham to day, where we will, as usually, remember you.
You have read, ere this time, the History of the White Staff[1], which is either contrived by an enemy, or by himself, to bring down vengeance; and I have told some of his nearest friends so. All the dragon can say will not give him one single friend among the whole party; and therefore I even wonder at him, which you will say is a strange thing. The very great person of all[2] can hardly speak of him with patience. The Conde[3] acts like a man of spirit, makes up to the king, and talks to him, and would have acted with more sense than any of them, could he have had any body to have acted along with him: nos numerus sumus, &c. The man you speak of is just as you describe, so I beg pardon. Shadwell says, he will have my place of Chelsea. Garth told me, his merit was giving intelligence about his mistress's health. I desired he would do me the favour to say, that I valued myself upon quite the contrary; and I hoped to live to see the day, when his majesty would value me the more for it too. I have not seen any thing as yet to make me recant a
- ↑ A pamphlet written by Mr. Daniel de Foe, and published in 1714, in 8vo, in two parts, under the title of "The Secret History of the White Staff; being an account of affairs under the conduct of some late ministers, and of what might probably have happened, if her majesty had not died." Soon after the publication of it, came out, in 8vo, "A Detection of the Sophistry and Falsities of the Pamphlet, entitled, 'The Secret History of the White Staff,' containing an inquiry into the Staff's conduct in the late management, particularly with respect to the protestant succession."
- ↑ Probably king George I.
- ↑ Peterborow.
