Beachworth in Surrey, Dear Sir, you 「 peak peak, God paffing nefs and ou gueffed right as to the winds, which are ftill easterly, and keep me here winter quarters, from all public and pri affairs. I have neither feen Lord furer, nor been at Chelsea † to pr my own affair: though as for th as great as my zeal is, I am f ftand. I was before-hand tr to the Lord, he was in fome gaged; and the return I' on my application, feem much. On the other reason to hope, that before bemoaned her, ed to greatnefs w her choice to m capes, fought fobriety and How much zeal you ma I have rec your relat her with fo rare fortun by w have by fee T ra' I nderfully kind ately fpoken of ar public affairs at changed by the late e. But I have been ay: fo will not attempt will end here with the af y being, dear Sir, your moit a faithful friend and fervant. d Shaftesbury to Robert Molef-worth, Esq. Dear Sir, Chelfca, Nov. 20, 1708. CAME hither from Surry but yesterday, and found your fecond letter; which re- if I had not received, I fhould however only not have failed writing this post about our changes talked of, which I hope will be to the public advantage. As to the admiralty, and the confequences of keeping it in the adminiftration it had lain under during the prince's time, you knew my mind fully, as well as my opinion of this prefent Lord, who, I hope, may Iam like to be with certainty be called Lord High Admiral. It is Lord Pembroke I mean, impofiible for who with great reluctancy at laft accepts re's imperfections it, I believe though he plainly faid (as that I canon the mat reafon that I aras man i mean to difpofe of 1 have been informed) that he was in/stur: to that could ferted only to ferve a turn, and that anoush by 2 polar medicine, fet ther great Lord (the favourite of our courtship, I would and would in fome time fucceed him. unless I could mira- But I really believe things ftand on a whole. Now for a better bottom: and, that as ftrictly as town neighbourhood, the lord Somers is bound to the party of banda to Lar was dat well: but for a town life, friends with whom he rofe, he has vet ℗ van rá fr butinels or diverfion, it that wifdom, and withal that regard to compals. his country's intereft, cfpecially under a that you may know my ministry of which he is like to have fo Whigs may murmur, he will be glad to •Deck prodate Whigs, who became fervile fee the naval affairs in the hands of lo ****** Pate court empirics, branded all who adhered to thofe very univerfally beloved a man, fo honourable and uncorrupt as Lord Pembroke. Aahoned and juftified the revobabas, and who were originally Whigs; - Ape de mes fome who voted with him in A MENU and difappointment, became if not IT en's hand, though not MODERN Meat men in power. I had in of an intered in the plain honest peo- your må 12 I have experienced vant. mmy as denga d abroad, where I ale acquaintance at with a plain terefednels, LETTER in dan From tou been Dear Sir, Be of WAS at Chellea when I with the inclofed, and the employment you had give ncouragement and ki sin affair, that I have it a thout returning you thang marks of your frien bly receive. Indeed to receive them arater you and what " 1 the first trying question we have loft the ballot, though but by nine. Our friends ftuck faft. But kindness to this ministry, which the best men are willing to favour, rdly made the struggle not fo great as might be. Sir Peter King, our friend, spoke orthily for it. Sir Jofeph Jekyl, and fince at this y .ce, Lord wifhed now is r Lord *; no fhare in other Lords of nofe, did as before, and went on our de. The late fpeakers befet the new one +: and he will have I fear a hard task, if this be not an easy feflions, as our great news and glorious fuccefs abroad is like to make it. As for myself and private affairs (with you in my last which I did not trouble long one), you may judge by the place where I am, that they go not on very fmartly. Making court any where, or in any fenfe, I find is not among my talents, if I have any. I have done more in this affair than I thought it poffible for me to have done, having fo great an opinion (as I ftill have) of the lady. .ned only a very ance: but I have rd Somers, and beof our Lord and him, tween them is upon a better bottom, than that their particular friends on and even Lord Pembroke (a a fprightlier, far better perhaps than whom all this turns, is a proof, that this change is not wholly a matter. But it is hard, even for us men, to know ord Wharton indeed is true fteel; at as little partiality as I have for him, and as ill an opinion of his private life and principles, I fancy his good underftanding will make him fhew himself a better Lord Lieutenant than is expected. More changes I know not of: nor do I believe many are to be expected. fuch a one as I am. But I believe fuch a one will not fo like or value her as I do, or in the main make her fo happy; fo vain I am. But whatever my thoughts are of myself, I am not used to fet myfelf off for my intereft fake, and make the best of what I have. Health I have not in the higheft degree. Be it spleen, or real infirmity, it is the fame misfortune health with fafety, and purfue the lady, to a lady. Could I make a fhew of where I might have opportunity to win her liking by this means, and appearing better without doors than I am within at ordinary hours, I would not do this, whatever depended on it. But as the feafon is, and the fevere north-caft winds, and town smoke, I am driven from my quarters at Chelfea; and think not that Í fhall be able to return there, till the ftrength of the winter is over; fo will take the first fair weather, to go to my A winter quarters at St. Giles's 