XLVIII.

[Stepney Papers. Vol. 1, Folio 85.]

21st April, 1707.

SIR-This morning the Duke of Marlborough, accompanied with his duchess, set out for Margate in order to take his voyage for Holland, the wind being fair.

Dr. Chetwood, by the Duke of Marlborough's recommendation, is made Dean of Gloucester.

I hear Colonel Hunter is to go deputy-governor to Virginia under the Lord Arkney.

The heralds have been before a Committe of Council, and received orders to adjust the arms of the two nations on the public seals, and to be made use of after the first of May.

Brigadier Palmes is to succeed Lieutenant-General Windham as colonel of that regiment.

The city is full of the talk of a peace, but I hear nothing of it at this end of the town.

Mr. Musgrave lost a thousand pounds very nicely in the House of Commons; for upon a division whether he should have five or six thousand pounds for an equivalent to his toll at Carlisle, the tellers gave it him by a single vote, but upon a review which was demanded by one Mr. Coatsworth, no friend to Mr. Musgrave, the single vote was against him. I am, Sir, your most humble servant, J. ADDISON.

Mr. Stepney.

The date is in the same handwriting as the former erroneous one. It should probably be March, not April.

XLIX.

[Stepney Papers. Vol. 1, Folio 81.]

Whitehall, 25th March, 1707.

SIR-We expect a mail from Lisbon with great impatience, and have only heard from Valencia by way of Genoa that money and provisions are there in great plenty. Our West India merchants are in great pain for the Leeward Islands, which are very naked and defenceless, and it is feared Du Quéne's squadron is designed for those parts, though it is more probable they have only the conveying of the galleons in view, having no land-men on board. The packet-boats from Ostend to Dover having hitherto fallen into the hands of privateers, a new method is proposed and under consideration for securing them. The Duke of Marlborough is still at Margate with the dutchess, and I hear intends to stay there till the wind changes, which has kept his Grace there already these four days. I am with great truth and respect, Sir, your most humble, most faithful servant,

Mr. Stepney.

L.

J. ADDISON.

[Stepney Papers. Vol. 1, Folio 83.]

28th April.

SIR-Yesterday the Queen passed the Annuity Bill, and though several had given out that the fund it goes upon would never be filled up, the whole sum was subscribed to as fast as the names could be taken, and above a hundred thousand pound returned.

The date 28th April is either the date of receipt, or written in mistake for 28th March. It is not in the handwriting of Addison, nor of his amanuensis.

The fund is for £1,120,000, and the annuity at sixteen years pur. chase for ninety-six years.

Last night the Queen signed a proclamation for a general thanksgiving to be observed on the 1st of May for the Union, and will herself celebrate it at St. Paul's.

A commission is ordered to search into the losses sustained by the inhabitants of the Leeward Islands, that some reparation may be made them and proper precautions taken for the future.

Her Majesty sends a letter to the Republic of the Grisons in confirmation of the treaty made with them by Mr. Stanyan and the Emperor's envoy. The articles that concern her Majesty are the first and fourth, by which she engages to indemnify the Grisons from any losses they may sustain by the Germans in their march, to protect them against the resentments of the French, to comprehend them in the treaty of peace, and do them good offices with the Emperor.

There is a talk of Sir Thomas Hanmore being to succeed Mr. Mansel and the latter to be made a lord, with many other changes that the town usually makes at the end of a session of Parliament.

I am, Sir, your most obedient humble servant,

March 28th, 1707. Mr. Stepney.

J. ADDISON.

LI.

[Stepney Papers. Vol. 1, Folio 87.]

SIR-The Queen has sent a letter of reprimand to the Lower House of Convocation for some intemperate behavior that has lately passed among them tending to the diminishing her Majesty's prerogative as head of the Church, which her Majesty lets

them know she pardons for this time, but will make use of other methods with them in case they do the like for the future.

This morning the town was surprised with the news of a marriage solemnized last night at the Duke of Montagu's house between Lord Hinchinbrook and the only daughter of Lady Anne Popham.

By our last letters from Valencia we find the King of Spain's friends are all, except the Count de Noyelles, very much out of humor at his intended journey to Catalonia. I hear that Earl Rivers and Lord Essex talk of returning home, the command being in the hands of Lord Gallway. They design to march towards Madrid by the way of Arragon, and by that means leave the Tajo on the left, the passing of which would be difficult and dangerous.

Prince Lichtenstein, Count Oropeza, and Count de Cardona are the Cabinet Councillors. The great and only misfortune they have in the present favorable conjuncture is the division. among the general officers.

You will doubtless hear of our talked-of changes from other hands. I am, Sir, your most humble servant,

Whitehall, April 11th, 1707. Mr. Stepney.

J. ADDISON.

LIL

[Stepney Papers. Vol. 1, Folio 89.]

SIR-I send you enclosed a letter from my Lord Halifax, and thank you for all the kind ones received from your side.

This day Lord Sunderland had a son christened, the Queen godmother, and the Duke of Marlborough and Lord Realton god. fathers. They say Jack How, Mr. Blathwait, and Prior, shake. The Dutchess of Marlborough has invited Lady

Peterborough to dine with her and name her company, who are Dr. Garth, Lord Wharton, Lord Halifax, and Lord Sunderland. The Earl of Manchester will, I believe, have directions to call at Vienna in his way to Venice. It was to-day proposed in the House of Commons to let in French wine among us, but the proposal was received so warmly by one of the members that it immediately fell to our great mortification. I am your most obedient servant,

December 17th. Mr. Stepney.

J. ADDISON.

LIII. TO THE EARL OF WARWICK.

[This young nobleman was the son of the Countess of Warwick, whom Addison afterwards married. Addison was supposed to have been tutor to the Earl, but there is no evidence but contemporary hearsay to support this conjecture. These letters were originally published by Curll.-G.]

MY DEAR LORD-I have employed the whole neighborhood in looking after birds' nests, and not altogether without success. My man found one last night, but it proved a hen's with fifteen eggs in it, covered with an old broody duck, which may satisfy your Lordship's curiosity a little, though I am afraid the eggs will be of little use to us. This morning I have news brought me of a nest which has abundance of little eggs streaked with red and blue veins, that, by the description they gave me, must make a very beautiful figure on a string. My neighbors are very much divided in their opinions upon them: some say they are a sky-lark's, others will have them to be a canary bird's, but I am much mistaken in the turn and color of the eggs if they are not full of tom-tits. If your Lordship does not make haste, I am afraid they will be birds before you see them, for if the account they gave me of them be true, they can't have above two days more to reckon.