1. thoufand thanks to you for your kind concern in an affair which I have taken fo much to heart. Your writing again in anfwer, as you did, the firft poft, was Forgive this hafty fheet I here enclofe to you. It is late, and I fhall mifs this night's poft fending hence to town: fo add only my conftant and fincere profeffion of being, dear Sir, your obliged friend and faithful humble fervant. ferve, and in how defperate a cafe. Should any thing come of it, the friendfhip will appear the greater; or if nothing, the friendship will appear the fame ftill, as to me myself. Your letter was delivered: I hope you will hear foon in anfwer to it. The old Lord continues wonderfully kind to me, and I hear has lately fpoken of me fo to others. Our public affairs at home will be much changed by the late death of the prince 1. But I have been able to fee nobody: fo will not attempt to write, and will end here with the affurance of my being, dear Sir, your mot obliged and faithful friend and fervant. I LETTER LXXXIII. Dear Sir, Chelfea, Nov. 20, 1708. CAME hither from Surry but yesterday, own there was a time in public affairs when I really was: for, faving yourfelf, and perhaps one or two more (I fpeak the most), I had none that acted with me, against the injuftice and corruption of both parties each of them inflamed against me, particularly one, becaufe of my birth and principles; the other, becaufe of my pretended apoftacy, which was only adhering to thofe principles on which their party was founded. There have been apoftates indeed fince that time. But the days are long fince paft, that you and I were treated as Jacobites*. What to fay for fome companions of ours, as they are now changed †, I know not : but as to my own particular, I affure you, that fince thofe fad days of the public, which might have helped on perhaps with Lord Shaftesbury to Robert Molef-worth, Efq. that melancholy or fpleen which you fear in me, and for certain have helped me to this ill ftate of health: I am now, however, as free as poffible; and even in refpect to my health too, excepting only the air of London, I am, humanly fpeaking, very paffable; but gallantly fpeaking, and as a courtier of the fair fex, God knows I may be very far from paffing, And I have that fort of stubbornnefs and wilfulness (if that be spleen) that I cannot bear to fet a better face on the matter, than it deferves; fo I am like to be an ill courtier, for the fame reason that I am an ill jockey. It is impoffible for me, to conceal my horfe's imperfections or my own, where I mean to difpofe of either. I think it unfair: fo that could any quack, by a peculiar medicine, fet me up for a month or two, enough to go through with my courtship, I would not accept his offer, unless I could miraculously be made whole. Now for a country health and a town neighbourhood, I am found and well: but for a town life, whether it be for bufinefs or diverfion, it is out of my compafs. I fay all this, that you may know my true state, and how defperate a man you *The truly apoftate Whigs, who became fervile and arbitrary to please court empirics, branded all thofe as Jacobites, who adhered to thofe very principles that occafioned and juftified the revolution. Here he means fome who voted with him in his favourite bills, and who were originally Whigs; but out of pique and difappointment, became if not real Jacobites (which was fearce poffible) yet in effect as bad, by promoting all the defigns peculiar that defperate party. and found your fecond letter; which if I had not received, I fhould however not have failed writing this poft about our changes talked of, which I hope will be to the public advantage. As to the admiralty, and the confequences of keeping it in the adminiftration it had lain under during the prince's time, you knew my mind fully, as well as my opinion of this prefent Lord, who, I hope, may with certainty be called Lord High Admiral. It is Lord Pembroke I mean, who with great reluctancy at last accepts it, I believe though he plainly faid (as I have been informed) that he was inferted only to ferve a turn, and that another great Lord (the favourite of our Whig party) was at the bottom intended, and would in fome time fucceed him. But I really believe things ftand on a better bottom: and, that as strictly s the lord Somers is bound to the party friends with whom he rofe, he has yet that wisdom, and withal that regard to his country's intereft, efpecially under a ministry of which he is like to have fo great a fhare, that, however the low Whigs may murmur, he will be glad to fce the naval affairs in the hands of fo univerfally beloved a man, fo honourable and uncorrupt as Lord Pembroke. of By this you will find I take for granted, that Lord Somers comes into the place talked of for him of Prefident of the Council; and believe it is true that he The Prince of Denmark. has has kiffed the queen's hand, though not directly as a minister received: but pretty near it you may believe; fince at this time of mourning (and fo fincere a mourner as the queen is) fhe hardly would fee a stranger, and what is more, a man fo eftranged from her, and fo wholly off from the court as Lord Somers has been, and whom I fcarce believe the has admitted at any time to kifs her hand; he having been for certain the prince's averfion, as you may judge by those who chiefly influenced the prince, and were the violenteft enemies Lord Somers had. I must confefs I ever wished well to this correfpondence there now is between Lord Somers and our Lord; but can pretend to have had no fhare in effecting it. With all the other Lords of the junto, I have maintained only a very cool and diftant acquaintance: but I have ever diftinguished Lord Somers, and believe fo well both of our Lord and him, that the union between them is upon a handfomer and better bottom, than that of giving up their particular friends on either fide; and even Lord Pembroke (a Tory), on whom all this turns, is a proof, I think, that this change is not wholly a party matter. Lord Wharton indeed is true fteel; but as little partiality as I have for him, and as ill an opinion of his private life and principles, I fancy his good underftanding will make him fhew himself a better Lord Lieutenant than is expected. More changes I know not of: nor do I believe many are to be expected. Forgive this hafty fheet I here enclofe to you. It is late, and I fhall mifs this night's poft fending hence to town: fo add only my conftant and fincere feffion of being, dear Sir, your obliged friend and faithful humble fervant. LETTER LXXXIV. pro From the fame to the fame. Dear Sir, Beachworth, Nov. 25, 1708. I SHOULD be very forry if you miffed mine, of laft poft but one, from Chelfea, in which I writ you my whole thoughts of the changes. The parliament has now fat, and for The Lord Treasurer. 419 the first trying queftion we have loft the ballot, though but by nine. Our friends ftuck faft. But kindness to this ministry, which the best men are willing to favour, made the struggle not fo great as might be. Sir Peter King, our friend, fpoke worthily for it. Sir Jofeph Jekyl, and all thofe, did as before, and went on our fide. The late speakers befet the new one: and he will have I fear a hard task, if this be not an eafy feflions, as our great news and glorious fuccefs abroad is like to make it. As for myself and private affairs (with which I did not trouble you in my last long one), you may judge by the place where I am, that they go not on very fmartly. Making court any where, or in any fenfe, I find is not among my talents, if I have any. I have done more in this affair than I thought it poffible for me to have done, having fo great an opinion (as I ftill have) of the lady. But it is hard, even for us men, to know ourselves; harder for women, however wife. She may like a younger man, and a fprightlier, far better perhaps than fuch a one as I am. But I believe fuch a one will not fo like or value her as I do, or in the main make her fo happy; fo vain I am. But whatever my thoughts are of myself, I am not used to fet myfelf off for my intereft fake, and make the best of what I have. Health I have not in the highest degree. Be it fpleen, or real infirmity, it is the fame misfortune to a lady. Could I make a fhew of health with fafety, and pursue the lady, where I might have opportunity to win her liking by this means, and appearing better without doors than I am within at ordinary hours, I would not do this, whatever depended on it. But as the feafon is, and the fevere north-east winds, and town fmoke, I am driven from my quarters at Chelfea; and think not that I fhall be able to return there, till the ftrength of the winter is over; fo will take the firft fair weather, to go to my winter quarters at St. Giles's 1. thousand thanks to you for your kind concern in an affair which I have taken fo much to heart. Your writing again in anfwer, as you did, the first post, was A Sir Richard Onflow, afterawrds created Lord His paternal feat in Dorsetshire, which he E e 2 mighty right, to me extremely obliging. If I fee the leaft glimmering of hope, you fhall be fure to know. I have given order at Chelfea about the vines: adieu, dear Sir. I am most faithfully yours. Sir John and Mr. Micklethwayt (who are both here at this inftant, rejoicing with me on the good news from abroad) defire very carneitly to have their humble fervices prefented to you. LETTER LXXXV. Lord Shaftesbury to Robert Molefaworth, Efq. Dear Sir, Beachworth, Jan. 6, 17c8-9. HADI not by accident heard long fince that you were on the road to town, you may be fure I fhould be employing the leifure time I have here in writing to you; efpecially after fuch long and friendly letters as I have lately received from you on public and private fubjects, and in which you are fo favourable to me as to lay a trefs upon my judgment and opinion in the affairs of my country which of late years I have been forced to look on at a distance, without any thing that can be called a fhare in them myfelf. I muil own, I began of late to flatter myfelf with a way of lervice 1 little dreamt of, and which I never thought myself capable of or qualified for heretofore. I never thought I should see any of the great men at court fo inclinable to public good, as to regard or hearken to a man who had chiefly that at heart: ad, to fay truth of myself, I always thought I had a stubbornness of nature, which would hinder me from making a right advantage of good miniers, whenever we fhould come to have any fuch. But the being taken down very early in my life from thofe high imaginations I had, and thofe hopes of doing fervice in the plain way of bufinefs and parliaments, the mortification wrought fo far in my advantage, that I became milder and more tractable: and in this condition you found me, when you laid hold of an opportunity; and with a moft particular mark of friendship recommended me to a great man ‡, and brought me under * Because of his afthma. Giving advice to thofe at the helm, of which no man was more capable, both in refpect of ability and integrity. The Loid Treasurer. obligation to him. The little time I return. : the zeal and carncft endeavour of one But this however ought not to leffen who is chiged, and in a truly honeft man it must increase it; and this, for his Scurrantis Speciem præbere, profeffus amicum li |